Have you ever tried mint tea or had a refreshing bowl of mint ice cream? Chances are that you have if you want to grow your own mint. Growing your own mint is a fabulous source of continual minty goodness and helps save money too.
Learning how to grow mint is one of the easiest things you will ever do with gardening. Herbs are typically quite hardy plants, but the mint variety is even more robust. It is almost impossible to kill a mint plant.
In fact, you need to be careful or your beautiful new plants will take over your entire garden. Most folks will tell you to keep your mint plants in containers instead of giving them open ground to spread out on.
Mints have vigorous growth habits (with underground stems carrying start-ups of the plant in all directions) and aromatic leaves that bear a volatile oil (containing menthol).
Most have small whorls of tiny flowers blooming in summer. All plants in this botanical family have squared off stems with leaves arranged in pairs opposite each other. But first, let us look at where the long history of mints began…
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As herbs of the ancients, mints were revered. Before the arrival of the Romans in Great Britain, the Druids used watermint as one of their sacred herbs.
Both the Greeks and Romans made wide use of these species. They used it for flavoring wines and sauces. They decorated their dining tables with sprigs of peppermint and even wore garlands of this mint during feasts. Roman women used it as a breath freshener.
Spearmint enjoyed similar popularity, for it was one of the tithes paid to the Pharisees. Greeks and Romans used it in baths, and as a general restorative.
The Latin name for the mint group, Mentha, comes from the Greek, which means sweet-scented. Before modern times when personal hygiene was skimpy at best and houses weren’t as clean as they are now, strewing herbs were widely used to deodorize ill-smelling households. This was also the reason for using potpourri and herb-scented pillows.
At the same time, strewing herbs controlled bedbugs, fleas, and other biting and annoying insects. Mint, like some other herbs, has insect-repelling qualities.
During the Middle Ages, the mint was a major culinary herb since it could add immense flavor to an otherwise dull, uninspiring winter diet.
Mint was so beloved it was mentioned in Shakespeare’s time in literature and appeared in Chaucer’s writings. Shakespeare mentioned it in “The Winter’s Tale.” It was grown in the typical Saxon monastic garden during the ninth century.
In modern times, we still have many uses for the mints. Increasing interest for mint and herbs is arising in the field of aromatherapy, in which fragrant plants or oils are used for various purposes. For example, peppermint is said to have a stimulating effect, which could serve as an antidepressant.
How about pineapple, lemon, ginger, banana, pear, grapefruit, orange, apple, and lime mints? Chocolate mint adds a special flavor to baked desserts or hot beverages. For ethnic flavor, there are Swiss, Austrian, English, and Vietnamese mints, among others.
Hillary’s Sweet Lemon Mint is a patented apple-and-citrus flavored cultivar named after Hillary Rodham Clinton. For the gastronome, there’s Julia’s Sweet Citrus Mint, named for television’s famed French Chef Julia Child.
There are hundreds of different mints because mint hybridizes (crosses with other plants) effortlessly. This also means the only way to ensure you’ll get the “flavor” of mint you want is to buy a plant that is propagated by cuttings, stem layering, or division, but not by seeds.
Many regional nurseries and farmers’ markets carry a variety of mint cultivars. Plants may also be purchased from small growers who exhibit at the region’s various garden festivals. Hard-to-find varieties, such as Julia’s Sweet Citrus, may be obtained from specialty growers who sell plants by mail order and over the Internet.
Some of my favorites are:
Still, two types of mint most common in gardens are Mentha Piperita or peppermint, “peppery mint,” and Mentha spicata, or spearmint, “spiky mint.”
Mint is a source of dietary fiber, protein, vitamin C, A, B6, Thiamin, Niacin, Zinc, Riboflavin, Folate, Iron, Potassium, Calcium, Copper, and Manganese.
Peppermint is highly regarded as a carminative. It helps relax intestinal muscles, relieves flatulence, stimulates digestive juices, and soothes nausea.
Peppermint tea is also sometimes taken to relieve menstrual cramps and to relieve stress-headaches. Externally, (because of a high menthol content) it can be used to relieve itching and inflammations, to relax tense muscles, and help clear nasal congestion.
Spearmint has the same properties as peppermint but is milder in effect.
There are three options to starting to learn how to grow mint: starting from seeds, growing from cuttings, and planting mature mint plants. Each way is pretty easy, it just depends on who you know and what time of the year it is.
If you have a friend that already has an established mint plant you will have a much easier time getting a cutting or two from them than you would be starting from seed.
On the other hand, if you are starting your mint garden when adult plants are available in stores you will be sipping on mint tea in no time.
Mint plants are very hardy plants. As long as you give them a bit of water now and again, it will be around for a long time. If you live in zones 1 or 2, you will need to bring the plants inside during the winter.
For those in hotter zones all the way down to zone 11, mint will thrive for you. If this is your first time with mint in a hotter zone, I would suggest starting with spearmint due because it grows even better in the heat.
Since most mints spread rapidly, it is wise to give them lots of space. Find out the maximum height of your plant to place it as either a front border-type plant or to place it in the background.
It grows best in a damp, part-shady location (about four hours of sun is good) with rich soil. Mint planted outdoors should be mulched heavily to protect against frost. Most mints are hardy to zone 5.
If you do not have access to adult plants or cuttings from a friend, growing mint from seed is the only option. Don’t worry, it isn’t hard at all, it just takes a bit more time than the other options.
Prepare the area that you want to plant your mint in by tilling or turning the soil. You will have better results with a freshly prepared area. Mint also likes to have compost in its soil, so if you have some, go ahead and add it to the garden area.
You will want to wait until the ground has warmed before you plant the mint seeds. Once warm, sow the seeds by scattering them across the prepared garden area and then cover them lightly with ¼” of soil.
For even better results that give the new plants a huge kick start, you can use a seed starter to cover the mint seeds. When learning how to grow mint, it is best to give yourself every leg up. Being successful the first time is important.
Moisten the soil by spraying a fine mist, just make sure that you don’t wash away the seeds. It is very important to keep the area moist but not soggy.
Once you start seeing the seedlings, that is the time to thin the plants. Pull out the new plants until they are about 1 foot apart. You will be amazed at how quickly the mint plants cover all of this area.
If you have access to a plant, it is much easier to pull up a runner with some roots already on it and plant that. Or take cuttings and root in water or divide the roots of the main plant.
My favorite way to start mint plants is from cuttings from a friend. If they have a mint plant that has sprigs 6” or longer it is a breeze. This method is best used during the summer months because that is when the plants are in full swing of growing.
Take a cutting about 6” long. For best results, take several just in case one doesn’t take. Strip off some of the leaves at the bottom of the spring and then place it in a cup of water. Once you start seeing small roots form, you can place the rooting sprig into potting soil and keep moist.
Once the roots are established and looking strong, transplant the plants to their final destination. Plant roughly 1 foot apart. For best rooting results, try using a rooting hormone to make the roots take even faster. If you get the hang of this method, you can say that you definitely know how to grow mint!
The easiest way to start a mint garden is from mature mint plants bought from a store or online. Purchase plants that are as healthy as possible. If the leaves show any sign of rot or fungus, leave it, and find a different plant.
Place the adult plants in ideal conditions, partial shade, and slightly acid soil. If you don’t have a perfect area you don’t need to worry. Mint plants will grow in nearly anything, but it will grow like crazy if you give it ideal conditions.
It is ideal to plant in the spring as soon as the soil warms. This will give the plants more opportunities to settle in before the hot weather sets in. If you are starting during the summer months, just make sure it keep it well watered.
The way to keep it in place is to sink the garden strip at least a foot into the soil. This may not keep every bit from spreading, but it will slow it down to keep it manageable while learning how to grow mint.
Steps can be taken to lessen the chance of mint taking over your garden. Check often for the runners or stolons. Dig around the plants about an inch deep and pull them up. Confine it. Plant it in pots, window boxes, half-barrels, or a long piece of clay pipe sunk into the ground. Even when using confinement or barrier, you still must keep checking for runners. If there is a small opening for the mint to escape, it will.
After your plants are established, consider mulching to help keep the roots cool, and the soil moist. Some, for those same reasons, will plant the entire pot or container in the ground. If you do this, you will want to leave a couple of inches of the pot sticking out of the ground.
Also, keep a careful eye on the mint, and keep its stems trimmed well. When the stems reach the ground outside the container, they tend to root and spread.
As with most container-grown plants, keep an eye on the soil so that it doesn’t dry out. Nor do you want it soggy, as that invites fungus diseases and a host of other problems. Plan to fertilize once a month with a liquid fertilizer.
If you live in a gardening zone with relatively mild winters, you should be able to mulch your pot and place it in a sheltered location and have it come back again in the spring.
Or, you can take the plant indoors to a sunny windowsill for a winter’s supply of mint. It may die back a little at first, but it should come back shortly.
Peppermint and spearmint are best fresh; cut as needed. They can be frozen in ice cube trays with a little water.
Catnip: Harvest young leaves and flowering tops when fully open, before they turn brown. Both blooms and foliage shrink at least 50 percent. The leaves shrivel and darken, while the flowers lose coloration. The fresh, woodsy fragrance remains after drying.
Lemon Balm: Harvest before the plant flowers. Dry quickly or the leaves will turn black. Store in an airtight container
Or you can try the paper bag method. Get a large, clean paper bag and place the mint stems in the bag very loosely. Check the bag daily, and move the stems around to encourage a little air circulation. When the leaves are dry and crisp, remove them from the stems.
Make sure the leaves are completely dry, or they will not keep when putting in containers. It is best to use glass jars with tight-fitting lids.
Mint has many commercial and private uses. While commercial companies extract the oil from the leaf, this is a process requiring a large amount of machinery and is thus not doable from home. While mint oil cannot be made at home, this doesn’t mean that a spearmint plant doesn’t have dozens of household uses.
Besides its more common use as an herb in cooking, there are many health benefits to owning a spearmint plant, and for the budding gardener, it is a cost-effective and easy-to-maintain plant.
One of the most obvious qualities of a spearmint plant is its strong aroma when the leaf is either cut or bruised. The leaves can be placed in water to make an herbal tea, and the fresh leaf is much stronger, and arguably better tasting, than its dry counterpart. An amount small enough to hold between the index finger and thumb can be enough to make an aromatic tea.
The leaves are useful in several recipes ranging from soups and salads to main courses to desserts and are often used in rubs for various kinds of meats. There is also its prominence in the southern favorite, the Mint julep.
Mint is useful for flavoring savory and sweet dishes. Traditionally, mint is used to enhance lamb, peas, jellies, ice cream, and candy. A sprig heightens the taste of new potatoes and peas.
It’s also wonderful added to vegetable soups, grain-based salads such as tabbouleh, and cakes and cookies. Dried and fresh mint makes great iced or hot teas, whether used on its own or together with black tea.
Some cooks find the taste of peppermint (M. x Piperita) a bit too sharp for many dishes, although its fresh or dried leaves make an exceptional tea. Popular cultivars include Blue Balsam, Chocolate, and Candy.
Milder-tasting spearmint (M. spicata) is a commonly used flavoring for salads, vegetables, and soups. Kentucky Colonel, a hybrid of apple mint and spearmint, is a personal favorite in the kitchen.
However, not all mints are edible-
Pennyroyal, a type of mint that makes a nice groundcover and has value as a flea repellent, is considered dangerous if taken internally and is not recommended for culinary uses.
Mint can also be used to help clear the air in a room. A small bowl with several bruised or cut mint leaves can quickly give any room a cool, crisp smell that is quite soothing, and often helps cover some unpleasant odors. A bowl placed by the side of the bed can be useful in helping open up stopped-up noses and mild sinus issues.
There are many other potential medicinal benefits of spearmint. The tea mentioned above is a quick, caffeine-free drink with many beneficial vitamins.
The plant also is rich in antioxidants, like many other types of herbal teas. A small amount of mint leaf crushed and placed in water can be rubbed on the temples to help ease headaches and aid in helping those with headaches to fall asleep.
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