How to plant mint in the garden. Peppermint - cultivation

Peppermint is one of the most famous crops, which at the same time enjoys considerable popularity among gardeners. On nothing similar taste, as well as the presence in the plant useful substances enable the widespread use of culture. Peppermint leaves are widely used as a seasoning in confectionery. The properties of peppermint make it possible to use the plant for making drinks and cocktails. Menthol, which is obtained from the culture, is widely used to treat various diseases and acts as a component of many medicines. In the people, mint treats almost everything - from colds to heart ailments.

Growing grass, like caring for it, does not require special efforts, because the plant is unpretentious, develops quickly enough and takes root well.

Peppermint is herbaceous perennial plant family Lamiaceae. A refreshing "cooling" smell is specific to the plant. This aroma is due to the fact that peppermint leaves contain essential oils.

The description of the culture indicates that it was known to the inhabitants Ancient Greece, and the Egyptians even put it in the tombs. The grass got its name in honor of the nymph Menta. This creature, according to the myths, was turned into a plant with a cold, fresh, but extremely refreshing scent.

Mint is extremely sensitive to heat and light. Therefore, its cultivation should be carried out in sunny areas, where light shading can be observed in the afternoon. For rational use territory it is permissible to plant grass under young fruit trees. Their crown is not yet too thick and large, so there will be no significant shade for the culture. The quality of the soil is not the leading factor that determines the cultivation of a plant and the success of this process.

However, it is natural that the culture grows better on light, thoroughly fertilized soil. The best predecessors mints are root vegetables (carrots, potatoes), corn and legumes.

In autumn, after harvesting, the soil for sowing mint should be loosened and weeds and plant debris removed from the soil. If the site has not been processed before, it should be dug up, fertilizing in the form of manure or peat. Next, the soil is leveled with a rake. On the sides of the site, it is necessary to dig sheets of iron into the soil. This will protect other crops growing nearby, because mint depresses them very much.

Growing from seeds

Most often, the cultivation of mint occurs by sowing. Seeds for this are best purchased at a garden store. The first task is to grow seedlings. Next, young shoots are transplanted into open ground. It is best to sow the seeds at the end of March. Sowing consists of several stages:

1. In a low container, you need to fill in loose earth or ready-made soil mixture.
2. Seeds must be evenly distributed by pressing them into the ground. In order to make sowing faster and easier, small dust-like seeds must be mixed with coffee.
3. The sown seeds are moistened by spraying and cover the container with a film.
4. After the appearance of sprouts, the film is removed and the container is transferred to the windowsill. With the onset of heat, the container can be taken out into the open air to harden the seedlings.
5. It is necessary to transplant seedlings into open soil in late spring - early summer. Until this time, up to 5 pairs of leaves should form on the seedlings. The transplant process includes the following components:

reproduction

Mint cultivation is often carried out through the rhizomes of adults. To carry out the procedure, several large, powerful roots must be cut off from the root system of an adult plant dug out at the site. When planting them in the soil, you need:

1. Level the surface of the bed, create holes on it up to 0.1 meters deep. In this case, the width between the rows of holes should be at least half a meter.
2. Roots are continuously laid in the holes, sprinkled with soil and rammed.
3. After planting, the plants are watered abundantly. Before the appearance of the first shoots, the bed is constantly treated with a rake.

The process of digging a mint bush out of the ground makes it difficult to grow the crop. That is why many use seeds for growing crops. However, digging can be completely avoided.

Mint, as the description indicates, can also be propagated by cuttings. To do this, it is necessary to cut a couple of healthy shoots from a fully formed bush, put them in water or wet sand, and then plant them in the soil.

mint resistant to external conditions grass. Therefore, it can be grown different methods with equal success.

Video "Peppermint in folk medicine"

This video explains the benefits this plant for human health.

Care

Grass quickly adapts to new living conditions after transplantation. Therefore, caring for a culture is simple and does not require much effort.

Care is as follows:

Planting mint is desirable to update every 2-4 years. Old individuals are rejuvenated by dividing and transferring to another place.

Collection and storage

Proper care of the plant will provide an opportunity to get a quality crop.

You need to start collecting mint at the beginning of flowering. That's when the concentration essential oils maximum in the plant. Cut leaves and shoots must be laid out to dry in a single layer in the shade. You can also hang greens in ventilated areas, for example, in the attic or veranda. Only pre-harvest must be tied in bunches.

The crop harvested in this way is stored in tin or glass containers. In autumn and winter, dried leaves are used to prepare medicinal infusions and fragrant tea. And also greens can be used as a seasoning for meat, fish and vegetable dishes. Dried culture should be stored for no more than two years.

So, peppermint is a culture widely used in cooking and pharmacology. It is easy to grow, as the grass does not need special conditions and careful care.

Video "Peppermint from seeds"

This video is about growing mint seeds at home on the windowsill.

All lovers of herbs that give dishes and drinks a special taste have ever wondered how to plant mint. Its leaves are rich in essential oils, the combination of which creates that very special fresh invigorating aroma. This plant is truly versatile. All over the world it is actively used in cooking, medicine, perfumery, cosmetology, added to toothpastes and powders. It is not difficult to grow it in the country, because the culture does not impose strict requirements on breeding conditions, and caring for plantings will not take much time.

Under the cultivation of mint, it is better to take a sunny place, where there is a shadow at noon. Its bushes develop faster with a long daylight hours. Constantly being in dense shade near the walls of buildings or under sprawling trees, they will not die or wither, but their growth will slow down.

To the quality of the soil peppermint undemanding. Ideal for her soil, corresponding to 5 conditions:

1. easy;
2. porous, freely passing air and moisture to its roots;
3. containing a lot of moisture, but not waterlogged;
4. rich in humus;
5. loamy or sandy.

If the soil on the site contains a lot of lime, this will not be an obstacle to growing mint, but its leaves will exude a weaker aroma. Contraindicated in culture dense clay soil in which water stagnates for a long time. Even competent care on such land will not save the plants.

Before planting mint, the site is prepared in the standard way: weeds are selected, dug up, and fertilizers are applied. Suitable for her and organic, and mineral compositions. The height of the beds is determined by the type of soil. If it dries quickly, it is better to make them low. This will help keep the moisture the mint needs in the ground longer. If the soil in the country is damp, it is worth pouring high ridges. They will protect the roots of the plant from decay.

Neighbors and predecessors

Mint will be a good neighbor for almost all garden crops. She will attract pollinating insects to them, scare away many dangerous pests, will improve the taste of ripe vegetables. Experienced summer residents it is advised to plant it next to tomatoes, cabbage, beets. And if ordinary nettle is next to mint, its leaves will smell even stronger, because more essential oil is formed in them.

An important point: if the plantings suffer from diseases or pests, no care will help to save them. Treating mint bushes with fungicides will make them unsafe to eat or for medicinal purposes. To prevent infection, it is better to place them away from flower beds, beds with vegetable crops and herbs - at a distance of at least 60-80 cm.

So that the cultivation of mint does not end in failure, air must circulate freely between plants and easily penetrate to their roots. Good drainage is also important. Landings should be regularly inspected, paying attention to Special attention inside mint leaves where insects like to hide. Having found pests, they are washed off with a pressure of water from a hose.

Peppermint develops well after legumes, root crops, perennial herbs. root system she has a powerful one, so it is better to make the beds for the plant separate, otherwise it will simply clog the neighbors. The site for mint often does not have to be changed. In one place, its bushes can remain up to 10 years. But from time to time they will have to be updated.

Mint is suitable for rock garden. And if you plant it en masse, its bushes will quickly cover the soil with a decorative green carpet.

generative reproduction

For the first time, you can grow mint on the site from seeds. For further propagation, cuttings and rhizomes obtained from an adult bush are more often used. It will take less time to care for them, and they will grow faster than seedlings. Seedlings are obtained from mint seeds, which are then placed in open ground. They are sown in mid-spring. Since they are very small, during the procedure it is more convenient to use a stick with a pointed end, which is periodically dipped in water. You can also take a special syringe for seeds.

The container for seedlings should be wide and shallow. It is filled with a nutrient substrate. When sowing mint seeds, they are not buried, but only slightly (maximum 5 mm) are pressed into the soil. Then on landing capacity stretch the cling film. You need to place it in the sun, you can even put it on an unglazed balcony if it's warm outside. For germination of mint seeds, it is necessary that the air be warmed up to 21-24°C.

When seedlings hatch, care for them will include only regular watering. After they get stronger, they dive into separate pots and put in a cool place. Seedlings are planted in open ground towards the end of May, when 3-5 pairs of leaves are formed on them. The cultivation of mint at home is also widely practiced. Planting with seeds can be carried out immediately on the beds, but this is not very convenient due to their small size.

Other breeding methods

Peppermint is propagated by cuttings or rhizome segments. Both methods allow young bushes to retain all the properties of the mother plant. Mint cuttings can be cut when they have 5 leaves and a renewal bud is formed. Their length should be 7 cm. Having placed them in the prepared ridge, the mint cuttings are sprinkled with soil and watered abundantly. They don't take long to root.

There is another popular way. The cut cuttings are placed in a container with water and kept in it until the roots appear. They do not require any care at this time. It will only be necessary to add water from time to time as it evaporates. Then the cuttings are planted on the beds with an interval of 20-30 cm.

If you need to get pieces of mint rhizome, it is removed from the ground and slightly dried. The division is carried out so that each part consists of 10-12 knots. The resulting rhizomes are placed in shallow (8-10 cm) holes. They are made at a distance of 30-40 cm from each other. When planting a delenka, a handful of humus is thrown into the hole.

Landing Rules

When growing mint in open field culture must be taken into account. Her bushes develop rapidly, giving many shoots and filling the garden bed. So that the site does not turn into continuous thickets of mint over time, the space allotted for it must be limited by driving sheets of slate or metal into the soil. Iron hoops cut from old barrels will also help in this.

It is better to place mint of different varieties in the garden. Pepper, curly, fragrant, apple varieties of it are perfectly combined with each other and pleasantly diversify the menu.

Before planting plants, the soil is enriched with the following fertilizers:

• humus;
• potassium chloride;
• ammonium nitrate;
• superphosphate;
• wood ash.

Having dug up the soil by 20 cm, level its surface and make a bed with wide (40 cm) row-spacings. Mint bushes are planted at intervals of 30-50 cm. The rhizome is buried in the soil to a depth of 5 cm. The plants will bush if you pinch their tops. Do this when their height is 20-25 cm.

Spring (in April-May, depending on the region) and summer (in August) planting of mint is practiced. In both cases, the procedure is completed with abundant watering. If planting a crop on the beds is carried out with seeds, the furrow prepared for them is thoroughly moistened, and after sowing, lightly sprinkled with dry soil. It will act as a mulch.

Agricultural technology

The care of mint growing in the country is almost not required. Newly planted bushes are watered frequently. It is better to do this in the evening hours. Mature plants moisten less frequently. AT rainy summer mint will have enough natural precipitation, in dry weather it is watered every 1.5-2 weeks. Landings need to be regularly weeded and loosened. Mint roots are located almost at the surface of the soil, so weeds greatly interfere with them. It is more convenient to perform such care after watering or rain, while the earth has not yet dried out. Moist soil makes it easier to remove weeds without damaging the mint roots.

The culture responds well to top dressing. Take for them better drugs with a high content of nitrogen and phosphorus, but you can get by with organic compounds - rotted manure or compost. Especially important for mint is care in the form of dressings during the period of active growth of its bushes - in the spring. In the future, the beds are mulched from time to time, adding wood ash to the compost. In autumn, professionals recommend digging deep into the soil, adding semi-rotted manure (2 kg per 1 m²) to it.

Landings must be monitored to prevent their thickening. Because of it, mint can hit powdery mildew.

If you want to get bushy plants, they are periodically trimmed, shortening the top. Then the mint stops reaching up and begins to actively form side shoots. As a result of fragrant leaves, more can be harvested from it. If the mint bushes are very tall, you should pay more attention to watering. Usually the plant reacts this way to a lack of moisture.

Harvest and prepare for winter

Most of the essential oils in mint leaves accumulate when the plants are in bloom. You can collect them different ways: cut with scissors, cut off, pinch. After removing part of the shoots, the bush will begin to intensively form new ones. To stock up on useful mint for the winter, the branches cut from it are tied into bunches and hung in a dark place. An attic is ideal for these purposes.

You can do it differently: wash the leaves and shoots cut from mint and lay them out on paper. When dry, they are crushed or left whole. Then the mint is placed in a container, tightly closed with a lid and placed in a cool and dark place. To keep herbs fresh, store them in the refrigerator. After cutting and washing the mint shoots, they are first placed on moistened gauze or a thin cloth, and then in a container. You can do without an additional layer in the form of fabric, but then the storage temperature should be 0 ° C.

If the winter is harsh, the plantings may die. Mint is prepared for the onset of cold weather, reliably covering the beds with heat-saving materials:

• dry soil;
• straw;
• sawdust;
• peat;
• spruce branches;
• needles.

Competent care includes periodic renewal of plants. Every 3 years, new bushes are planted on the garden bed. This minimizes the losses that weeds cause to mint and prevents it from degenerating. Heavily overgrown bushes are pruned, leaving 2-3 cm above the ground. They are watered abundantly and waiting for a new crop, which will appear very soon.

Growing herbs has become a tradition for many summer residents. And mint occupies one of the first places in the list of their preferences. It will fill the garden with an enchanting aroma, reminiscent of sun-drenched forest lawns and the coolness of the sea breeze. Tea made from mint will perfectly quench your thirst and refresh you on the hottest day. It will calm the nerves, help with depression, inspire pleasant dreams.

Mint leaves can be added to cocktails, kvass and fruit drinks, decorate desserts with them, prepare syrups, tinctures and marinades from them. They are also used for conservation. Fragrant baths are taken with mint, and broths from it are highly appreciated by bath lovers. She will become great assistant in the fight for the health and beauty of the skin. Plant mint in the country and experience all its beneficial properties!

Mint is fragrant and fragrant plant of the Yasnotkovy family, which has more than 25 varieties and 10 natural hybrids. It has a special taste and pleasant aroma due to the content in the shoots of a special substance called menthol. Mint can be grown outdoors in the country or on the balcony at home.

mint varieties

Mint is a perennial plant that is easy to grow and care for. Grows in countries temperate climate, and is also used in many industries - food, tobacco, cooking, perfumery, alcoholic beverages and others. At the same time, there are a huge number of varieties of this fragrant herb:

• long-leaved;
• field;
• water;
• curly;
• apple;
• spikelet;
• green.

Mint is a perennial plant that is easy to grow and care for.

All these varieties and varieties of mint have different taste qualities and flavor, but the most popular is peppery. It is distributed almost throughout the entire territory of our country, like basil. It can be bright green or reddish purple.

breed it fragrant plant can be in the garden, in the garden and at home. But planting and caring for mint depends on its variety and variety. For example, hybrid varieties cannot be grown using seeds, only the vegetative path is possible. To do this, you can use the rhizome and cuttings.

Planting mint in step by step instructions

There are two main ways to plant mint in the country or at home:

• seeds;
• cuttings.

Another option for propagation and cultivation is the division of one whole bush into two separate parts. To do this, it is dug up, cleaned, dried a little and divided.

Planting with seeds is a rather difficult, complex and difficult process. At the same time, cultivation hybrid varieties this way is not possible at all.

But when planting in open ground or on a balcony using seeds, it is important to perform all the steps correctly.

Planting with seeds is a rather difficult, complex and difficult process.

The place of cultivation should be suitable, very sunny and warm. All grasses of the Lamiaceae family do not tolerate severe drought, so it is important to provide for a small penumbra so that at noon the earth does not dry out from the scorching sun. It is important to plant mint so that the sun hits the leaves for at least 4 hours a day. If you are creating a garden on the balcony, in this case the best choice- these are windows facing east, south or southwest;

Another important point is the selection of the optimal composition of mail. You can feed the soil with special fertilizers and preparations that contribute to active growth herbs. In the country, you need to plant seeds in fertile mail with good drainage, while its optimal acid-base composition will vary within 6-7.

In order to plant mint with the help of seeds, a lot of experience is required, it will be quite difficult for a novice gardener to do this. To do this, you first need to sow them in small trays and pots to a depth of no more than 5 mm, and for germination, you need to create favorable conditions and a temperature of about 21-24 degrees.

Video story about how to plant

cover trays plastic wrap and leave for 1-2 weeks. After the seedlings germinate, they need to be transplanted into pots, the depth of which is 8 cm, and placed in a cool place. After a week, you can start transplanting seedlings into open ground. It is desirable to place each sprout in the sun or in partial shade, while the distance between them should be about 30 cm.

mint propagation

Cuttings are another method of propagation. This method is much easier for the inexperienced grower to do, as it requires less attention and maintenance of the plant. Doing so better in spring from the end of April to the beginning of May. To do this, you must first cut a small branch from the bush. Its length should be about 10 centimeters.

At the same time, a knot with leaves should be located on the cut cutting, which will enable the bush to grow in a new place. The sprig should be placed in a glass of clean filtered water for 7-10 days. During this period, small roots will appear at the cut site, which should be constantly under water during germination. As needed, it must be constantly added.

The twig should be placed in a glass of clean filtered water for 7-10 days

It is necessary to transplant the cuttings into the soil in the country or at home only after the roots have reached a sufficient length (about 2-3 cm). It is best to plant them in spring time when the street is no longer cold and frosty (at the end of May or beginning of June). Despite the fact that mint is a fairly resistant plant, these conditions must be observed for its proper growth.

Sprouted cuttings are planted to a depth of about 5 cm, if there are several, then the distance from each other should remain about 15 cm. This will give each bush room for future growth. How to grow mint? To do this, it is important to plant seedlings in the ground in a place where the sun's rays will fall on the plant in the morning and partly in the afternoon.

When planting in open ground, it is important to carefully cultivate the soil beforehand. To do this, you need to loosen the ground and remove all weeds and roots, then break the perimeter into rows for planting. In constantly damp and humid places they need to be made higher, and in dry places they should be further deepened.

When landing on open ground, it is important to carefully cultivate the soil beforehand.

When growing grass pots at home, they can be placed on a windowsill that faces east, south, or west. If the temperature indoors or outdoors is within 20-25 degrees, and watering is sufficient, then mint will grow well.

mint care

Mint for full growth needs good lighting, as well as fertile, loose and moist soil. It also tolerates shady conditions, but in this case the soil should not be very wet, as this can lead to rotting of the rhizomes and death of the plant.

Mint for full growth needs good lighting.

grows most favorably fragrant herb in rich and fertile black soil, clay is not suitable for its growth.

Before planting, it is advisable to pre-fertilize the soil with organic matter and manure. Usually mint grows in one place for no more than 3-4 years, after which you can plant peas, potatoes, green onion and other vegetables.

Mint care consists of the following activities:

1. To prevent pest and disease infestation, it is important to carefully monitor the growth and appearance plants. The most popular ailments are spider mite, slugs, whiteflies, and weevils. In order to avoid infection, care must be taken to ensure optimal air circulation, therefore, with a strong growth of the plant, it is important to cut it regularly.
2. When harvesting, the leaves must be carefully trimmed with scissors so as not to damage the stem. After they can be washed, dried and used fresh or dried.
3. Care also involves regular loosening of the soil, hilling, as the soil dries out - watering, as well as removing weeds. Fertilization is best done in early spring, and to protect against frost in the fall, cover with a layer loose earth, Christmas tree branches, straw.

Video on how to grow mint

When planting mint, it is important to know that it is a very aggressive plant that, when created favorable conditions grows very fast. This is due to the high creeping of rhizomes, which can take up a large space and displace nearby shrubs and plant crops.

That is why, after planting, it is better to enclose fragrant grass - to bury iron plates around the perimeter of the plant and to the depth of the roots. They will help prevent the spread of rhizomes in the garden and summer cottage. Under these conditions, mint will always delight with its appearance and aroma.

Growing mint varieties on your site is a simple matter, but still planting a crop in open ground has nuances. This article will tell you about the proper care of a spicy plant.

Description: varieties and varieties of mint

Mint leaves contain essential oils, so the fragrant, refreshing plant is used in cooking, perfumery, and medicine. Varieties of this culture - more than 2 dozen. In addition to the external difference, noticeable even just in the photo, they differ in shades of aroma.

There are such varieties of mint:

• water;
• curly;
• apple;
• field, etc.

Peppermint

The strongest smell is peppermint. It also has several varieties:

• Pryluky;
• Medicinal;
• Charm etc.

Attention! In summer cottages, peppermint is most often grown.

Planting a plant in the ground

Mint loves loose, fertile soil. On calcareous soil, it will be less fragrant, and on clay soil it will be poorly developed. For outdoor cultivation, choose a sunny site. The combination of these conditions with proper care will give a good result.

Before planting (in mid-spring or late summer), clear the area of ​​weeds. Add organic matter (for example, for 1 sq. M - 3 kg of compost) and mineral supplements(according to instructions). In damp areas, make the beds higher, in dry areas - lower. Mint is planted in grooves 5 cm deep. The distance between seedlings is 0.3-0.5 m.

Advice. The spacing between rows of mint should be about 0.4 m.

Herb care

1. Watering. At first, after planting the plant in open ground, it should be frequent. Best of all - in the evening. Then you can do it less frequently. But remember that mint still loves moist soil.
2. Loosening the soil, destruction of weeds. These procedures are convenient to carry out after watering.
3. Mulching. On the eve of winter, cover the mint with dry earth or straw, needles.

Attention! If you do not keep mint plantings under control, then over time they will grow to large plantations: photos of such areas are impressive.

Do mint need fertilizer and top dressing

Like other plants, mint needs attention and care. Fertilizer will have a good effect on its development. Usually, nitrogen-phosphorus supplements are taken for these purposes. They are used in the vegetation phase of the culture. Some summer residents also use manure and compost when growing crops.

Advice. Phosphorus-potassium fertilizers increase the overall “immunity” of mint.

Plant propagation: methods

Among summer residents, the method of propagation of culture by rhizomes is popular. In the spring or throughout the summer, cuts about 15 cm long are placed horizontally in moist soil. You can also use the cutting method. To do this, in the fall, the bushes are dug up and taken to a cold room, and from March they are placed in a warm place. Branches grown up to 6-9 cm are cut into cuttings and planted in containers with soil, without covering with anything, or placed in water.

A simple way to propagate mint - cuttings

These 2 propagation methods are more popular than the seed method. It is used when other options are not possible. Seeds are sown in separate containers in greenhouses. Shoots will appear in less than a month. They dive, and then planted in open ground.

Attention! Like many hybrids, when propagated by seeds, peppermint does not retain its varietal qualities.

Diseases and pests of mint

Although different varieties of mint repel many insects, the culture itself also suffers from pests and ailments. In order not to start the mint and grow it healthy, you need not only caring for it (watering or fertilizing), but also regular inspection of the plantings. Each insect has its own “handwriting”: the mint flea leaves round holes on the plant, and the aphid wraps itself in leaves. Onion or garlic tinctures will help to survive these pests.

Yellowish-orange spots in the shape of a circle indicate a rust infection. White coating is a symptom of powdery mildew. Diseases are characterized by rapid reproduction. As a result, even with good crop care, you can be left without valuable fragrant mint leaves. At the first signs, collect the affected specimens and destroy them without regret.

Attention! Mint resistance to powdery mildew is reduced due to excess nitrogen fertilizers.

Spicy culture can be overcome by flocks of moths and mint mites. If you are growing it after potatoes, beware of the wireworm. Use insecticides to control these pests. To eliminate anthracnose or leaf spot, spray plantings Bordeaux mixture. Remember prevention as one of the rules good care: in autumn, dig the soil to a depth of 0.35 m, replant mint every 2-3 years, cut and burn plant debris.

Mint goes well with any plants.

Combination with other plants in the summer cottage

Peppermint gets along well in the open field with almost all horticultural crops, improving their condition and taste of fruits. Most of all, it is useful for tomatoes, beets and different varieties cabbage. Mint repels whitefly, cabbage whitefly, earthen fleas, cabbage scoop, cabbage caterpillars, ants. For the plant itself, the combination with nettle is most successful. It increases the amount of aromatic oil in mint.

This spicy culture helps with a variety of ailments: from toothache to bronchitis. However useful plant also has contraindications. Therefore, before you make yourself tea or prepare a fragrant bath, make sure that you are not allergic to mint. Do not abuse the fragrant medicinal herb, and then it will give you not only pleasure, but also health.

Planting peppermint: video

How to plant mint: photo

mint on household plots grown everywhere. It is a popular spice culture. It is so nice to inhale its aroma on summer evenings. Arrange a tea party with the addition of mint leaves, prepare soft drinks, decorate desserts.

There are many varieties of mint, but peppermint is the most popular. It has a pronounced aroma and taste, in special care does not need. It is a perennial herbaceous plant- can grow well in one place for about 10 years. The root system is powerful, so it is not recommended to plant valuable crops nearby. The bush branches well, the height varies from 30 cm to 1 m. Flowering is long: from July to October.

Mint loves moisture and light, winter-hardy. Can be grown in light shade trees mass landings will give natural naturalness to your garden.

Growing mint from seed outdoors

mint seeds photo

When to sow?

When to sow mint in the ground? Mint can be sown immediately outdoors in early spring. Start sowing as early as possible, as soon as the ground is ripe. Seeds will sprout at the onset optimal conditions and will quickly grow.

How to prepare a garden

It is better to prepare the garden bed in the fall: dig, add humus for digging at the rate of 1 bucket per square meter. In the spring, clods of earth are broken with a rake, the bed is well leveled and the earth is allowed to stand for several days to settle.

Can be used for digging in the spring and mineral fertilizers. For 1 m² you will need: 3 kg of humus, 15 g of superphosphate, potassium chloride, saltpeter, 2 tbsp. l. ash.

How to sow

• Mint seeds are small, so sow shallowly: to a depth of 1-2 cm, no more.
• Leave a larger distance between rows: 40-50 cm, over time, the bushes will grow strongly and interfere with each other.
• Sow less often so that there is less break through later.
• Seedlings are thinned out several times, leaving a distance between the bushes of 35-40 cm in a row. Extra plants can be carefully transplanted: mint tolerates transplanting well and is quickly accepted if abundant watering is provided.

Over the summer, mint seeds will grow enough to prepare for winter and successfully overwinter. Additional shelter not needed for the winter.

Growing mint from seeds at home

Mint shoots photo

Start sowing mint for seedlings at home in March-mid-April. Buy seeds from specialized places sales, where there is a guarantee of the quality of seed.

Seeds don't need pretreatment, but they are very small and require delicacy in planting.

• Fill the box with light nutrient soil, spread the seeds over the surface with a toothpick or sharpened match, lightly pressing into the soil.
• Spray from a spray bottle, cover the crops with glass or film, place in a well-lit place.
• Keep the air temperature between 20-25°C.
• To prevent the seeds from rotting and rotting, lift the shelter daily to ventilate.
• Keep the soil slightly moist. Expect 2-3 weeks to germinate.

Growing mint seedlings In the photo, the seedlings are ready for planting

• With the advent of a pair of true leaves, plant young sprouts of 3-5 pieces in separate containers with a diameter of at least 8 cm.
• By the end of May, mint seedlings will be ready for transplanting into open ground, by which time they should have 3-5 pairs of true leaves.
• 7-8 days before transplanting, start hardening seedlings: lower the air temperature, take it out into fresh air for several hours.

Mint grown from seeds develops more slowly than with vegetative propagation. On the other hand, its stems and leaves remain tender and soft longer.

How to sow and dive mint, look at the video:

Conditions for growing mint in open ground

Priming

To grow mint, loose, light, moisture-intensive soil is needed. Suitable sandy and loamy soils with the addition a large number humus. Does not tolerate sickness.

Site illumination

With long daylight hours, mint grows very quickly - an important point for those who grow mint for sale. Choose a sunny area with shade at midday.

Precursors and growth restriction

Desirable precursors are legumes, root crops, perennials.

Mint is a creeping plant and is able to fill the entire area like a weed. To prevent such a nuisance from happening, before planting, limiters should be dug into the soil: slate sheets, hoops from barrels, pieces sheet metal. You can grow mint in large containers.

Reproduction of mint by dividing the bush

Reproduction of mint root shoots

Like sowing seeds vegetative reproduction best done in spring.

How to split a bush

• You can divide mint bushes when they reach the age of 3 years.
• Dig up a bush, carefully divide into parts or separate the lateral root shoots from the mother bush.
• Each division should have a part of the root, several shoots and growth buds.
• Make holes about 10 cm deep, add a handful of humus, place delenki, add soil, press the soil around the stem with your palms, water.
• Between individual plants keep a distance of 30-40 cm, between rows - 40-50 cm.

Propagation of mint cuttings

Mint cuttings rooted in water photo

It is possible to propagate mint by apical cuttings:

• Cut cuttings about 7 cm long.
• You can root mint cuttings in water. When the length of the roots is about 1 cm, transplant the seedlings to permanent place growth.
• Practice rooting in wet sand: just stick a twig and keep the sand wet. The signal for transplantation will be the appearance of new leaves.
• When transplanting, deepen the root collar into the soil by 5 cm, keep a distance of 20-30 cm between individual plants.

How to feed mint after planting in the ground

After 2-3 weeks of growth, rooted cuttings and cuttings should be fed (for 1 liter of water, a tablespoon of urea, pour 1 liter of solution under each bush, you can not water it from above: the concentration is moderate, the leaves and roots will not burn).

How to care for mint outdoors

Mint cultivation and care in the open field

How to water

Mint is hygrophilous. Water moderately, avoiding stagnant water. In severe drought, daily watering is required, preferably in the evening.

• Mulch the area with compost and wood ash.
• Loosen the soil regularly, remove weeds.

top dressing

Frequent top dressing is not required. In the spring, make a comprehensive mineral fertilizer focusing on nitrogen and phosphorus. In autumn, for deep digging, before planting, apply rotted manure at the rate of 2 kg per 1 m².

Pinching

To stimulate tillering, pinch the tops of the shoots until the bush reaches a height of 20-25 cm.

When to Cut Mint Herb

Harvest during flowering - the concentration of essential oils is maximum, so the taste and aroma are the most vivid. The collection method does not matter: pruning, pinching, tearing off individual leaves. After that, the development of new shoots occurs rapidly. Lay out the assembled parts on paper, dry in a shady place with good ventilation. After drying, the twigs can be left whole or ground into powder. Place the dried mint herb in an airtight container and store in a dark, cool place.

Fresh stems and leaves can be stored in the refrigerator for some time.

Mint successfully winters under snow cover without shelter. If a harsh snowless winter is foreseen, mulch the area with a layer of peat or sawdust 15-20 cm thick.

Diseases and pests of mint

It is important not to thicken the plantings in order to prevent damage by diseases and pests. It is also better to grow mint at a distance of 60-80 cm from other herbs, vegetable crops, flower bed.

If powdery mildew appears on the leaves, the bushes can be saved by treating with a 1.5% solution of colloidal sulfur.

Possible pests: aphids, spider mites, weevil, whitefly, slugs. Collect gastropods by hand, to get rid of others, it is necessary to carry out an insecticide treatment. The instructions for preparations should indicate the period after which it is possible to harvest an environmentally friendly crop.

Growing mint is an incredibly rewarding activity for a grower. Widely used in cooking for preparing side dishes or flavoring dishes, this plant also has unique healing properties. And what can we say about tea with mint! Fragrant, delicate, refreshing, thirst-quenching and rejuvenating, this drink is a traditional favorite meal of thousands of tea gourmets. How to plant mint and what is plant care? Consider the main issues of planting and growing this crop.

Mint: planting and care

When choosing a place for a future garden bed, many plant growing beginners ask themselves: where is it better to plant mint - in the sun or in the shade? Ideal place for planting mint - open area, well lit by the sun during the day, with a fairly fertile, moist and deeply cultivated soil.

Since mint, thanks to its creeping rhizomes, grows rather quickly, when arranging a bed, it is recommended to limit its edges with slate, iron or plastic, digging strips of protective material to the depth of the plant's roots. Garden Growing mint at home

How to plant mint

When planning planting activities, decide first of all how you will plant mint - by seeds, cuttings, or by dividing the rhizome. With the seed method, planting should begin as early as mid-April.

1. Gently plant the seeds in a pot or container, using a pointed stick or a special seed planting syringe for easy planting.
2. Be careful not to wash out seed material, water the soil in pots, then cover the containers with foil and place in a warm, bright place.
3. When the plants reach 4-6 cm in height and release 3-4 pairs of leaves, you can relocate the seedlings to open ground, after adding mineral (potassium, nitrogen, phosphorus) and organic (wood ash and rotted manure) fertilizers to it.

It is recommended to plant mint in rows, keeping a distance of 30-40 cm between them. It is best to make the gaps between seedlings half a meter: very soon the mint will grow and the rows will become thick. If you want the bushes to grow thick and low, about two weeks after planting, pinch the tops of young plants.

Another way to plant mint is to propagate by cuttings. Cut off the upper parts of adult plants 5-7 cm long, put in water and then transplant into open ground as roots appear.

If you plan to plant mint by dividing the rhizome, cut the root so that at least ten knots remain on each of the parts. plant planting material to a depth of 10 cm, introducing a small handful of humus under each tuber.

Features of mint care

For such an unpretentious plant as mint, care consists in systematic (preferably daily) watering the beds and regular mulching of the soil, with the addition of wood ash and compost. Soil fertilization is carried out twice a year: the first time - in the spring, and the second time - in the fall, on the eve of frosts, during deep digging.

Harvesting

The optimal time to collect mint is the period of its flowering, when it accumulates in plants the largest number essential oils. To prepare mint leaves for the winter, they need to be dried well by spreading out thin layer on thick paper. When the mint is ready to store, place the dry leaves in a dry, airtight container and place the container in a dark place. There, fragrant and healing mint will be stored for a long time, periodically delighting the household with the piquancy of dishes and the sophistication of tea family meals or healing them from the blues, malaise and annoying fatigue!

Mint is an aromatic and fragrant plant of the Lamiaceae family, which has more than 25 varieties and 10 natural hybrids. It has a special taste and pleasant aroma due to the content in the shoots of a special substance called menthol. Mint can be grown outdoors in the country or on the balcony at home.

Mint is a perennial plant that is easy to grow and care for. It grows in countries with a temperate climate, and is also used in many industries - food, tobacco, cooking, perfumery, alcoholic beverages and others. At the same time, there are a huge number of varieties of this fragrant herb:

• long-leaved;
• field;
• water;
• curly;
• apple;
• spikelet;
• green.

Mint is a perennial plant that is easy to grow and care for.

All these varieties and varieties of mint have different flavors and aromas, but the most popular is peppermint. It is distributed throughout almost the entire territory of our country, as well as. It can be bright green or reddish purple.

You can breed this fragrant plant in the garden, in the garden and at home. But planting and caring for mint depends on its variety and variety. For example, hybrid varieties cannot be grown using seeds, only the vegetative path is possible. To do this, you can use the rhizome and cuttings.

There are two main ways to plant mint in the country or at home:

• seeds;
• cuttings.

Another option for propagation and cultivation is the division of one whole bush into two separate parts. To do this, it is dug up, cleaned, dried a little and divided.

Planting with seeds is a rather difficult, complex and difficult process. At the same time, the cultivation of hybrid varieties by this method is generally impossible to implement.

But when planting in open ground or on a balcony using seeds, it is important to perform all the steps correctly.

Planting with seeds is a rather difficult, complex and difficult process.

The place of cultivation should be suitable, very sunny and warm. All grasses of the Lamiaceae family do not tolerate severe drought, so it is important to provide for a small penumbra so that at noon the earth does not dry out from the scorching sun. It is important to plant mint so that the sun hits the leaves for at least 4 hours a day. If you are creating, in this case, the best choice is windows facing east, south or southwest;

Another important point is the selection of the optimal composition of mail. You can feed the soil with special fertilizers and preparations that promote the active growth of grass. In the country, you need to plant seeds in a fertile post with good drainage, while its optimal acid-base composition will vary between 6-7.

In order to plant mint with the help of seeds, a lot of experience is required, it will be quite difficult for a novice gardener to do this. To do this, you first need to sow them in small trays and pots to a depth of no more than 5 mm, and for germination, you need to create favorable conditions and a temperature of about 21-24 degrees.

Video story about how to plant

Cover the trays with plastic wrap and leave for 1-2 weeks. After the seedlings germinate, they need to be transplanted into pots, the depth of which is 8 cm, and placed in a cool place. After a week, you can start transplanting seedlings into open ground. It is desirable to place each sprout in the sun or in partial shade, while the distance between them should be about 30 cm.

Cuttings are another method of propagation. This method is much easier for the inexperienced grower to do, as it requires less attention and maintenance of the plant. It is better to do this in the spring - from late April to early May. To do this, you must first cut a small branch from the bush. Its length should be about 10 centimeters.

At the same time, a knot with leaves should be located on the cut cutting, which will enable the bush to grow in a new place. The sprig should be placed in a glass of clean filtered water for 7-10 days. During this period, small roots will appear at the cut site, which should be constantly under water during germination. As needed, it must be constantly added.

The twig should be placed in a glass of clean filtered water for 7-10 days

It is necessary to transplant the cuttings into the soil in the country or at home only after the roots have reached a sufficient length (about 2-3 cm). It is better to plant them in the spring, when there will no longer be cold and frost on the street (in late May or early June). Despite the fact that mint is a fairly resistant plant, these conditions must be observed for its proper growth.

Sprouted cuttings are planted to a depth of about 5 cm, if there are several, then the distance from each other should remain about 15 cm. This will give each bush room for future growth. ? To do this, it is important to plant seedlings in the ground in a place where the sun's rays will fall on the plant in the morning and partly in the afternoon.

When planting in open ground, it is important to carefully cultivate the soil beforehand. To do this, you need to loosen the ground and remove all weeds and roots, then break the perimeter into rows for planting. In constantly damp and humid places they need to be made higher, and in dry places they should be further deepened.

When landing on open ground, it is important to carefully cultivate the soil beforehand.

When growing grass pots at home, they can be placed on a windowsill that faces east, south, or west. If the temperature indoors or outdoors is within 20-25 degrees, and watering is sufficient, then mint will grow well.

Mint for full growth needs good lighting, as well as fertile, loose and moist soil. It also tolerates shady conditions, but in this case the soil should not be very wet, as this can lead to rotting of the rhizomes and death of the plant.

Mint for full growth needs good lighting.

Fragrant grass grows most favorably in rich and fertile black soil; clay is not suitable for its growth.

Before planting, it is advisable to pre-fertilize the soil with organic matter and manure. Usually mint grows in one place for no more than 3-4 years, after which peas, potatoes, green onions and other vegetables can be planted instead.

Mint care consists of the following activities:

1. To prevent infestation by pests and diseases, it is important to carefully monitor the growth and appearance of the plant. The most popular ailments are spider mites, slugs, whiteflies, and weevils. In order to avoid infection, care must be taken to ensure optimal air circulation, therefore, with a strong growth of the plant, it is important to cut it regularly.
2. When harvesting, the leaves must be carefully trimmed with scissors so as not to damage the stem. After they can be washed, dried and used fresh or dried.
3. Care also involves regular loosening of the soil, hilling, as the soil dries out - watering, as well as removing weeds. Fertilization is best done in early spring, and to protect against frost in the fall, cover it with a layer of loose earth, branches of Christmas trees, and straw.

Video on how to grow mint

When planting mint, it is important to know that it is a very aggressive plant that grows very quickly when favorable conditions are created. This is due to the high creeping of rhizomes, which can take up a large space and displace nearby shrubs and plant crops.

That is why, after planting, it is better to enclose fragrant grass - to bury iron plates around the perimeter of the plant and to the depth of the roots. They will help prevent the spread of rhizomes in the garden and summer cottage. Under these conditions, mint will always delight with its appearance and aroma.

Leaves no one indifferent. Also in Ancient Rome This plant has been used as an aphrodisiac. Since ancient times, mint has been used to freshen breath, whiten teeth, use for sound sleep, make wines and use as incense. Nowadays, practically nothing has changed.

Mint continues to be loved and appreciated by all 10 species, its natural hybrids. Therefore, everyone wants to grow it on their own. The main question is what kind of care she needs, how she breeds, dries and stores.

Planting and care in the open field

Mint is a peculiar plant that needs care. Care and planting of this plant have their own characteristics. First of all, decide on the area.
For landing in open ground, it is necessary to prepare a site:

• solar;
• smooth;
• dug up;
• no weeds (remove them);
• so that vegetables do not grow nearby (pests can pass from them);
• there were no flowers near.

The growing area should be located at a distance of 1.5 m from other beds. A bed with an area of ​​1 meter should contain 3 rows, between which there will be a gap of 40 cm, and the distance between plants - 30 cm.

Important! In summer, it is necessary to loosen the ground 3-4 times and remove the weeds that have appeared.

The main care is daily watering. If the weather is dry, then watering is necessary twice a day: in the morning and in the evening, not in the very sun.

Planting and care at home in a pot

Not everyone has the opportunity to plant mint under open sky, in your yard or on suburban area. It's OK! This plant can grow freely at home.
How to grow mint in a pot:

• cuttings;
• seeds.

For the first method, you can take a plant, put it in a jar or glass of water and wait until it takes root. Then transplant into the sand (for the first time).

You can also take a part of the finished bush (which you like more and have roots or buds) and plant it in a pot. The pot should have a layer of drainage, earth with humus and garden plot. Moisten the prepared soil before planting the plant. Fall asleep mint with shoots.

The seed method is a less common method, as it requires a longer time. If you take 1 kind of seed, the grass may die. Therefore, it is better to choose several species so that they pollinate each other.

The pot needs to be filled loose and fertile soil. Seeds fall asleep half a centimeter. The first shoots will appear in a couple of weeks. Mint should grow in good light. It is better to purchase a fluorescent lamp, which is aimed at the plant pot.

Important! Pay attention to the temperature, the average temperature should be 23 degrees.

reproduction

Mint reproduces in several ways:

• cuttings;
• division of rhizomes;
• layering.

To start propagation by cuttings, you need to cut a sprig of mint, which has a leaf node. Put the branch of the plant in a jar of water. Within two weeks, it will be possible to observe the appearance of white young roots. Do not change the water in the container, but add little by little. Give the new roots a chance to grow, usually it takes 3 weeks.

Reproduction by rhizomes is considered the most fruitful. With this method of reproduction, the plant is less susceptible to pest attacks. The favorable season for planting rhizomes is spring.

Before planting, it is necessary to prepare the material, if it is not germinated rhizomes:

• clean from old roots, stems;
• chop into small pieces (10 cm).

Rhizomes are planted to a depth of 10 cm in a line, with a distance between rows of 50 cm. The rest of the material is cut into pieces of 30 cm before planting, with 10 cm knots. Root layers must be deepened into the ground by 7 cm. If the layer has shoots, then the roots must be preserved, and the above-ground process should be cut off, leaving 5 cm.

blank

To collect mint, it is better to choose the period when it blooms - this is June, July. The plant harvested before flowering has such healing properties. It is recommended to collect grass in the morning. Plants should be washed before harvesting. cold water to get rid of excess dirt and dust. Washing mint after harvest is not advisable. Leaves, stems and flowers are collected for collections, in some cases only leaves may be useful (depending on the purpose of harvesting).

Mint can be prepared in the following ways:

• freeze (leaves are detached from the stem, washed under cold water, laid out in small bags);
• prepare mint syrup (put 500 g of sugar in 800 ml of water and boil. Add mint and bring to a boil again, strain the hot syrup and add 1/2 lemon juice. And strain again and bring to a boil);
• make (put mint in a jar and pour 70% alcohol in a ratio of 1:10. Let it brew in a dark place for 10 days, periodically shaking the jar. Then put it in the refrigerator for 3 days and filter);
• make a liquor (400 ml of alcohol diluted with 200 ml of water, pour 1 g of lemon zest and 6 g of dry mint with the resulting liquid. Let it brew for 2 days in a warm place. Prepare a syrup of 1 kg of sugar per 0.150 l of water and mix everything. Ready to bottle);
• dry.

Drying

Important! Hang dry out of direct sunlight!

Needed for drying above-ground part plants (leaves, stems, flowers):

• tie the stems with leaves into a bundle with a diameter of 3 cm;
• lay out to dry on paper or cloth (periodically stirring and turning the mint);
• can be hung on a rope at intervals of 5 cm;
• drying is best done under a canopy or in the attic.

All this is done until completely dry. It is necessary to dry mint in a dry and ventilated place.

Important! After drying mint in the oven, it loses its medicinal properties!

Storage

To store mint, you need to prepare several materials:

• bound mint can quickly wither, if you are not going to use it immediately, but after a few hours, then it is better to cover it with a damp cloth;
• if you need to save for 3 days, then put the mint in a container and cover with a waffle towel soaked in water;
• for a week, mint will be helped by a bag in which mint is placed, air is squeezed out and tied;
• for a long period - mint should be put in a bag and put in the freezer;

If you do not want to bother yourself with storage and drying, then grow mint at home.