How to properly grow mint?

1. Planting and Growing Potted Mint

The first solution to cultivate and grow mint quickly is to do it in pots. Whether indoors or on the balcony, growing potted mint is relatively easy.

As you may know, mint can quickly become invasive in the garden and in its flower beds, so growing it in pots solves this problem!

Here is how to plant and grow your mint in a pot:

1. Place the mint plant in a large enough pot and add a clay-rich potting soil.
2. Sprinkle the soil generously with water (the soil should never be deeply dry), mint loves water.
3. Place the mint pot in the sun near a window or better directly on the balcony and terrace.

2. Plant mint in the garden and vegetable patch

Here, at home, we grow mint both in pots on the balcony to always have some to hand and directly in the ground, in the garden and even on the edge of the forest. WE LOVE MINT haha! ?

Here are some tips for growing mint well in the garden:

1. Wait until the soil is warm enough (without risk of frost) before transplanting the mint plants.
2. Space mint plants about 30-45cm apart or more if you have enough space.
3. Add a good gardening soil accompanied by compost around your plants.
4. Water the mint regularly, especially in hot, sunny weather, mint needs a lot of water.

When to plant mint in the vegetable garden?

It is important to choose the right time of year to grow your mint outdoors, in the garden.

Plant mint in April and/or May!

From April, it is possible to put the mint plants in the ground. In some colder regions it is better to wait until May or June and in warmer regions March is also a possibility.

And for seedlings?

If you prefer to grow mint from seed then you can sow mint in the ground from around March to June. You can also germinate the seeds on cotton and transplant the seedlings indoors to then plant them in the vegetable garden in the spring.

3. Cut the stems of the mint to promote growth

To cultivate and grow mint well, it is recommended to regularly cut the stems of the mint. But why?

Cut the stems so that she conserves her energy!

As mint grows and flowers quickly, it is important to cut the stems to avoid buds and flowers. If you do not cut them regularly, the mint will tend to make smaller leaves and in less quantity.

Here at home, I cut the long stems that grow skyward as often as possible to have nice big mint leaves all the time!

4. When and how to harvest mint?

The great thing about mint is that it grows fast and you can harvest mint leaves all summer long!

Which mint leaf to choose?

The largest leaves of the plant should be selected. You have to cut the whole stem and not just tear off the leaves on the stem. In this way, you will promote the growth of new stems and new large leaves.

Don’t forget to water your mint plants thoroughly!

Water the mint thoroughly to facilitate rapid growth and abundant growth both for potted mint and in the garden.

If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to grow mint from a stem and branch then here’s how to get the cuttings right.

1. Cut a few sprigs of mint and remove the leaves at the bottom of the stem and leave 2-4 leaves at the top.
2. Place the mint stalks in a glass of water about 2/3 full.
3. Add water regularly and wait a few weeks to see the first roots form.
4. Then transplant the stems with roots directly into the ground.

I personally use stem cuttings to plant new spearmint plants in different places in the field and at the edge of the forest.

6. What varieties of mint to grow?

There are several varieties of mint to grow in pots or in the garden. Here are some interesting ones to grow at home:

• Spearmint: to add in a sauce, a vinaigrette or in a delicious tabbouleh, green mint is ideal.
• Lemon mint: to give a lemony taste to a salad or even a dessert, lemon mint is the variety to use.
• Peppermint: to make good and delicious mojitos peppermint is the one I personally use at home. You can also use it to flavor desserts and other recipes.
• Chocolate mint: as its name suggests, chocolate mint is ideal for giving flavor to desserts.