Mint maintenance: exposure, leaf cutting, drying

Superstar of aromatic plants, we all know the fresh and unique taste of mint leaves.

From the Latin " Mentha ", this plant is extremely appreciated, both for its refreshing taste and for its health benefits : iron intake, antioxidant effect, aid in digestion.

This plant is particularly suitable to begin its plantation because it is very easy to grow . It grows quickly and takes up little space, so it can be grown in pots very well. The advantage of indoor cultivation: pot or vegetable garden is that you can harvest mint all year round. Planting mint requires little maintenance: sun, water and regular pruning.

URBAN CUISINE gives you its best advice on the maintenance of mint, the exposure, the cutting and the drying of the leaves to obtain aromatic herbs of the best quality.

How to exhibit Mint?

If you have chosen to grow mint indoors, in pots for example, it is advisable to place your plants near a window , in the sun but taking care to avoid heat sources . Indeed, direct exposure to the sun during the day could dry out your aromatic plants. In general, the ideal exposure for a mint plant is partial shade , or with the sun but avoiding excessive heat and the soil not drying out completely.

The soil for your mint plants must be well aerated, rich and cool , so it is necessary to maintain a moist soil, while avoiding excess water which could damage the roots of the mint. For this, it will be necessary to prepare a soil with clay balls. You can also add a little sand to the potting soil to improve drainage .

The water and sun requirements of mint are thus similar to those of basil and strawberries. You can also grow Spearmint and Basil Grand Vert in a window box to diversify your indoor garden . For this, you can also place your mint plant in the vegetable garden, provided you prune it well because mint tends to become invasive. It will especially be necessary to be careful during the flowering period so that the seeds do not disperse in your vegetable garden.

How to prune mint leaves?

It is recommended to prune your plant regularly. You can harvest the aromatic mint leaves when your mint stalk has reached about ten centimeters . Flowering time is when the plant matures. With good maintenance and if you prune regularly, the plant will be bushier. Pruning and harvesting regularly allows you to take advantage of fresh mint leaves that you can incorporate directly into your dishes.

Your harvest will be especially fragrant if you cut the leaves in late spring, just before the summer bloom .

Your plant may be slow to grow if your container is not deep enough. Indeed, mint needs depth so that its roots can develop. To promote the growth of your mint plant, you can transplant it into a larger container, being careful not to damage the roots.

Mint sheet:

Type of plant : aromatic plant, perennial

Exposure : ideally partial shade or not too strong sun

Sowing period : in spring, in March/April in the ground and all year round in pots indoors

Size : between 40 and 60cm

Cutting the mint stalks will also delay seed set. Indeed, planting mint flowers is less interesting because they are less fragrant than the leaves. By delaying the bolting, you will be able to harvest more leaves . Also, to be able to flower, the mint will have to tap into the resources while if you cut the flower buds, it will stimulate the growth of the leaves.

To optimize your harvest, pruning should be done twice a week .

Mint pruning in a few steps

1- At the beginning of the day, before there is a lot of sun, bring a pair of scissors

2- Cut the stem above a node

3- Cut the stems that have flowers fairly low

Pruning the mint will not only allow you to have an abundant harvest but also to multiply your mint plant if you wish. For this, you can plant a stem of mint by following the method of cuttings .

How to dry Mint?

How to dry mint leaves in the open air?

1) Gather your mint stalks into a bouquet

2) Tie the bouquet with a string

3) Hang your mint bouquets in a cool, dry and dark place

4) After two weeks, detach your mint bunches

6) Separate the leaves from the stem by hand to keep only the foliage

How to dry mint leaves in the microwave?

1) Harvest and wash the mint leaves

2) Arrange them on a plate, spacing them out

3) Place the plate for 10 seconds in the microwave

4) Check that the leaves are not broken, then add another 10 seconds if the leaves are not dry enough. You can repeat this operation a maximum of 3 times.

How to dry mint flowers?

- During the flowering season, harvest the mint stalks that have flowers

- Hang the stems in a ventilated place and away from the sun

Do you now want to grow your own Spearmint all year round and enjoy it in the comfort of your home or apartment?

Discover our Green Mint Cork Pot: a Cork Pot made in France from cork oak harvested in France and a 3-in-1 Cultivation Mound including professional soil, Green Mint seeds of French origin and labeled "Organic Agriculture" as well as natural nutrients allowing the best possible growth of your plant.

Find all our advice and comments on the maintenance, planting and harvesting of mint and all our varieties of organic aromatic plants, fruits and vegetables on our blog: " When and how to plant mint in pots? " , " How to cut potted basil? ", " How to properly store fruits and vegetables? " and many more.