Mint is a popular herb that is easy to grow and can be used in a number of food and drink recipes, including salads, sauces, desserts and cocktails.
Mint is a breeze to grow and lends itself beautifully to a host of culinary creations, from salads and sauces to desserts and cocktails. There’s a whole spectrum of mint varieties out there, each boasting its own unique flavour profile and aroma.
The most ubiquitous type is spearmint, often labelled as “garden mint” in shops. But the mint family also includes such intriguing members as peppermint, apple mint and banana mint.
These variants not only differ in taste but also sport leaves of varying sizes, textures and hues.
Gardening gurus have issued a word of caution to those growing multiple types: don’t plant them too close together. This advice holds true whether you’re potting them or planting them directly into the soil.
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) warns that mints can lose their distinctive scent and flavour if they’re planted cheek by jowl, reports the Express.
Mint has a tendency to spread like wildfire when planted in open ground. To keep different varieties in check, experts suggest confining them to a large pot or a bottomless bucket submerged in the soil.
According to the RHS: “Containers should be filled with multi-purpose or soil-based compost, while soil should ideally be fertile and free-draining, enriched garden compost – although mint is vigorous enough to cope in most types of soil, except waterlogged conditions.
“Mint is best planted in spring, although potted minst can be planted right through to autumn, except in hot dry spells. It is happy in full sun or partial shade. Water it well before and after planting.”
They further advised: “Avoid planting different varieties of mint close together, whether in pots or the ground, as they can lose their individual scent and flavour.”
Once established, mint is a breeze to care for. The experts recommend regular watering for at least the initial few months.
Regular harvesting of the leaves is also suggested to promote growth. During summer, it might be necessary to trim back the sprigs post-flowering and water.
The RHS also noted: “For plenty of new young leaves, make sure mint doesn’t go short of water in hot, dry weather.
“Plants in containers can dry out quickly, so water them regularly throughout the growing season.”