Grow Mint

Mint is one of them flavors that everybody loves and is in most things that we like including sweets, tea, alcoholic drinks, food and much more. This is due to the unique and addictive flavor in contains. So why not grow your own and practice making these little treats.  

There are different types you can grow also including peppermint and spearmint.

To grow mint you should ideally start the seeds indoors to aid the germination process. Do this approximately 7-8 weeks before the previous frost of spring to enjoy a healthy bloom in summer. Be sure to water your mint but make sure you don't over water as herbs don't like to much water but prefer to be well drained and moist. Fertilize very little if at all to boost growth.

Growing mint, like most herbs requires minute amounts of care but just the common sense necessities. So to optimize growth, you should cut down or trim a patch as this herb is one that will grow rapidly. In fact, if you leave mint too much and don't care for it, it will eventually spread through out your garden.

Mint can grow between 11 and 19 inches in height. Growing mint is compatible inside using lamps such as plant lights or fluorescence, and if you really want, you could research into hydroponics or aeroponics for indoor growth. 

Tips for Growing Mint

• Mint can get its own variation of rust, so if you see little patches of orange or red on the back of your mint, use a specialised dust to control this.  
• Growing mint close to roses lowers the amount of garden pests.  
• Leaves can be frozen fresh or simply consumed as fresh immediately. If you want to have them dried, leave for 2-3 days and store in jars.  

Uses for Mint

For a healthy way, Mint, especiallyPeppermint has been known to cure problems such as Nausea, indigestion and even heartburn.

Apple Mint is used for juices and ice tea. Also you can create the famous alcoholic cocktail, Mojito's with crushed Mint.

Ginger Mint is delicious with salads.

Pineapple Mint helps along a cheese and cracker plate.

Inside Scoop On How To Grow Mint

If you are wondering how to Grow Mint, you have come to the right place. Mint is an incredibly versatile herb that is easy to grow and great for use in a variety of dishes and home remedies as well as beauty treatments.

Mint can easily take over your whole garden, so choose a spot where it can roam freely without disrupting other plants. Whilst it will grow in most types of soil and any light conditions, it is happiest in slightly acidic and moderately rich soil that is moist. Partial shade is best.

In early spring, you should buy your mint plants from a nursery. Mint plants are advised, as it is harder to get mint to grow from seeds. For a vigorous ground cover, you should plant them in their ideal conditions, but if you want to suppress it, you should give it lesser ideal conditions or restraint its growth by planting it in clever ways such as those described below.

The plants should be placed 12-18 inches apart. Bottomless containers that are sunken into the soil will help to control rampant growth. Another option is to dig a whole about a foot deep and to line it with a plastic bag. Pierce small holes in the bag for drainage and then plant the mint in the bag. This will not stunt the growth of the plant completely or prevent it from spreading, but it will go a long way to protecting other nearby plants. The best solution would be clay drainage tiles that are approximately ten inches deep and 6-8 inches across.

The soil should be kept moist until mint plants are established. Stems should be pinched off during spring to keep the plants bushy. The plants should be pruned to near ground level and top-dressed with compost at the end of the season. A bi-annual feed with bone meal is sure to your mint plant even more happy.

During the season, you can harvest sprigs as and when you need them. Mint plants are very low maintenance. You can harvest mint leaves for a minimum of 6 months of the year.

There are close on a thousand mint varieties, with only about six that are commonly cultivated. The ancient Romans and Greeks used mint to flavour foods and to prepare medicines. In modern days, mint is commonly used in garnishes, sauces and teas. Most commonly used is mint sauce with roast lamb, mint chocolate and mint tea. Even toothpaste is mint flavoured and mint used in cool drinks and cocktails make for a very refreshing thirst quencher.

The type of mint you decide to cultivate depends on personal taste. The most common type is Mentha spicata or spearmint. This is the most common type used in mint sauces. It has beautiful dark green leaves and is a strong grower. Alpine Mint Bush, also known as Postanthere cuneata is a beautiful herb with white flowers. For a great novelty, you can try chocolate mint. This variety really has a mint chocolaty taste!

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