Growing mint Tips for Beginners
Top 7 easy growing mint tips. Mint growing at home or in the kitchen is very easy. It is a strong plant. It should be a beginner’s first choice. It does not want high maintenance. Here’s a detailed guide to cultivating mint at home. Proper harvesting is essential to preserve flavor, aroma, and plant health. As a perennial, mint grows and can become invasive if not controlled properly. It is crucial to use the right harvesting techniques. The best time for mint harvest is before flowering. At that time essential oils are gotten in the most concentrated form and gotten the best flavor and aroma. Proper harvesting ensures mint good health.
Top 7 tips Before Growing mint:
- Choosing the Right Mint Variety
- Ideal Growing Conditions
- Planting Mint
- Caring for Mint
- Overwintering Mint
- Common Pests and Diseases
- Harvesting Mint
Choosing the Right Mint Variety
There are various species of mint. Every species is not available in every place. Peppermint and spearmint are very popular for gardening. It is also available in most of the places. Chocolate mint, apple mint, lemon mint, and orange mint are used for culinary and medical purposes. We can also grow these plants in our garden.
Ideal Growing Conditions
Light Requirements
Mint prefers sunlight. We have to ensure about six hours of direct sunlight per day for it.
Soil
Mint likes light acidic soil. A potting mix is like a well-drainage system that enriches with organic matter. The pH of the soil should be around 6.0 to 7.0. We have to be careful growing mint in pots. We use organic compost and ensure well-drained soil.
Watering
Mint likes moist soil, but it does not like water logging in soil. We should provide water regularly to maintain consistent moisture in the soil. Mint’s shallow roots can dry out quickly. So, make sure the soil is moist.
Planting Mint
From Seeds
Grow mint from seeds is a slow and less reliable process. Early spring is the best time to sow seeds for indoor gardening. In outdoor gardening, we sow seeds on the last frost dates. We cover seeds lightly with soil and maintain their moisture. We place the seeds about 1/4 inch deep into the soil. As a beginner, it is better to avoid this method.
From Cuttings
Growing mint from cuttings is an easy method. It is also faster and more reliable for the gardeners. Mint growing from cutting is good for beginners. Follow these steps:
- Cut a 4–6 inches stem from a mother plant
- Ensure they have at least 2-3 nodes
- Remove the bottom leaves from the stem
- Use rooting hormone or aloe vera gel and insert it into the river sand. If these are not available to you, put the cutting in a glass of water
- After a few weeks, the cutting has developed roots. Once the roots are a few inches long, transplant the cutting into the soil.
From Potted Plants
It is the simplest and easiest way of all. Find a garden center and buy a mini plant. You should place it in your indoor garden and take care of it. Mint spreads quickly through underground runners. You can use it as a mother plant and enrich your garden.
Caring for Mint
Pruning and Pinching
Pruning and Pinching are important for mint. Mint rapidly grows. Regular Pruning and Pinching make your plan healthy and bushy. If there is any flower in your plant, remove it. Flowers reduce the growth of the plant.
Fertilization
Mint is not a heavy feeder plant. A light fertilizer is good for mint. NPK is a balanced fertilizer. N-P-K ratio of 10-10-10 or 14-14-14 is an all-purpose fertilizer. An NPK 16-16-16 is a slow-release fertilizer. It should be used one time in a year. Spring is the best time for it.
We can also use organic fertilizers like cow or horse manure, Seaweed extract, etc. Plant-based compost is helpful for plants. We use compost to keep the stem safe. manure is a great source of nitrogen. Mustard cake can be an alternative to manure. Seaweed contains trace minerals and growth-promoting hormones.
Controlling Mint Growth
Mint is familiar with its notorious growth. We should not plant mint with other plants. we use separate pots in indoor gardening. On the other hand, in outdoor gardening, we use a root barrier to maintain its growth.
Overwintering Mint
Cold is the dormant period of mint. We have to be careful about providing water in cold weather. For indoor gardening, we place mint in a sunny area where sunlight comes throughout the day. In the case of outdoor gardening, we trim the mint back to a few inches above the soil and mulch heavily to insulate the roots. In winter we provide water through sparing to maintain moisture.
Common Pests and Diseases
Mint has the properties to prevent pests but sometimes it can be affected by aphids, spider mites, or whiteflies. Generally, a pest takes shelter under the leaves. We can use insect control soap or neem oil to prevent insects.
powdery mildew, root rot, and mint rust are the common diseases of mint. We can protect a plant from these diseases by ensuring good air circulation and avoiding overhead watering,
Mint Harvesting
Timely harvesting ensures the plant’s good health. Generally, we harvest mint leaves before flowering on the plant. We cut the stems just above a set of leaves. When we find enough leaves on the plant, we pinch the plant.
Conclusion
Mint can grow in different conditions and different situations. To take care of a mint plant it is not necessary to have depth knowledge of gardening. Following a few steps, we can get mint leaves round the year. As it is a beneficiary plant in both the kitchen and the indoor gardening, we should start gardening with this plant. It is also well-known as an indoor decorative plant.
