How to plant mint seeds in open ground in the country

Species of mint

The botanical genus Peppermint belongs to the lamb family and includes about twenty-five species and several hybrids. The most widespread and, accordingly, known and demanded are peppermint, Japanese mint, water mint, mint mint, meadow mint, fragrant mint. But the famous lemon mint, also known as lemon balm, belongs to a different genus, albeit of the same family. Catnip, also known as catnip, again belongs to another genus of the same family. And the same can be said about wild mint, aka oregano.

Accordingly, speaking about growing this plant in the country, first of all, they mean peppermint and its variety - menthol mint. These two types differ in appearance and shades of aroma - the ratio of bitterness and specific mint "chill". But both can be planted both in open ground and in boxes.

How to plant

You can plant mint with rhizome cuttings, seeds and seedlings. Seed propagation is thought to be difficult for beginners. In fact, planting is the same as planting any other greenery, and the most important thing in this process is the quality of the seeds. When purchasing seeds from the store, it is important to make sure they are fresh. Mint seeds are very small and are planted in bulk.

This herb can be planted in spring, late April or early May. Additional plantings can be done at the end of summer. Mint is undemanding to the soil, but does not grow very well in dense, overly moist beds. When planting directly into the ground, you need to make grooves no more than 1 cm deep (optimally - half a centimeter), water them, cover the seeds and sprinkle them with earth.

You can choose a compromise option - sow seeds not in the ground, but in pots, grow seedlings and plant them in the country. You can sow seeds for seedlings in February. For this, shallow boxes are filled with nutritious light soil with an admixture of peat, watered and scattered seeds over the surface, slightly pressing them to the soil. After that, the box must be covered with foil (but not tightly so that ventilation is maintained) and put in a lighted place, but not on the windowsill.

Very small sprouts appear after twelve to fourteen days, after which the boxes can be put on the windowsill for hardening, but removed at night. After about two months, full-fledged bushes grow, which can be transferred to the garden. The advantage of growing mint from seeds is that these plants will produce tender, young greens. When propagated by cuttings and shoots, the stems will be stronger, but more coarse, suitable for drying rather than for direct use.

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Care and growing conditions

Mint is a perennial plant, which means that the planting site must be chosen carefully, taking into account the fact that in the next three to five years you will not plant any other plants in this place.At the same time, for the fourth, maximum for the fifth year, it is better to change the planting site, otherwise the plant's aroma will become poorer from season to season.

In general, mint is unpretentious to planting conditions, tolerates almost any soil, and can grow under trees or shrubs. Any vegetables can be its predecessor, and after it, potatoes or onions can be planted on this site. Mint does not require specific fertilizers, and it can be planted in soil fertilized during autumn digging. Of course, the ideal habitat for her will be fertile and loose soil with regular watering. On calcareous soils, mint loses its aroma. On swampy soils, it practically does not grow.

If your dacha has an excess of moisture, then the mint beds should be raised above the ground for better drainage. In dry places, the beds, on the contrary, are deepened into the ground. Mint is very fond of sunlight, but not direct, but rather partial shade. When planting, it should be borne in mind that the root system of this plant is a creeping rhizome, which grows strongly and can sprout anywhere. To limit these shoots, strips of iron or slate are buried in the mint beds.

Mint must be watered, loosened and, if necessary, mulch the soil, weed weeds. It is recommended to pinch the top of the stems so that the plant gives many lateral shoots. The harvest from this year's mint planting can be removed in two months, and in the second and subsequent years - after the appearance of the fourth or fifth leaf on the branches.

Plantings need to be covered for the winter. It can be spruce branches, straw, rotted manure. Due to its specific sharp aroma, mint does not suffer too much from garden pests, but nevertheless it also has enemies: the mint flea, mint leaf beetle, powdery mildew, mint rust, and so on. The most general recommendation for protection is regular weeding, removal of diseased plants along with rhizomes, moderate (not excessive) watering. Also - measures against specific types of pests, for example, from a mint flea, you can water the garden with a solution of karbofos. This is done in August, after the pupation of the pests and after harvesting from the garden.

How to collect mint

The greens are cut as needed. To keep it fresh, keep it wrapped in a damp cloth or in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Collecting mint for drying is carried out on the eve of flowering or at the very beginning - it is then that a maximum of aromatic substances accumulates in the aerial part of the plant. The collection is carried out in dry but cloudy weather. In any case, make sure there is no dew on the leaves before harvesting. You can pick mint two or even three times a season, but after each harvest, the garden should be watered abundantly.

The stems are cut and dried in the shade, hanging the bunches with the inflorescences down. Leaves and inflorescences are valued as raw materials, which are cut off from dried stems and stored in a tightly closed container, in a dry, cool, dark place. The maximum storage period is no more than two years. Mint is an almost universal culinary flavoring. Dry or fresh, it is added to cocktails, tea, soups, marinades, salads, meat, fish and their legumes. In addition, the scent of mint is soothing and relaxing.

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