Home › Stevia › Grow in New Jersey

Can You Grow Stevia in New Jersey?

US · USDA Zone 6b · zones 6a, 6b, 7a

Won't grow here

Stevia is frost-tender but thrives in a pot on a sunny windowsill year-round.

Plant zones

8a–11b

New Jersey last frost

mid-March

New Jersey first frost

mid-November

Days to harvest

60–80 days

When to plant Stevias in New Jersey

Start indoors

Jan 17

Transplant

Mar 15

Harvest

May 14 – Jun 3

Dates are approximate, based on New Jersey's average frost dates. Your exact yard may vary by microclimate.

About Stevia

Stevia is the natural zero-calorie sweetener — the leaves are 200-300 times sweeter than sugar. Easy to grow as a container plant and overwinter indoors in cold climates.

Start from transplants (seeds have low germination). Grow in a pot and overwinter indoors in frost-prone zones. Harvest leaves before the plant flowers — sweetness peaks pre-flower. Dry leaves and crush for sweetener.

Full stevia growing guide →

Gardening in New Jersey

New Jersey has a humid subtropical to continental climate. South Jersey is Zone 7a; North Jersey is Zone 6a-6b. Known for its produce farming — tomatoes, blueberries, cranberries.