MINT
Take pleasure in inhaling the refreshing scent of mint every day. Today, mint plants are available in immense diversity offering several lovely fragrances. Growing mint is easy however; confining the growth that is invasive in nature is a bit tricky. Mints are perennial vegetation and can thrive in any condition. If you are planning to grow mint in your own garden, then it is extremely crucial to know all about it before beginning the plantation. It is also important to understand and know about all the varieties available at the nurseries like spearmint, peppermint, chocolate mint, etc. that can be grown at home without much ado.
How to grow Mint?
Mints can grow in any or all directions covering the entire bed which can with time become a troublesome weedy problem. It is therefore extremely crucial to curb the excessive growth of the plant in order to maintain a proper mint garden. There are various methods that can be implemented to perform the same. You can plant mint in a pot and then bury it directly in the soil or use metallic or plastic edging around it confine the growth of the crazy roots.
In case of Spearmints the roots spread even when placed in the pot so, metal edgings are required.
Let’s take Spearmint as an example and learn how we can grow it at home.
Spearmint requires full sun for growth, although it can thrive in partial sunlight as well. When grown in full sun it produces greater oil content which adds much flavor to the herb. A well drained rich soil with lots of moisture content is also essential for an optimum growth of the plant. Traditionally, spearmint was planted underneath the garden’s faucet to get moisture from the dripping water. Soil additives for instance, nitrogen fertilizers, composts and manure help the plant to produce big and healthy foliage.
Spearmint can be grown from seeds and cutting both, however, easy and quick propagation takes place with cuttings while seeds take a lot of time. Get spearmint seedling from a nursery and plant them 45 inches apart. Water the seedling frequently. Keep the soil moist but not over water it or it will ruin the plant. Watering at standard intervals will result in better plantation.
Once the spearmint herbs start to blossom, harvest it. During harvesting, remove one third of the plant, its branches as well as leaves. The rest of the plant will be harvested later after its re-growth. Use the spearmint leaves immediately as the leaves do not dry nicely.
If you wish to delay the flower formation, keep trimming the plant and use those trimmings for food preparation. Trimming the spearmint plant will keep it constrained and confined to its limits.
The spearmint flowers are widely used in teas for flavor so include some flowers in your trimmings too and enjoy the aromatic tea. The flowering stalks are also used to impart a great smell to the house. Just cut the stalks or the whole sprig before the flowers open. Wash and remove the dry and dull ones. Now, place the entire lot in the dehydrator. Most of the times, I use my dehydrator with seven layers and change the order of the stack after couple of hours. Drying mint in such a way spreads a fantastic smell around the house.
Use the foliage, followers or stems of spearmint plant for flavoring food and brighten up your spirits. The tea prepared from spearmint treats digestive problems. The plant has some antiseptic properties too like curing bruises, rheumatoid arthritis and muscle spasms.
Varieties and Uses
There is more to know about mints than just its plantation. Depending on several factors mints are also listed as Red Mints or Peppermints that include Moroccan, basil, Lime, Orange, Chocolate, Bergamot, and Lavender Mint; Green Mint or Spearmint consisting Kentucky Colonel, Curly Mint, Swiss and Lemon Bergamot Mint; and lastly Gray Mints which are Pineapple, Apple and Egyptian Mints. Apart from the classic flavors Mountain Mints and Horsemints are also available. Certain fake mints like Australian and Jamaican Mints are grown for flavors too. Experiment with these tantalizing flavors and add taste and aroma to salads, beverages, jellies and various other scrumptious food items. So, let us now know some of the mint varieties and their uses.
Peppermint (Mentha piperita): a very effective mint herb used to get relieved from indigestion, heartburn and nausea. Peppermint schnapps relieves head colds while Peppermint tea cures hiccups. It is also used in various food recipes and jellies.
Spearmint: when chewed it curbs appetite and freshens breath. In kitchen it is used to prepare mint juleps, jellies, sauces, teas, and to enhance flavor of a fruit salad.
Pineapple mint: It makes a cheese platter appear rich and also helps in cooling down spicy foods. Use Pineapple mint to garnish the exterior of cheese log for any celebration.
Ginger mint: Dresses up pesto or salads.
Chocolate mint: It is used as a topping on hot chocolate and ice creams.
Apple mint: Leave the apple mint leaves in water and create an unforgettable summer with such a refreshing fragrance. Add it to iced tea pitchers or prepare Mint Juleps for parties.
Care and protection
Growing mint is easy if you are well aware of all the climate, soil, sun, water and several other conditions that are required to be taken care of before and after planting.
• Keep a check on the growth of the herbs regularly even if planted in pots.
• Never put two different mint varieties in a single pot.
• These herbs require much water and full sun but have no specification for garden soil.
• Every year repot mints with fresh new soil.
• For better results use 12 inches wide pot potted with compost-rich soil which is sufficiently moist with regular water supply. You can even use fish emulsion too.
• Clip off any stray growth that appears to rise from other shallow rhizomes.
• Retain moisture using light mulch and keep the leaves clean.
• Plant mints a foot apart and keep them contained. Remove the bottom of the pot and then bury them in soil or you can also use metal or plastic edging around herb to contain and curb their excess growth.
Rust is an extremely harmful disease for mints which plagues its growth. It appears as orange spots at the back of the leaves. In order to control it use Organic Dust. Growing mints near roses will deter the garden pests.