Plant of The Month Info Card
Mint (Mentha) is a classic staple herb to grow that provides your kitchen garden with an abundance of fragrance and flavour. Mint can be used for both sweet and savoury dishes as well as medicinal, cleaning products, teas, and more.
Mint can be very invasive so it is important to choose the right location to grow mint so that it doesn’t take over your garden. Below will be more tips on where and how to grow mint along with creative ways to use your abundant harvests!
PLANT
All year-round.
SOIL
Rich well-drained soil.
LOCATION
Sunny Position 6rs. Contain the roots in a pot or container.
CARE
Water regularly. Protect from the harsh summer sun.
FERTILISE
Feed with compost and with liquid seaweed fertiliser.
PESTS
Slaters, slugs, snails, green caterpillar, aphids. Rust.
HARVEST
Trim regularly. Harvest in the mornings.
REPRODUCE
Mint grows quickly from cuttings or dividing the plant up.
Why Grow Mint?
Mint is refreshing and packed full of flavour. Below are just a few of the amazing reasons to grow mint at home.
Here are some of the many reasons to grow Mint:
- Easy to grow
- Low maintenance / hard to kill
- Flavour Teas or drinks
- Natural insect spray
- Aids in digestion
- Calming qualities
- Rich in vitamin A
- High in anti-oxidants
- Aid in upset stomachs
- Nutrient-dense
- Easy to propagate
- Flowers for the bees
- Condiments, dressings and dips
Popular Mint Varieties
‘Peppermint’ – Classic mint variety. Sharp flavour. Often larger leaves. Great for sweets, cocktails, teas and scented products.
‘Spearmint’ – Popular mint variety. Rounded leaves. Great for Roasts, sauces, teas, baking and fresh in salads.
‘Chocolate Mint‘ – Fun flavoured mint to grow with a mild chocolate flavour. Dark reddish tinted leaves and stems.
‘Morrocan Mint‘ – Fragrant mint with subtle spiced flavour. Great for roasts, salads and teas.
‘Grapefruit Mint’ – Fresh with Grapefruit notes. Summer drinks, salads, teas, cocktails and dressings.
‘Varigated Applemint‘ – Small green and white variegated leaves. Slight fluffy leaves. Sweet apple flavour. Gret for drinks and salads.
‘Ginger Mint’ – Fresh and vibrant flavour. Great for teas, salads and dressings.
‘Berries and Cream’ – Sweet berry notes. Great for desserts, teas and cocktails.
When to Plant Mint
To start off growing Mint it can be best to plant in Spring after the last frost. Mint will do well all year round in most moderate climates.
How to Grow Mint
- Choose a sunny location.
- BE AWARE – Mint sends out runners under the soil and can become invasive quickly. It is always advised to grow mint in a pot or container. A repurposed garden such as a wheelbarrow also works well!
- Mint will grow in nearly any soil but it’s always good to add fresh compost. Ensure the soil is free-draining so that the roots do not get waterlogged.
- Protect mint from the harsh summer sun and keep well watered in hot weather.
Trimming the mint regularly will help it stay low and bushy.
Care/ Maintenance
- Mint can become root bound in containers quickly so if it starts to look sad it may need to be split up and divided to allow more room for the roots.
- Feed with liquid seaweed or homemade fertilizers to help add nutrients into the contained space.
Pests / Disease
Slugs and snails may eat young seedlings. Use natural pest management. Aphids can also be an issue on young shoots. Dip them in soapy water. Green caterpillars can be a problem in summer and are hard to see against the green leaves.
How/ When to Harvest
Use sharp snippers or scissors and cut the tops off regularly. This will stop the plants from getting too leggy and stay low and bushy. Harvest Mint and herbs first thing in the morning when they are hydrated and full of life. You can keep them in a jar of water until you are ready to use.
Reproducing
The best way to reproduce Mint is to take cuttings or pull up a section with roots already attached. This will start growing immediately.
Cooking and Using Mint
Mint is a great flavour enhancing herb for many different dishes.
Pairs well with: Avocado, Mango, Strawberry, Citrus, Chilli, Chocolate, Yoghurt, Cucumber, Ginger, Melon, Pea, Pistachio, Garlic, Onion, Asparagus, Beetroot, Fig, Beans, Papaya
Mint ideas:
- Fresh in salad
- Mojito Watermelon jerky
- Tea blends
- Salad dresssing
- Tatziki
- Icecreams
- Juices
Preserving the Harvest
Mint can be easily preserved to use throughout the year.
- Freeze
- Dry
- Infuse
Other ways to preserve your harvest:
- Use in baking
- Mint Sauce
- Mint Jelly
- Pressed and dried leaves
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