Mentha plant also called as Mint, Pulegium, Preslia, Audibertia, Menthella, Minthe, is a genus of the Lamiaceae family. They are one of the common herbs used for their medicinal and aromotherapeutic properties since written history.
Mentha plant also called as Mint, Pulegium, Preslia, Audibertia, Menthella, Minthe, is a genus of the Lamiaceae family. They are one of the common herbs used for their medicinal and aromotherapeutic properties since written history. The origins of its latin name Mentha comes from the Greek word minthe, which was personified in Greek mythology as Minthe, a nymph who was turned into a mint plant by Queen Persephone before she had chance to seduce Hades.
IDENTIFY MENTHA PLANT - MINT
Mentha plant occure in all five continents. They are widely distributed and can be found in many environments. Most of the Mentha plants prefer moist habitat. In the shores of ponds, lakes, canals and waterfalls can be found M. cervina, M. gattefossei, M. japonica, M. aquatica, M. australis and M. canadensis. Besides, M. cervina is also growing in water up to 60 cm deep. In damp fields, roadsides and meadows are growing M. arvensis, M. canadensis, M. dahurica, M. pulegium and M. repens. Close to waterbodies or in fields and meadows are found also M. spicata, M. longifolia and M. suaveolens. In forests and gullies is growing M. laxiflora. Sandy or loamy soil is preferred by M. grandiflora and M. satureoides.
They are herbaceous and perennial aromatic herbs that are cultivated for health care and culinary purposes. They have wide-spreading underground and over ground stolons and erect, square, branched stems. The leaves are arranged in opposite pairs, from oblong to lanceolate, often downy, and with a serrated margin. Leaf colors range from dark green and gray-green to purple, blue, and sometimes pale yellow. The flowers are white to purple and produced in false whorls called verticillasters.
Mentha leaves can be enjoyed raw or cooked and can make a great tea whether using fresh leaves or dried leaves. If using fresh you will need to use twice as much as you would use if using dried. Be sure to cut up the leaves in order to release the essential oils and flavors. Mint is a great caffeine-free drink for when you need a pick-me-up and it also helps with digestion so makes a good drink to enjoy after a meal.
Mint was originally used as a medicinal herb to treat stomach ache and chest pains. There are several uses in traditional medicine and preliminary research for possible use in treating irritable bowel syndrome. Menthol from mint essential oil (40-90%) is an ingredient of many cosmetics and some perfumes. Menthol and mint essential oil are also used in aromatherapy which may have clinical use to alleviate post-surgery nausea.
MENTHA PLANT - MINT CARE AND CULTURE
Cultural information should only be used as a guide, and should be to be adapted to suit you. Your physical location; where you grow your plants, how much time you have to devote to their care, and many other factors, will need to be taken into account. Only then can you decide on the cultural methods that best suit you and your plants.
Light:
Mentha plant grow well in a location that receives morning sun and afternoon dappled shade. You’ll want the plants to get some light without drying them out. They do best when grown in a very sunny window that receives between 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight each day (typically a southern or southwestern exposure). When growing under natural light, be certain to rotate the pot every 3 to 4 days to ensure uniform growth of the plant. If your windows do not offer enough sunlight, you can supplement natural lighting with fluorescent light. In general, for every hour of required sunlight, expose the plants to two hours of fluorescent light. They grown entirely under fluorescent lights will require between 14 to 16 hours of artificial lighting. Place the plants no closer than 5 or 6 inches and no farther than 15 inches from the light source.
Temperature:
Mentha plant grow best in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 5,6,7,8. They can be grown in all tropical and subtropical areas under irrigation. However, it does not tolerate damp winters which cause root-rot. A temperature of 20-25°C promotes vegetative growth.
You can grow the plants indoors for fresh leaves throughout the winter. If you want to dry them, it’s best to cut the leaves right before flowering. Store the dried leaves in an airtight container.
Substrate and growing media:
Mentha plant can be aggressive in the landscape, often spreading rapidly and choking out other plants. It might be best to plant these into a 12-16 wide pot (or larger) or even a window box, so that the roots are contained. Add perlite or vermiculite or a polymer water gel to the potting soil to encourage consistent but not soggy soil moisture. Mulch will help to retain moist soil. Can also submerge the pot into the garden itself, the pot’s rim will contain the roots and the plants cannot spread.
Medium to fertile deep soil, rich in humus is ideal for the cultivation of these plants. The soil should have a good water-holding capacity but water-logging should be avoided. A pH range of 6-7.5 is best.
Watering:
Water well immediately after planting. Mulch evenly to a depth of 2-3 inches being sure to stay at least 4” away from its trunk. The water requirement is very high and also depending upon the soil and climatic conditions, the plant is irrigated 7-10 times before the first monsoon then requires three irrigations after the monsoons during September, October and November. Sometimes another irrigation is required during winter, if the plant is dormant and there are no winter rains to encourage proper growth of the under ground stems. When mints are grown in temperate climates, only 3-4 irrigation during the period from July to October are required.
Fertilizer:
If desired, feed the plants a complete, slow-release, 16-16-16, granular fertilizer in early spring after all danger of frost has passed and new growth emerges. Apply about 1 teaspoon to the soil above the plant’s root zone. Avoid getting fertilizer on the foliage. Water the material into the soil thoroughly. Avoid getting water on the stems and leaves as mint plants are prone to rot. Do not over-fertilize. Over-feeding produces large, robust plants at the expense of reduced oil content. This results in mint that has little taste.
Pruning and winter period:
Mentha plant can be mowed to ground once established to clean up appearance and promote fresh growth. There’s no need to bring them indoors for winter, as they’ll pop right back up the following spring. If you would like your mint to begin flowering and seeding sooner in the spring/summer, you can bring it indoors prior to the first frost and place it in a pot or hanging basket in a bright window. This way, the plant won’t have to completely re-sprout in the spring. Water it thoroughly every two or three days, and mist it gently daily between watering to keep the soil damp.
Harvest:
Simply snip off desired amount of stems. Never harvest more than 1/3rd of the leaves at once and if 1/3rd is trimmed off, just allow the plant to regrow before harvesting again. Cut as much as possible before the fall frost occurs because after this point, the top growth will die back, to emerge again in spring.
Frequent harvesting is the key to keeping mint plants at their best. Young leaves have more flavor than old ones, and can be harvested as soon as it comes up in spring. Although fresh is best and sprigs keep for a few days in water, their leaves can be frozen or air-dried in bunches.
Propagation:
The best way to propagate mints is by taking cuttings from those that you like best. It’s easy take 6-inch cuttings of rooted stems and plant them horizontally in the soil. Their stems will also root in a glass of water. Start with a small cutting from an established plant.
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