How to plant, grow and care for mint from seeds in the open ground at the dacha

Mint is a common perennial plant found in the wild and is often used for gardening. Growing peppermint in the garden is quite simple. The culture is unpretentious and does not require special attention. This fragrant plant is extremely useful. Delicious refreshing and soothing teas are prepared on its basis.

Plant varieties

Mint varieties There is a lot for planting in the country.The easiest way to purchase planting material is in garden stores. One of the common varieties of the plant is peppermint. It was developed in the 16th century in England. The stems reach a height of 1.4 m. The plant is lush, with long branches. The leaves are light emerald green, jagged along the edges. Peppermint begins to bloom in July and ends in September. The leaves are used to make teas and fish dishes.

Another variety - spearmint. It received this name because of its curl-like leaves. Plant height is from 30 cm to 1 m. The aroma of the variety is not as strong as that of pepper.

The chocolate mint variety has an unusual smell - a mixture of menthol and lemon with a hint of chocolate. The leaves are dark green with a purple tint.

Mexican mint has a spicy aroma. Plant height up to 1.5 m. Used as a medicinal plant.

Why is mint dangerous in the garden?

Growing mint on the plot is fraught with some dangers. First of all, this is the active growth of the rhizome. If you do not control mint bushes, then after a while the plant can fill the entire area. The problem will have to be solved radically, that is, some of the plants will have to be dug up and thrown away. Therefore, every year you need to remove some of the bushes if they begin to grow too much.

What conditions does mint need for successful growth?

It is preferable to plant mint in open sunny areas with high humidity. It is not advisable to plant valuable plants next to the bushes, since the powerful root system of mint will not allow them to develop normally. The soil must be fertile and loose. Preference should be given to sandy or loamy soil. It is not advisable to plant plants in wetlands.

Mint planting dates

The optimal time for planting seeds is considered to be early spring. Then the bushes will not die in winter. Planting in the summer will lead to the fact that the plants will not have time to take root in the new place and will die in severe frosts.

It is not advisable to plant mint in the fall; the cuttings will not have time to take root before the onset of winter. This especially applies to the northern regions. It is advisable to finish planting the crop in the first half of August.

How to choose quality planting material

Further productivity depends on the quality of planting material. The stage of selecting cuttings and seeds should be given as much attention as possible.

Selecting seeds for planting

It is preferable to buy seeds for planting mint in garden stores. Collecting seeds from the mother plant is a painstaking and thankless task. It will not be possible to grow quality plants from such material. Most of the seeds will not sprout. And the one that sprouts will have characteristics far from the mother plant.

How to choose mint seedlings

The most effective way to plant a plant is from seedlings. Mint seedlings can be purchased at the store or you can dig up part of the mother plant. In both cases, the bushes will take root. You can also grow mint if you cut off the stem from the mother plant at a height of 1 cm from the rhizome. The stem must be placed in water. In a few days it will produce white roots. After this, the cuttings are planted in the soil.

When choosing crop seedlings, you need to pay attention to its appearance. There should be no wrinkled, withered or diseased leaves. The stem is hard and elastic. Such seedlings are suitable for further cultivation. The height of the sprouts should not exceed 6-8 cm. If they are too long, it will be difficult for the seedlings to take root.Purchased seedlings are planted in the soil along with the soil from which the sprouts were sold.

Selecting a site

Before choosing a site for planting mint, you need to find out which crops are considered favorable plant precursors. First of all, these are legumes, potatoes, turnips, and also carrots. Preference should be given to light, nutritious soils with good aeration and abundant moisture. At the same time, water should not stagnate in the beds. The acidity level of the substrate is within 6-7.

The area should be in the sun for most of the day, but in the shade by noon. It is not recommended to choose dark places at all. It is advisable to change the planting site every 4 years. If mint grows in one place for a long time, it becomes weak, not as fragrant, and eventually completely degenerates.

Planting in open ground

The most difficult thing is to grow a crop using seed. To ensure seed germination, you need to follow a number of recommendations. First, the material is germinated. To do this, cover it with damp gauze and place it in a warm place. When sprouts appear, the seeds are transplanted into the soil to a depth of no more than 6 mm. The temperature in the room with containers should be from 20 to 24 degrees. The containers are covered with cling film and left for 7-14 days.

When the sprouts appear, they are transplanted into separate cups and moved to a cool room. After they get stronger, they are transplanted into the ground.

You can plant mint in open ground in the same way as any other crops. Before planting cuttings or seedlings in the soil, organic or mineral fertilizers (manure, humus, superphosphate, wood ash) are first added to it. Then the soil is dug up to a depth of 20-25 cm.After this, small holes are made and the plants are planted. After planting, the soil is lightly compacted and watered with warm water.

General rules for caring for mint

Mint is considered one of the most unpretentious garden plants. Apart from regular watering and removing weeds, bushes often do not require other maintenance procedures. It is also important to ensure that the plantings do not become overgrown.

In spring, mint should be cut at the root. After this, it will grow better, and the branches will be more lush. The crop does not survive severe frosts well, so for the winter it needs to be covered with spruce branches or covered with soil.

If necessary, plantings are fed. But in most cases, mint grows well without fertilizing. Once every 3-4 years, the beds are thinned out and transplanted to a new location.

Diseases and pests

Common mint pests include flea beetles, leaf beetles, aphids and mites. Pests need to be dealt with immediately after they appear. You can tell that pests have appeared on the bushes by their appearance. The leaves acquire a yellow tint, wither, and holes appear on the leaves.

Bushes are treated with Karbofos for flea beetles. Treatment is carried out in the fall, after cutting the stems. If a leaf beetle appears on a plant, this indicates that the soil is waterlogged. To remove it, you need to limit the number of waterings. Bushes are sprayed against aphids with soap or soda solution.

In addition, the bushes are often affected by powdery mildew. The disease manifests itself in the form of a characteristic white coating. To prevent the development of powdery mildew, seedlings should not be planted close. And if the disease has already appeared, then the plants are sprayed with colloidal sulfur.

Mint suffers from rust. The first sign of appearance is the spread of purple spots on the leaves.It is impossible to save culture from rust. If the disease has already appeared, then the bushes are cut and burned. The soil is dug up in the fall and then treated with potassium permanganate or iodine solution.

Collection and storage

You need to collect mint stems 2-3 weeks after germination. The stems are cut down to the root and washed thoroughly under water. Then they are laid out in a dark and well-ventilated room so that the bushes dry. The raw materials are turned over regularly. When the leaves are completely dry, they are placed in fabric bags or glass jars. Store dry mint in plastic bags is undesirable. So it will flow and quickly disappear.

In one season, mint is cut several times. The first cutting is made after the stems reach a height of 20 cm. After cutting, the bushes begin to grow more actively. Properly dried mint can be stored for several years. It is used to make teas, herbal infusions and as a seasoning for many dishes. Aromatic tea will help you relax on cold autumn or winter evenings.