Growing Mint - No Herb Garden is Complete Without Mint Herbs

If you have an herb garden, you most likely are growing mint. Herbs like mint are on the top 10 list for any herb garden. The mint family includes about 30 species and around 600 varieties and is easy to grow in most any kind of soil.

Maybe you have experimented yourself with varieties such as spearmint, peppermint, apple, orange, or even chocolate mint. I try to plant pineapple mint every year for the hummingbirds and for use in potpourri.

Mint is one of those plants that you add to your garden and then forget about it until you want a sprig for you ice tea glass.

That's about the only way I have ever used it. I don't know why though since it has been used for centuries throughout history in such diverse culinary cultures as Arabia, Iraq, India, Italy and Afghanistan as well as Northern Europe and here in the Americas.

But maybe you are better at experimenting with mint than I am. I have promised myself that this summer, I will experiment more with my mints.

I'm off to a good start having already made some herbal mint tea using my Monarda (also known as bee balm) and Lemon Balm. Herbal tea is easy to make by simply cutting a couple of good handfuls of mint and putting them in a saucepan with one cup of water. Bring the water to a boil and turn off heat and let steep for about 10 or 20 minutes. Strain the liquid and add to a gallon of tea. Add a fresh sprig to your glass and your done!

I have also made some butter cookies with spearmint added for extra sweetness. Just add 2 or 3 teaspoons to a sugar cookie recipe and cook as usual.

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Growing Mint

• Plant in average soil
• Mint likes afternoon shade here in the Mid South
• Keep roots of mint separated or they will mingle with the other mints and lose their distinctive taste
• Plant in a pot on your deck, or sink a 5 gallon landscaping plastic pot (with a lip of 2 or 3 inches above the ground) into the ground to keep your mint from becoming invasive.
• Trim often, maybe every other week, to keep it looking good
• Water often. Mint likes to have wet feet
• Take cuttings and root in water to produce more plants. Mints do not produce true seeds