Not all commercially available mints are hardy. That is why they are often cultivated in buckets. This is also good for the varieties that are frost-resistant, because mints have a property that has driven many garden owners to despair. They spread incredibly fast. The plants form underground rhizomes or stolons and migrate throughout the garden. I have a peppermint planted out in the garden and I harvest it by the root to contain it. So I have them under control. All other varieties and I have a lot, because we like peppermint in the kitchen, are in pots. But I have to say that I have numerous non-hardy varieties.
Table of Contents
Mint – cultivation and care
Mint is easy to grow if you keep a few things in mind. It is easy to care for and you don’t have to do much work with it. Hardy varieties are suitable for the garden, but non-native varieties can also be used for keeping in containers. As much as you love peppermint, always remember that most varieties reproduce profusely. This is not a problem for non-frost-resistant varieties, but it is for others.
Mints have been in home gardens for many centuries. They were mainly used for tea, but also as a spice herb. Peppermint tea is still available in all variations today. But peppermint can do more. Especially in summer, when it’s hot, mint tastes great in cool drinks. You can add whole leaves or, like me, chop them into tiny pieces with a blender and then add them. Apple mint in apple juice tastes so delicious. Mint is also suitable for roast lamb and minced meat and gives the dishes a completely different note. It is also suitable for peas, legumes, potatoes and salads, but as a solo spice. No other herbs are then used for this. Both fresh and dried leaves can be used for tea. The aroma of fresh peppermint in the mojito is particularly delicious,
My favorites
- Applemint – pairs well with apples whether in juice, smoothie, applesauce, apple jam and apple pie
- Bergamot-Mint – Bergamot is my favorite scent and mint doesn’t get any better than that
- Chocolate Mint – smells like mint and chocolate, tastes a bit like After Eight
location
Many recommend a rather shady location for peppermint and advise against too much sun. I’ve had a different experience there. My chocolate mint, which stands in the shade under the service pears, is by far the smallest and most stunted. The other plants, on the other hand, thrive both outdoors and in pots and all get plenty of sun. If you water enough, a place in the sun shouldn’t be a problem. The aroma hasn’t suffered either, unless my taste buds are already atrophied. The best thing to do is try it out and see what suits the plants better.
- sunny to partially shaded location
- Morning and evening sun is ideal
- An airy location is important to prevent fungal diseases. This allows the leaves to dry well when wet.
plant substrate
Mint plants tend to have very fine roots. They don’t like compacted soil. A loose substrate is a prerequisite for good growth. Nutrient-rich soil ensures good growth, health and resistance. Use humus for nutrient content!
- Loose plant substrate
- A high humus content is important.
- Otherwise, mints thrive on almost any soil.
plant
You can buy mint in every hardware and garden store, from the gardener and sometimes even in discounters. These plants are placed directly in the containers provided or outdoors. You can also grow and plant mint yourself. Planting is not difficult. You can’t go wrong.
- Make the planting hole slightly larger than the root ball.
- Fill in some humus and plant.
- Press the soil down and water it properly, that’s all.
- It is good if you put the bale in water before planting so that it can soak up water. That ensures survival.
- If you want to prevent the mint from spreading uncontrollably in the bed, plant it in a pot. You first pot them in a slightly larger container and then place this in the ground. This way you can be sure that the peppermint will not compete with the surrounding plants for space. Use plastic containers!
- Mint should get a new location about every three years, as it removes too many nutrients from the soil.
- Cultivated in a pot, it makes sense to replace the soil every year, preferably in spring.
watering and fertilizing
Peppermint does not particularly like dry conditions. It needs water regularly, especially when it is in a bucket or pot. Be careful when fertilizing. The leaves may take on the flavor of the fertilizer. Therefore only fertilize very little, preferably with hummus.
- Water the mint in containers regularly, daily in summer.
- The plants indicate thirst by drooping the leaves and bending the stem.
- However, everything straightens up again after the watering if the plant has not been completely forgotten.
- Plants in beds like moist soil. Although they can cope well with drought once they have established themselves, they prefer moisture.
- Avoid waterlogging!
- Do not fertilize additionally if the substrate is rich in humus.
Cutting & Drying
Mint grows very fast and should therefore be cut several times a year. Pruning is officially done in the spring when sprouting begins (early February/March) or after flowering. I only prune down to the ground at harvest and in the fall.
The best time to harvest is between June and August. Simply cut off the stems, preferably in the morning, and tie them together. Do not hang in the sun to dry.
hibernate
The hardy mint species do not need any protection in the garden. I never cover them and they reliably come back. What I do is cut them back completely in the fall when they have become unsightly.
Peppermint in a pot or bucket is another topic. Mint that is not hardy needs to be indoors. Hardy species, on the other hand, can stay outside in the container. However, you have to make sure that the ground does not freeze completely.
multiply
The easiest way to propagate peppermint is by dividing the rhizomes. You can also just take a runner and plant it somewhere else. As a rule, the parts grow well. Propagation by cuttings is also not a problem. However, mint can also be grown from seed.
- Sowing in spring
- Light germinators, i.e. only press the seeds and do not cover them with soil
- Cut cuttings in early summer, simply take the tips of strong new shoots.
- Cuttings should be about 15 cm long. Remove the bottom leaves! Plant cuttings in moist soil that has been mixed with sand.
- Soil must be kept evenly moist until rooting. Not in the sun!
diseases and pests
Peppermint is mainly threatened by fungal diseases. The mint rust is widespread. Powdery mildew and leaf spot disease also occur. Pests are rather rare. The mint leaf beetle is the most common. There are also aphids from time to time.
- Mint rust can be recognized by the rust-brown spore deposits on the underside of the leaf.
- To prevent this, an airy location is important.
- It is ideal to choose varieties that are less susceptible or resistant.
- Mint species with hairy leaves are considered less susceptible.
- Garlic or horseradish manure should also help preventively. I haven’t tried this yet as I haven’t dealt with the rust yet.
tips
- If a mint is very susceptible to diseases, it often helps to transplant it.
- There are many mint collectors. You can find these on the internet. They like to swap their varieties to get new ones. You can also ask there if they give away surplus.
- Although there are more and more types on the market, they are often always the same. If you are looking for other varieties, you have to be a little inventive.
- Different varieties of mint planted next to each other have a problem. There is a risk that the plants will cross. This changes the flavors. They often blur.
Conclusion
You can’t have a garden without peppermint. Not all people tolerate them, get burned wages or the like. But even then, at least one plant belongs in the garden, preferably near a seat, because the smell alone is great. You can also put peppermint in the bath water, which is another idea.
Mint is easy to care for and you just have to be careful not to spread it too far. Otherwise it is very easy to cultivate. I don’t want to miss my mint.
