Peppermint
Peppermint
Peppermint is a perennial plant and one of the simplest known to grow from seed. This herb is a natural hybrid of culinary mint and watermint. In early summer, it blooms in tiny purple flowers, grows well in the sun, spreads through the roots, and reaches 12-18" in height and width. The beneficial properties of mint can be enumerated endlessly. When adjacent to roses, mint repels aphids.
The records of the ancient historian Pliny indicate that in the first century AD, the Greeks and Romans highly prized this herb, using it to make sauces and drinks. Michigan currently produces the most mint in the United States. The United States provides about half of the world's peppermint reserves. Because it contains menthol, an antiseptic and anesthetic, peppermint tea is beneficial for conditions such as colds, asthma, nasal congestion, and indigestion. Refreshing in drinks, used to soothe indigestion, in candy.
How to grow Peppermint from seeds:
- Sowing: Peppermint is picky and grows well in rich soil, partial shade, and moist soil. Plant the seeds after the last spring frost, thinning the seedlings by 10-12 ″. Peppermint spreads easily without control and can almost take up the entire space. As a companion plant, mint benefits nearly all garden plants and repels many harmful insects. Mint also grows well from root cuttings or by dividing.
- Plant Spacing: 12-18″.
- Growing of Peppermint: Mint appreciates rich soil and needs compost as fertilizer. Keеp the soil moist enough, but do not get the leaves wet to prevent rot. In cold regions with frosty winters, cut the plant to the ground after frost; a lаyer of mulch will protect the roots from the cold.
- Peppermint Soil Requirements for: Fertile, consistently moist, well-drained.
- Peppermint Seeds Days to Germination: 10-14 days.
- Light Preference of Peppermint: Full Sun.
- Life Cycle of Peppermint: Perennial.
- How and When to Harvest Peppermint: Leaves mature at 3-4″ tall. Collect small young leaves; they have the best scent. Cut the stems no more than 1 "from ground level to allow them to grow. The tops should be trimmed to prevent flowering, which leads to a deterioration in the flavor of the leaves. It is necessary to dry the leaves by hanging the stems upside down in a dry place until they are completely dry. Store in an airtight container. Also, you can freeze fresh mint leaves.
- Peppermint Days to Maturity: 90-100 days
- Peppermint's Seed Saving: Since many types of mint produce sterile seed or seed that is not true to type, saving the seed may be somewhat of an experiment. Harvеst the seed heads as soon as they grow dry and brown; spread them out to finish drying out of sunlight, then thresh them to remove the seed. Storе the seed in a cool, dry place.
FAST FACTS:
- Latin Name: Mentha piperita
- Type: Hybrid, Cool Season, Warm Season
- Life Cycle: Perennial
- USDА Zones: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
- Seeds per Ounce: 100,000
- Planting Method: From Transplant
- Sunlight: Full Sun, Part Sun
- Height: 18 Inches
- Color: White, Green
- Bloom Season: Blooms Early Summer, Blooms Late Summer
- Uses: Attracts Pollinators, Attracts Honeybees, Attracts Butterflies, Aromatic, Deer Resistant
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