Mini plants start with a significant growth advantage when grown on the windowsill. Find out here about the individual steps from tiny seeds to vital young plants for bed and balcony.
Selection of seeds and preparatory work
Pure mint species are significantly more germinative than hybrids. The more different species and varieties contribute to a new breeding, the more the germination mood of seeds tends to zero. In contrast, the following species have not had their mood spoiled so far:
- Spearmint (Mentha viridis) – also known as spearmint.
- Horse mint (Mentha rotundifolia) – not to be confused with horse mint (Monarda punctata)
- Field mint (Mentha arvensis) – also known as corn mint
- Water mint (Mentha aquatica) – also known as brook mint
To successfully sow mint, it is convenient to use multi-pot plates or seed trays. As a substrate, consider a lean mixture of peat and sand, or uniform soil with the addition of sand. Place the seed soil in a fireproof pot in the oven at 150 degrees for 30 minutes to sterilize it. Faster is in the microwave within 10 minutes at 800 watts.
Step by step instructions
The best time for growing behind glass begins in March. This is how you proceed:
- mix the very fine seeds with a little bird sand
- fill the seed container with the sterilized substrate moisten a
- scatter the seeds and press lightly, without covering them
- put a plastic bag over it or put it in the greenhouse
In a half-shaded window place germination begins within 14 days at a constant 20 degrees Celsius. During this time, the seed soil must not dry out. Daily airing of the cover or mini-greenhouse prevents the formation of mold.
To prick out mint seedlings correctly
If the cotyledons break their way out of the seeds, growth will progress rapidly. The cover has now done its job. As soon as your seedlings exceed a growth height of 5 centimeters, they are pricked out into individual pots. Here’s how to do it right:
Fill pots to half their height with herbaceous soil.
press a hollow into it with the pricking rod
lift one seedling out of the seed pot with a spoon
insert in the middle and plant until just below the cotyledons
Subsequently, keep the substrate slightly moist until the seedlings are planted out into the bed in mid-May.
Tips & Tricks
The bushy growth of young mint plants is forced by regularly deseeding young plants. To do this, simply pinch off the shoot tips with your fingers just above a leaf node.