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| Mentha | Common name; Mint |
Mints require well drained, fertile soil and a sunny situation.
If growing in pots do not plant more than one species per pot if you wish to retain separate flavours.
See below for different types / flavours.
Mint can be quite invasive so they are often grown in bottomless containers to restrict their growth, however it is important to mention that over confined plants will eventually die.
Therefore it is advisable to take cuttings regularly to cater for this situation.
If purchasing plants by mail order, unpack immediately on arrival, and water thoroughly, then place them in a sheltered, airy position out of direct sunlight for a few days to allow the plants to acclimatise.
Week 18; Plant any of the mint varieties in a warm, sunny position, in an enriched soil-less compost,
Mint roots/rhizomes spreads extensively, to control this set the plants in a bottomless bucket (or similar) sunk into the ground.
Renew the compost every second or third year.
Alternatively ; lift and divide established plants and replant into their final quarters.
Week 20; Take basal cuttings and place them in a cold frame to root.
Plant out into in final quarters when rooted, or plant up in pots till planting out time, saving a few for winter use.
Alternatively; take root cuttings;
Uncover roots and select thick roots with obvious nodes, cut off a section of this root ensuring it has two growing nodes.
Trim the root either side of the nodes and plant them length ways, about 50 (2”) deep in pots of potting compost.
Allow 3 pieces to a 150mm (6") pot.
Grow them on at a temperature of 13°C (55°F) cuttings will show growth in approximately two weeks.
Week 26> To ensure a crop of healthy leaves, cut the plants back after flowering to 50mm (2”) above the ground to encourage new growth.
Week 40; To provide fresh during winter months, remove sections of established plants, and plant up into pots, and grow them on at a temperature of 13°-16°C (55°-60°F).
In the event that plants are affected by ‘mint rust’ which is easily identified as small rusty spots starting on the underside of the leaf then eventually covering the whole leaf.
No fungicides are available to home gardeners to combat this disease, therefore plants should be discarded.
Mildew can cause problems especially to hairy mints.
Cut back affected plants to 50mm (2”) high and feed with liquid fertilizer.
Type approx. height Apple 900mm (36") As the name suggests an apple scented mint with wooly leaves
and pink to white flowers.Used in a wide range of cooking
Ginger 600mm (24") A green and yellow leafed plant with a spicy,fruity fragrance.
Slower to establish than most mints.
Can be used in fruit salads and tomato dishes.Moroccan 600mm (24") A hardy spearmint flavoured mint with a creeping habit.
Used in mint sauce and jelly.Peppermint 600mm (24") This plant has a creeping habit and the leaves are often tinged purple and it sports pale pink flowers.
Used in teas and iced drinks.Pineapple 600mm (24") A sweet fruity fragranced plant with variegated leaves, that seldom flowers.
Used in a wide range of cooking
Spearmint 600mm (24") A sweetly scented creeping plant with bright green wrinkled leaves and purple/mauve flowers
Use; mint sauce.
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