Mint Plants

Mint plants include a wide of cultivars and relatives, including Spearmint plants, Peppermint plants, Apple mint, Corsican mint, Ginger mint, Lemon mint, and Pineapple mint.

Indulge yourself with mints by buying small pots of different kinds.

These plants spread so easily that it won't be long before you have a sizeable mint garden filled with a variety of flavors.

Mint herbs have a wide range of uses in cooking as well as teas, medicinal purposes, homemade cosmetics, and homemade crafts.

Mint plants are easy to grow and will make a nice addition to your herb garden.

Description

Mints are perennials that grow to 2 feet tall, depending on the species and cultivar. They grow best in zones 5 to 9.

Flowers: Spikes of tiny purple, pink, or white flowers bloom above the leaves in mid-to late summer.

Leaves: They have opposite leaves in many shades of green, most with toothed edges, cover characteristic square stems. The plants will die back over the winter.

Flavor and fragrance: Minta vary a great deal in flavor and fragrance. For example, spearmint and apple mint are sweetish, while peppermint is cooling and has a sharper flavor.

How To Grow

When to plant: Few mints will grow well from seed. You can transplant purchased plants into your garden anytime from early spring through summer. If you want to try growing mints from seed, start them eight to ten weeks before your last spring frost date and transplant them to the garden a week or two before that date.

Take the cuttings from established plants before they bloom. Divide the plants in early spring, or in southern locations, in late summer or early fall.

Where to plant: Mints prefer partial or filtered shade but will tolerate both full sun and shade.

Soil and fertility: Mints grow best in soils of moderate fertility. High fertility levels make them more susceptible to diseases such as rust. In average soil, apply no more than a 1/2 inch of compost in alternate years. Plants will tolerate high humidity.

Plant spacing: Start the plants 18 to 24 inches apart; they spread very fast. Unless you want a huge mint patch, sink barriers 12 inches into the soil on all side of the plant to prevent it from taking over the garden. You can also grow mints in 5-gallon buckets with drainage holes buried in the ground. Mints will also grow well in large containers.

Pests: Aphids, spider mites, mint flea beetles, cutworms

Diseases: Rust, verticillium wilt, anthracnose

Harvesting

When to harvest: Gather the leaves from mint anytime after a plant reaches 6 to 8 inches tall. Gather leafy stems in the morning after the dew dries. For drying, pick before or after the plant has bloomed.

How to harvest: Snip off the tips of branches. For drying, cut the stems 4 to 6 inches above the soils surface during the early summer, and make a second cutting 1 inch above the soils surface in the fall.

Drying: Hang the leafy stems upside down to air dry or dry them in a dehydrator. Peppermint holds its flavor and fragrance better than other mints when dried.

Freezing: You can freeze the leaves in butters, oils, and ise cubes.

Uses

Cooking: Mints compliment the flavors of meat, fish, and vegetable dishes. Use fresh leaves in salads, and add fresh or dried leaves to lamb stews, dried beans, or cooked grains. Mints heighten the flavor of fresh peas, steamed new potatoes, or carrots. They add zip to ice cream sauces and make wonderful jellies.

Teas: Mints make delicious teas. Try mixing different mints, or add some mint to your other tea herbs.

Medicinal: A strong infusion of mint settles the stomach and relieves flatulence. Spearmint and peppermint infusions alone or with chamomile, promote sleep.

Cosmetic: Splash a refreshing infusion of mint over your face on a hot summer day. You can also add mint to a conditioner for oily hair.

Crafts: Add fragrant mint plant leaves to potpourris and sachets.

Experiment with mint plants and you'll find hundreds of ways to use them.