Last updated on October 23rd, 2023 at 09:00 pm
There is something to be said for cultivating peppermint on the balcony. On the one hand, the robust plant thrives almost everywhere. Secondly, when planted in a pot or tub, propagation via runners can be easily controlled. Tips for growing peppermint on the balcony.
Grow peppermint on the balcony
- Partial shade location
- Light windbreak
- Loose, humus garden soil
- Planter with drainage holes
Sow the peppermint right on the spot. Prepare the planter by filling it with nutritious, loose garden soil.
Scatter the seeds and do not cover them, because peppermint belongs to the light germinators. After emergence, separate the plants.
Runners that you have dug up in the garden, you can also easily care for in a container on the balcony.
The right location is important
Peppermint does not like direct sun. Therefore, place the planter as bright as possible but without sunlight. In the shade, the herb also grows, but then will not be as aromatic.
Peppermint thrives better when the location is somewhat protected from the wind.
Watering and fertilizing
You need to water the peppermint on the balcony more often, because the soil in the pot dries out more easily.
If the planting soil does not provide enough nutrients, you can add some fertilizer. Use only organic fertilizers and never fertilize just before flowering. Then the taste will change.
Peppermint is hardy
Peppermint tolerates subzero temperatures well outdoors. On the balcony it needs some winter protection, because the soil in the pot freezes much faster.
Place the pot on a styrofoam plate,(7,00€ at Amazon*) so that the cold cannot penetrate from below. Before winter, cut the peppermint all the way down and cover it with winter protection.
The branches of conifers have proven particularly useful here, as they lose their needles in the spring and the plant gets enough light again in time for spring.
Tips & Tricks
If you plant peppermint in the garden, you must make sure that it does not spread too much. It forms many runners that need to be removed continuously. The pot on the balcony is a natural root barrier, so you can keep the aromatic herb well in check.