How to Grow and Care for Peppermint

The herb peppermint (Mentha×piperita) is a hybrid between spearmint (Mentha spicata)and watermint(Mentha aquatica). This amazingly aromatic herb is one of the oldest herbs used for ritual, culinary, and medicinal purposes. Peppermint will thrive in full sun and in almost any type of soil. This marvelous herb can be enjoyed for its refreshing fragrance and taste with little effort.

How to Plant Peppermint

When to Plant

Peppermint can be planted in the early spring months. Wait until the final frost has passed.

Spacing, Depth, and Support

Plant peppermint at a depth of 1/4 inch. Space it about 24 inches apart from other plants if not planted in a container. If planting several peppermint plants in rows, allow for 18 to 24 inches between rows.

Selecting a Planting Site

Although you can grow peppermint in your garden, many choose to grow in containers due to it's invasiveness and the need to restrict its roots. You can also plant in a bottom less bucket and sink it down into the ground. This will make it look like it's growing from the ground but will aid in keeping the growth manageable.

How to Care for Peppermint

Caring for peppermint is fairly easy granted a few things are kept in mind.

Warning

Before planting peppermint, be aware of its invasive nature. It is a vigorous grower, and its roots need to be contained or the plant will send outrunners and spread all over your garden. If planted in the ground, consider installing soil barriers. If container-grown, you can sink the container into the ground or into another larger container ofsoil.

Light

Peppermint can grow in full sun or partial shade. It can even tolerate some dappled shade, unlike most herbs.Full sun will promote the most robust flavor and fragrance to the herb because it aids in the production of oils.

Soil

The adaptability of peppermint is one of its best features; it is also one of its worst features, allowing it to grow almost anywhere, making it a nuisance. Peppermint’s ideal soil is rich, loamy, and moist, though it's known to grow along trailside ditches and craggy outcrops—it can and will grow anywhere.

Water

Consistently moist soil is the key to making sure your peppermint plant is happy and possesses tons of flavor. But be careful not to overdo it. Peppermint, like most mints, cannot tolerate standing water or soaking soil. Having soggy roots is a surefire way to kill or harm your plant.

Temperature and Humidity

Peppermint is unusually hardy and can survive light frosts but cannot endure extended cold snaps in cold climates, USDA Cold Hardiness Zones 5 and below. Its ideal growing conditions fall between 55 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit, but it can survive nicely above and below that range with little negative effect. If you expect temperatures to be on the warmer side, keep the soil moist while also watching for excess growth from humid conditions.

Fertilizer

Avoid fertilizing most herbs, especially plants in the genus Mentha. The flavor of herbs relies on the oils in their flowers and leaves. Accelerating their growth can lead to small profuse growth with many flowers and leaves and leggy stems rather than large, rich flowers and foliage with concentrated oils. You can often see this difference in the taste of homegrown compared to store-bought herbs.

Types of Peppermint

• Mentha×piperita'Chocolate Mint': bloomsopen from the bottom up; its flavor is reminiscent of mint chocolate chip ice cream
• Mentha×piperita'Citrata': has a citrusy fragrance and is often called orange mint
• Mentha×piperita'Crispa': a trailing habit with bright green crinkled leaves with tiny pale lavender blooms
• Mentha×piperita'Lavender Mint': a fast-growing ground cover with reddish stems, dark green leaves, and profuse lavender blooms; it is ideal for use in savory meat and vegetable dishes
• Mentha×piperita'Lime Mint': attractive bronze-green leaves with a fresh lime-scent
• Mentha×piperita'Variegata': a ground cover that produces spikes of violet flowers; its green leaves have a creamy white variegation
  

Peppermint vs. Mint

Mint is the general name for all types of plant belonging to the genus Mentha, while peppermint is just one type, along with spearmint, orange mint, and about two dozen others. As a hybrid of spearmint and water mint, peppermint is a blend of two of these varieties. It has the strongest flavor and aroma and the highest concentration of menthol when compared to other mint varieties.

Harvesting

The ideal time to harvest peppermint is towards the middle of the growing season, just before flowers appear, but really, any time after the plant reaches 4 inches in height is ok. Harvest it in the morning for the highest concentration of the oil resulting in more intensity of the aroma and flavor. Cut stems back to about an inch above the soil or snip 2 to 3 inches from the very top. The stems will replenish and you will have more to harvest as the season goes.

How to Grow Peppermint in Pots

Because mint has the habit of spreading everywhere, growing peppermint in a pot is a wise choice. Choose a large pot with adequate draining holes that will accommodate vigorous root growth. Provide your plant with good drainage while also maintaining a moist environment with proper mulching. Potted mint tends to become leggy usually due to a lack of sun or too much fertilizer. Trim container-grown mint often to maintain a bushy, compact plant, and you will have a healthy plant for years to come.

Pruning

Left unpruned, the peppermint plant can grow too aggressively, even in containers. Young leaves will be more flavorful than old faded leaves, so pruning these off will promote the emergence of new ones quickly and direct the plant's energy there. The best place to trim is just above a leaf node. Keep in mind not to trim back more than a third of the plant. This could cause stress. Once your mint plant is mature, a weekly trimming to keep it neat and productive should be sufficient.

Propagating Peppermint

Mint might be one of the easiest plants to propagate from cuttings.

1. Use sterile scissors or snips to cut a stem section four inches in length just below a leaf node.
2. Remove the leaves below the node and submerse the cutting in distilled water and place it in a location bright light and good air circulation.
3. Watch for root formation, which should occur within a few weeks. Let a good root system develop
4. Transplant the cutting into a pot filled with quality potting soil.
5. Trim the top two inches from the plant to allow most of the energy to go into the root system.
6. In a few weeks, you will have a thriving peppermint plant ready to be transplanted into a larger pot or into its new place in your garden.

How to Grow Peppermint From Seed

1. Press the peppermint seedson the surface of seed starting mix. The seeds will be tiny, so use care and do not press too hard. You do not need to bury the seeds with soil.
2. Keep the soil moist and germination will occur in five to ten days and perhaps sooner if the soil is kept warm with a heat mat.
3. If you are direct sowing into the garden or when you are ready to transplant seedlings, wait until the threat of frost is past.
4. Spacethe peppermintseedlings 18 to 24 inches apart.
   

Overwintering

If your mint is growing in an outdoor garden, it may be wise to bring it indoors for the winter if able. Severe frost may damage the plant, although it is hardy enough to regenerate in spring. If growing indoors, you don't need to change a thing as you will have a growth cycle that goes year-round.

Common Pests and Plant Diseases

Depending on your region, peppermint can be afflicted with diseases such as verticillium wilt. The infection will manifest in the leaves at the top of the plant and spread downward. Leaves will curl, twist and yellow as the fungus takes hold. The best way to treat the plant is to replace as much of the soil as possible to eliminate the pathogen.

Peppermint is also vulnerable to certain pests, such as spider mites and aphids. If infested, your plant will have yellow and dropping leaves. To prevent this, avoid letting your peppermint get too thirsty. Peppermint stressed for water has higher levels of amino acids, which spider mites crave. Use overhead watering to wash the mites off and increase humidity in the plant's immediate environment.

From: thespruce