10 Tips For Growing Mint Indoors
Aromatic, tasty, and even healing – mint is much more than a popular chewing gum flavor. With these tips, mint will thrive on you too. Everyone knows peppermint: The taste of this variety of mint is well known as chewing gum or tea. But the mint ( Mentha ) has a lot more to offer: from fruity pineapple mint to the popular mojito mint, the plant shows an amazing range of varieties and flavors. And the green herb is also versatile as a medicinal and kitchen plant. So that you can also enjoy the aromatic leaves at home, we show you ten tips for successful cultivation.
Tip 10: Mint varieties
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Hardly any other plant has such a variety of varieties as mint: From A as in field to Z as in lemon mint, the plant offers a multitude of possibilities. And each one tastes different: pineapple or grapefruit mint (Mentha rotundifolia Variegata or Mentha suaveolens x Piperita ) taste fruity and have the same aroma as their namesake.
The famous peppermint, on the other hand, is particularly intense due to its high proportion of essential oils and has a fresh, almost pungent taste. Chocolate mint (Mentha x Piperita var. Piperita ) smells as good as the name suggests and is a real treat, especially with desserts. That is why you should consider which variety you prefer before buying. The right type of mint is and will ultimately remain a matter of taste.
Tip 9: the mint and its location
Mint is not a particularly demanding plant and is therefore ideal for beginners. It especially likes warm and sunny locations, but only as long as it is not directly exposed to the blazing midday sun. But it also usually tolerates partial shade or shade without any problems. Mint prefers its soil to be loose and well-drained. If the soil is also rich in nutrients and calcareous, the mint hovers on cloud nine and shoots up particularly quickly.
Tip 8: Attract and multiply mint
There are three methods to choose from when growing a mint. Of course, you can classically sow the mint; You can buy seeds of different varieties in almost every specialty shop. These can be applied directly into the field from the beginning of Mayor brought forward in the house in early spring. But if you already have a mint at home, you can easily propagate it yourself. If you cut out the rhizomes (i.e. the subterranean parts of the shoot) over which the mint forms runners, you can grow new plants from them. All you have to do is plant it in a new place and water it well. But the mint can also be propagated with cuttings without any problems. Find out how to properly cut mint here.
Tip 7: mint from the supermarket
If you miss the time for sowing or prefer to enjoy it without waiting, you can simply buy full-grown mint in the supermarket. But instead of simply throwing away the plastic pots and plant residues after use, you can continue to care for the mint as a pot plant. Important here: Do not remove the plastic film immediately, but roll it up a centimeter every day.
This gives the sensitive young plants time to gradually get used to the new climate. Regular watering must also not be forgotten (but do not overdo it, otherwise the little plants will perish from waterlogging). Once the plastic film is down, the plants can usually be moved to a new, larger pot without any problems.
Tip 6: pot or bed?
Mint in a pot or a bed? That is probably a question of faith. But the fact is: Mint feels right at home both in the house and in the garden. A big advantage of the pot, however, is that the mint cannot grow wild. In the garden, the fast-growing mint often takes control of the bed and displaces other plants. The only remedy is regular pruning. It can also be a little more rabid. As a rule, the mint can cope with the maintenance measure without any problems. Cold, on the other hand, is no problem for the mint. In the garden, too, it survives severe frost and icy temperatures. So if you prefer to keep your mint in the garden than in a pot, you don’t need to worry in winter either.
Tip 5: pour mint correctly
Fresh mint is not only a nice change to add to your water – the plant also likes it moist. Especially in summer, the soil around the mint should never dry out completely. But waterlogging should also be avoided, otherwise, fungal diseases and rot have an easy time of it. Regular checks and the right mediocrity are therefore required. Also, note that potted plants need water more often than their sisters in the bed. This is because the water in the pot evaporates faster and is no longer available to the plants. Regular watering is, therefore, a must.
Tip 4: fertilize mint
The easy-care mint is also happy to have a little extra fertilizer now and then. Organic alternatives such as compost, manure, or organic fertilizers have proven to be particularly effective. These release the nutrients to the plant more slowly and more evenly, thus ensuring ideal growth. But be careful: Too much of a good thing can also be harmful to mint. If the mint receives too many nutrients, it suddenly shoots up – much to the chagrin of the aroma, which loses intensity due to the rapid growth. Organic universal fertilizer is the perfect choice for your mint, as it releases its nutrients slowly and gently and over-fertilization cannot occur.
You might so like: Mint Types: Refreshing Types And Varieties For The Garden
Tip 3: the mint and rust mushroom
The mint is actually extremely beginner-friendly. Not only is it particularly easy to care for, but its disease susceptibility is also not particularly high. Only a rust fungus (also called peppermint rust) can plague the aromatic plant, especially in damp weather. Small, rust-like spots appear on the underside of the leaves, which can spread into bump-like growths. The only solution here is damage limitation: affected leaves should be removed and disposed of immediately. But don’t worry: Normally, the lost leaves will grow back healthily within a short period of time.
Tip 2: harvest mint
There is no right harvest time for mint: the aromatic leaves can be removed from the plant from spring to autumn. The aroma is particularly intense before flowering (i.e. in early summer). Whole shoots, as well as individual leaves, can be harvested, just as is needed in the kitchen. The last harvest should be brought in in autumn before the first frosts. It is advisable to dry the excess mint leaves. This way they keep their fresh aroma and can be used in the kitchen for months.
Tip 1: use mint
Mint is extremely diverse: the plant is used not only as a flavor for chewing gum and toothpaste but also as a dessert, drink, or spice. But the mint also cuts a fine figure outside of the kitchen. Peppermint in particular (and especially peppermint oil here) is a well-known remedy. It relieves gastrointestinal complaints such as bloating or flatulence. But peppermint can also help with colds and coughs and helps to remove the stuck mucus. Lemon mint, on the other hand, ensures quiet nights: its smell is avoided by mosquitoes so that they soon run away.