Properly cultivated, all species of mint are a revelation in terms of fragrance and taste. The road to this is neither rocky nor long. Admittedly, some essential aspects must be taken into account. Below you will find answers to all the important questions.
How to water mint correctly?
Mint attaches importance to a constantly moist substrate without waterlogging. Therefore, water the plant regularly and abundantly. Give the watering water directly to the roots, without wetting the foliage. The best time of day for watering are early morning or late evening.
When and how to fertilize mint?
If you want to care for your mint professionally and at the same time eat it carefree, organic fertilizers come into focus. This is how you fertilize the herb plant in a balanced way:
- in the bed from May to August, fertilize every 2 weeks with compost, cattle manure (21.00€ at Amazon*) or similar means.
- Mint in the pot fertilize weekly with organic liquid fertilizer in diluted concentration
- freshly planted in pre-fertilized soil do not apply fertilizer
Does pruning make sense?
Prudent care requires regular pruning. The expansive growth of a mint cannot be controlled by repeated harvesting alone. Therefore, shortly before flowering, radically cut back all shoots to two pairs of leaves. The cuttings contain a particularly large amount of aroma, making them excellent for drying and freezing.
Should mint be repotted?
The strong rhizomes of mint have completely rooted a tub in the second year at the latest. Therefore, repotting every 2 years is advisable to care for them properly. This is how you proceed:
- the new tub is at least 10 centimeters larger in diameter than before
- create a drainage above the bottom opening with clay shards or chippings
- spread a water- and air-permeable fleece over it
- fill the lower third of the pot with a mix of herbal soil, compost and sand
- After this preparatory work, pot the mint and plant it in the middle of the fresh substrate. The plant should not be deeper than before. Finally, water the plant and place it in a semi-shaded location.
Is winter protection necessary?
Mint is a hardy herb. Therefore, in the fall it retracts its foliage and hibernates with the rhizomes. Proper care provides a light winter protection in the form of a cover with coniferous twigs. Mint in a pot should ideally be kept in frost-free winter quarters. Alternatively, cover the pot with bubble wrap.
Tips & Tricks
No matter how lovingly you care for your mint, some diseases and pests still lurk. The fungal infections ‘peppermint rust’ and ‘powdery mildew’ do particularly well here. Among the most common pests, it is the ubiquitous aphids as well as the mint leaf beetle that make life difficult for hobby gardeners.
