On a summer evening, sitting comfortably on a sun lounger, it’s nice to drink a cup of tea flavored with green leaves of fragrant mint. Such pastime is not only pleasant, but also useful in terms of maintaining your health at the proper level. Although, why are we talking about summer? After all, you can enjoy this noble drink anywhere, at any time of the year, whenever you wish. And for this you only need one thing - to have fresh mint at your disposal all year round.
The statement is interesting, but where can you find mint leaves in winter, on snowy ground? But you won’t have to look for anything if the fragrant plant grows in a pot on the windowsill. And in order for it to grow, you just need to be a little oriented in the question of how to grow mint at home in the winter. And why not? If mint grows in “wild” conditions, it will grow even more so in greenhouse conditions. Properly selecting all the necessary components, observing the conditions responsible for its proper growth - these are all the requirements for home cultivation. Now everything has been said in detail and step by step.
What is mint grown from?
There are two ways to grow mint indoors. The first method is from seeds. Simple in essence, but requiring some knowledge of “mint” varieties. Since the seeds will be purchased, you should initially know what to buy. Without knowing the grade, it is difficult to get what you want.
On a note.
Apple mint varieties are an excellent seasoning for compotes, jelly and jam. Field mint will be useful in tonic drinks. For those who love the taste and smell of mint without “extreme”, that is, with a reduced menthol content, we can recommend varieties of curly mint.
The second method is growing from cuttings. On the one hand, the option is troublesome, planting material needs to be prepared, but on the other hand, we will get mint faster, because nothing is germinated, but only grown, and the variety will be the one we want. We take cuttings from a plant that we see and have tasted.
How to plant seeds
Let's look at how to grow mint on a windowsill from the most convenient planting material - from seeds. The procedure is simple. Purchased or personally collected seeds are taken and placed in holes or grooves. To make it less work, and it will be more convenient, the seeds can be gently pressed into the soil, instead of spreading them out and then covering them with an additional layer. Planting depth 0.5 centimeters. For full germination of planting material on the windowsill, no special conditions are required. A normal room temperature of 20-25ºC and moist soil is sufficient.
Planting cuttings
The next method on how to grow mint at home quickly and efficiently is cuttings and roots. You will be able to indulge in fragrant tea in just two to three weeks. But first, prepare the material. To grow mint at home on the windowsill, you can choose either upper or lower cuttings. In the first case, the top of the plant is cut off by 8-10 centimeters. In the second case, part of the rhizome is taken for “seedlings”. Or the entire root, if it is small. Cuttings from the top of mint are pre-germinated in containers with water or wet sand. After young roots appear, they are transferred to a separate container (pot, box) for further growth. Cuttings from the root system are planted directly into prepared, well-moistened soil. Everything else is the same as with seeds, but covering the “bed” is not necessary.
Soil and containers are the right choice
To plant mint seeds, it is recommended to take one large box, the size of a windowsill. First, all planting material is planted in one container. After the first greenery appears, each plant is transplanted into an individual pot. But if desired or necessary, everything can be left as is, removing the weakest plants from the general growth and planting healthy ones from one another at a distance of 5 centimeters. For cuttings, pots are used immediately. Plant replanting is not expected here.
On the ground. Mint loves fertile, loose soil. To grow mint at home on a windowsill in winter, you can use ordinary garden soil, well-fertilized. It would be nice if it had some sand in it. A good option is peat soil. Mint also produces an excellent harvest there. In the case when there is neither one nor the other, garden soil is taken (2 parts) and mixed with humus (1 part). And the last thing is the purchased substrate. Ideal option for city dwellers.
Be careful with garden soil!
It requires additional treatment with high temperature in the oven, a solution of potassium permanganate or boiling water. After all, how can you grow mint on a windowsill healthy and beautiful if the soil you use is initially contaminated with both diseases and harmful insects? “Disinfection” will not allow pests from the garden to move into the box on the balcony - the plant will not get sick.
When filling containers with prepared substrate, do not forget to create a drainage layer at the bottom of the pots or box. A layer of two to three centimeters of expanded clay or small crushed stone will be enough to remove excess water from the soil.
Providing optimal conditions for growing mint on the window
Lighting
The place where the pot with the planted seeds or cuttings will stand should be light, but without direct sunlight. Partial shade would also be nice.
Temperature
Depends on the illumination of the “vegetable garden”. 20-25ºC heat without drafts is just the norm if the pots or boxes are in a well-lit place. When there is not enough daylight, it is recommended to reduce the room temperature to 15ºC or place young greenery on a less heated balcony. In low light and high temperatures, the mint stems will be thin and the leaves will be defective.
Watering
Since mint can be grown at home at different times of the year, watering the plant should also vary in intensity. In winter, the beds are watered moderately, avoiding excess water and the formation of dirt. In summer, the regularity of watering is slightly increased due to the increased ambient temperature. But even relatively increased watering should not lead to the plant’s root system being waterlogged.
Top dressing
Winter feeding of mint is not required. Perhaps, feed the cuttings at the beginning of their vegetative period (when the first young shoots appear). For feeding, it is recommended to use a solution: 1 gram of urea per 1 liter of water. In the summer, it is allowed to apply mineral fertilizers, but in a gentle quantity that is safe for health and only at the stage of the appearance of the first leaves.
Planted, germinated, grown, harvested - easily, quickly, pleasantly. Mint is probably the only plant that gardeners truly enjoy growing and caring for at home. Its beautiful appearance and pleasant aroma in the room, in addition to its beneficial qualities that help prevent a wide variety of diseases, make mint indispensable when there is a shortage of truly fresh, fragrant herbs.
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In the cold winter, drink tea with mint leaves... Who doesn't love it? And with fresh ones too! And where can I get them in January? It’s expensive to buy in the store, and this kind of weed doesn’t smell much. So, we will breed ourselves.
How to grow mint on a windowsill? It's not difficult at all. We follow the recommendations and wait for the result.
Mint can be grown on a windowsill in three ways:
- mature plant
- cuttings
- sowing seeds
Let's look at each method. The first two produce rough leaves with a strong taste, and the third produces young, aromatic greens.
Growing mint as an adult bush
To do this, in the fall we choose a nice, neat bush in the garden. Together with a small lump of earth, we transfer it to the pot. The container should be large enough, because the mint root system is of a decent size.
Add a little humus so that the bush does not wobble in the pot. At the same time, this will provide food for the plant for the first time. Now you need to periodically water the mint and be sure to arrange additional lighting. For normal development, you need at least 12 hours of daylight. Otherwise, the leaves will be pale, stunted and practically odorless.
By the way, mint should be watered only after the top layer of soil has dried. She does not like to swim with her roots in the swamp, so after watering, be sure to drain the excess liquid from the pan.
The temperature of keeping mint on the windowsill should not exceed +25°C. Otherwise, the plant will simply begin to dry out and turn yellow. And all your attempts to pour water on it will end in rotting roots.
Advice. Pick off young leaves often. This stimulates the growth of new shoots.
Growing mint from cuttings
If you don’t have a plant in your garden that can be transplanted into a pot as a whole, then go to the market or store. Choose the freshest and straightest mint sprigs there. The next steps are:
- We bring the mint home and tear off the bottom leaves. They can be used for their intended purpose.
- Take a plastic or glass cup and pour in clean, settled water.
- Throw in a grain of any root formation stimulator or drip a little of any biological adaptogen. For example, epin, zircon, aloe juice.
- Place the prepared mint sprigs without the lower leaves in a container and wait for the roots to appear.
- We maintain lighting and temperature as described in the first method.
Twigs can be planted in a pot with soil after at least 5 roots have formed. Care in the future does not differ from usual. The same regular watering, periodic loosening and tearing off fresh leaves.
By the way, you don’t have to buy soil for planting mint on the windowsill at the store. It's very easy to mix it yourself. To do this, you need to take equal parts of good fatty humus, sand and soil from under the birch tree. For looseness, you can add a little peat. About a handful per 3 liters of soil.
A layer of drainage must be placed at the bottom of the pot under the mint. Just not moss or eggshells. It will be compressed and there will be no effect. It is better to take fine gravel and marble chips. Expanded clay of a small fraction or medium-sized pebbles are also suitable.
Instead of water, you can root the branches in wet sand. In this case, a cut of the cutting should be dipped in a root formation stimulator, stuck into the sand and covered with a mini-greenhouse for a while. After about 10 days, the shelter is removed, and after another 7 days the new plant can be transplanted to a permanent place.
Advice. Don't let the mint bloom. Otherwise, it will lose all its taste and aromatic properties.
The first two methods provide the required amount of fragrant leaves. But they turn out to be rough. If you want the most delicate, fiber-free greens, try growing mint from seeds on your windowsill. Moreover, this matter is not at all troublesome.
First, let's prepare the container. This can be a wide plastic tray or a small wooden box. A small clay pot is also suitable.
Fill with soil. It should consist of humus, garden soil, peat and clean sand in equal parts. Now you need to make shallow grooves on the surface. 0.5 cm, no more. Carefully arrange the seeds. Carefully sprinkle a thin layer of earth on top. 0.8 cm will be enough.
Now we need to moisten this whole thing. You can’t water it; there’s a high chance of washing away the plantings. That's why we use a spray bottle. Our water is at room temperature. Spray the soil until lightly moistened. It's hard to overdo it in a clear container.
Next, we close the entire structure with a lid. You can just use a piece of transparent plastic or glass. Even thick polyethylene will do. Then we place the plantings in a dark, warm place. Periodically ventilate and remove condensation. To do this, just turn the shelter over to the other side.
After about 9-12 days, the first shoots will appear. Now the cover can be removed completely and the container taken to a bright place. Just not in direct sunlight. They can burn the foliage of even an adult mint plant. What can we say about young plantings?
The first days we do nothing with the seedlings. We only moisten when the soil dries out. When the second true leaf appears, the mint can be picked into separate cups. To avoid damaging the thin, tender roots with your fingers, use a teaspoon. It is very convenient for her to transfer the sprout to another container along with a lump of earth.
After the 5th true leaf appears, you need to pinch the top of the mint. This promotes the appearance of side shoots. If you don't pinch, you'll end up with a single branch sticking out in the pot. But mint grows up to 90 cm in height. Why do you need willow on the windowsill?
And each new shoot after the 5th leaf is pinched again. Then the bush will be dense, lush and neat.
- Mint on the windowsill needs to be fed. She responds well to organic fertilizers, but will not refuse mineral ones either. Just don't overdo it with nitrogen. It is also better not to use urea. No doubt, the green mass grows quickly after such a treat. But you are unlikely to like the taste of such leaves.
- Of the pests mint is most loved by, aphids. Plants grown from seeds on a windowsill are completely protected from it. But those brought from the garden by adults may well come with a surprise. Washing the leaves and shoots with laundry soap will not help much. It is better to use a short-acting insecticide. This is necessary so that the mint can then be used for food purposes.
- Do not grow mint on southern windowsills. Direct sunlight can burn foliage in one day. If there are no other options, then be sure to use shading in the form of white paper or thick tulle.
- In winter, it is recommended to spray the air around the plantings more often. This will increase the humidity of the microclimate and it will be much easier for mint to live. Instead of spraying, you can place additional containers of water nearby. Even a saucer with wet expanded clay or peat saturates the air with the necessary amount of moisture.
How to grow mint on a windowsill? As you can see, it's very simple. Mint does not require special care. She just needs a little attention and a little care. But she will thank you in full. And you can enjoy fresh leaves with a charming aroma all winter long.
Video: how to grow mint at home in a few days
Fresh mint on your windowsill is one of the first necessities that is important for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. In the cold winter months, when the store has slightly wilted and not quite fresh greens, fresh mint will not only please the eye, but also restore the body. After all, it is in winter that the body lacks complete vitamins that you can grow yourself.
Growing mint at home is not a difficult task. Therefore her Anyone can plant. It contains useful acids and vitamins, a lot of menthol, and essential macro and microelements.
Leaves, shoots and flowers contain many tannins, biologically active substances, as well as sugars, phytoncides, fats, vitamin P and C, carotene and essential oils.
Mint is used both in official and folk medicine. Mint helps with heart disease, nervous disorders, headaches and toothaches, relieves inflammation of the digestive system and relieves many other ailments.
Planting in open ground outside the house
Sowing mint in open ground begins from early spring (April) and in summer at the beginning of August. If you use the seedling method or growing using cuttings, then mint should be planted in the 2nd - 3rd decade of May. The plant requires a well-lit place and also tolerates slight shading.
Before planting, the area must be cleared of weeds. To obtain high-quality raw materials, you can apply fertilizer to a depth of twenty centimeters. 15 grams of potassium chloride, ammonium nitrate and superphosphate are added per square meter. You can add ash in the amount of two tablespoons.
For planting, shallow holes are made (about 5 - 6 centimeters). Distance from each other - 40 cm. The distance between plants should be within from 30 to 50 centimeters. After this, the holes are filled in and watered until the soil is completely moistened to the depth to 10 centimeters.
Care in open ground consists of timely watering, weeding the area from weeds and fertilizing the plants.
It is necessary to take preventive measures to prevent infection of mint with diseases, as well as to protect it from pests.
How to plant indoors or on a windowsill
The first step in this procedure is the preparation of a quality substrate.
For this purpose, you need to mix in equal quantities:
- humus
- sand
- garden soil
The resulting mixture must be disinfected with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, then heat the substrate at high temperature. In this way, you can protect planting material from damage by pests and diseases.
Seed material can be prepared personally at home or in the garden, or purchased in a store.
Seeds are sown in a pot or other suitable container. The substrate must be kept moist. Sow the seeds to a depth of five centimeters. After sowing, the substrate can be moistened a little more with a spray bottle and covered with glass or transparent polyethylene. It is advisable to place the prepared container in a warm place.
The seeds will begin to hatch in about one to two weeks. After the seeds have sprouted, they must be placed in a more illuminated place. This procedure will prevent the seedlings from being pulled out.
If there is not enough light, then you need to additionally illuminate the mint using a phytolamp.
The temperature must be within from 20 to 25 degrees Celcius. But if the plants do not receive enough light, then the temperature should be below the specified threshold, approximately 15 – 18 degrees.
After two to three true leaves appear, mint needs to be picked. After this, it is necessary to monitor soil moisture, ventilation of the room, fertilizing, etc.
Selecting a seat
It is advisable to allocate a separate place for mint from other crops that grow on the site. If you incorrectly determine the mint's proximity, it may suffer. Usually dark colored spots appear. Do not place mint close to cabbage, beets or cucumbers.
If organic fertilizers were added to the soil last year, then such soil will be highly preferable for mint. The substrate should be loose, with a moist and fertile layer of soil. Chernozem fits this description well.
Landing place should warm up well under the sun, and at the same time not overheat. A good option would be short-term partial shade during the period of maximum temperatures of the day.
Creating a mulch layer will protect the soil from drying out and maintain soil moisture. When grown in poor soils, such as limestone areas, the plant loses its inherent aroma.
Over-watered or waterlogged areas will severely inhibit mint.
Using cuttings
To propagate mint using this method, you need to select the necessary cuttings. For this purpose, the top young shoots are taken from a full-fledged mint bush.
The length of the cutting should be from 5 to 8 centimeters. The lower part of the cutting is dipped in a solution or root former powder. This could be rootin, heteroauxin, etc. After this, the cutting is placed in a container with water.
At the same time, on the handle remove the lower leaves, as they can rot when in contact with water. After one to two weeks, roots will begin to form on the lower part of the cutting. Then the cuttings are planted in a pot or other suitable container.
After new sprouts and shoots begin to appear on the cuttings, the mint needs to be fed with urea. One gram per liter of water will be enough. The nitrogen contained in urea will give strength to the rapid growth and development of the above-ground part.
Caring for a plant grown from a cutting is no different from caring for one grown from seeds or in open ground.
Harvesting and storage
Of the mint plants grown, the most valuable raw materials are the leaves. It is necessary to collect the upper young ones, as they contain more useful substances. Old leaves can accumulate harmful substances. Since for plants, leaves are one of the ways to get rid of accumulated toxins. That's why Young leaf blades are suitable for collection.
After collecting the leaves, they need to be placed in a dark place. Direct sunlight is harmful to leaves. The leaves must be spread out in a thin and even layer.
Once the leaves become completely brittle, the drying period is over. After this, the leaves are placed in the desired container. This can be a fabric or paper bag, or a glass jar. A prerequisite for storing raw materials in a jar is that there is no exposure to light.
The storage area should be cool and dry. It is also necessary to monitor humidity. High humidity levels will ruin the entire harvest.
Basic parameters for caring for mint at home
Humidity and watering
It is necessary to water mint plants frequently in the initial period, when the seedlings have not yet become strong. At such a moment, plants need constantly moist soil. Since all nutrients are aimed at growth processes. And drying out the soil will significantly slow down this process.
Well established mature plants need to be watered when dry substrate.
After watering, you can loosen the soil to provide more oxygen to the roots of the plants.
Humidity for mint should be kept between 70 and 75 percent. Low humidity will cause leaf tips to dry out, and high humidity will cause disease. Therefore, you need to observe this fine line.
At low humidity, plants can be sprayed over the surface of the leaves.
Temperature and lighting
For normal growth and development of the plant loves well-lit places. In this case, mint should not spend a lot of time under the scorching rays of the sun.
Insufficient lighting will depress the plant. Growth processes will be disrupted and the mint will slowly begin to wither. To prevent this, in this case, you need to use artificial lighting. You can use special lamps for growing seedlings. They contain a special spectrum of light that is necessary for plants.
The optimal temperature for mint will be 18 – 20 degrees Celsius. Night temperature changes have a bad effect on the plant.
If it is possible to take plants out onto the balcony, then the plant will only benefit from this. Fresh air will allow the plant to better absorb and use the necessary nutrients for their intended purpose in order to successfully reproduce in the future.
Soil and fertilizers
The soil for mint should be porous and not heavy. Such a substrate will absorb and release moisture well, as well as ensure proper access of oxygen to the root system of the plant.
If you grow mint at home, it is advisable to feed it with complex fertilizers. It would be enough. When grown in open ground, lightly fertilized areas with organic matter will be suitable for mint.
Feeding should be carried out during the spring and summer months. It is better to do this together with watering or before watering. Fertilizers are well absorbed when the soil is moist.
Since we need the green mass of the plant from mint, we can feed it with ammonium nitrate. This will allow you to quickly grow the above-ground part of the plant and large leaves.
At home you can do without fertilizing, in the event that the substrate already has the required amount of macro and microelements.
With proper watering, temperature and lighting conditions, mint will grow well without additional fertilizing.
Diseases
One of the most dangerous diseases for mint is rust. Fungal type disease. The causes of the disease are as follows:
- reduced temperature conditions
- increased air humidity
- excess nitrogen accumulation
The first signs of the disease are the appearance of dark red spots in the form of pads on the underside of the leaf blades.
If a whitish coating is found on the plant, usually on the leaves and stems, then the mint is infected powdery mildew.
The disease usually appears between July and the beginning of the autumn months. Treatment with a 1 percent solution of colloidal sulfur will help get rid of powdery mildew.
Another fungal type disease is verticillium wilt. The disease affects the leaves. Their edges begin to turn black and the leaves completely die off. Then the plant dies. To prevent mint from being affected by this disease, breeders have developed specially resistant varieties. One of these varieties, for example, is Prilukskaya mint.
Mint can also be affected by diseases such as:
- anthracnose
- spotting (septoria) and others.
Pests
The plant attracts mint flea. This bug is one and a half millimeters long, yellow in color. Makes holes in the form of a circle on the sheet plates. Appears with the arrival of warm and dry spring days. Leaves are damaged in almost the same way. green scale insects, which also nibble the edges of leaves.
Makes round holes leaf beetle.
One of the most dangerous pests for mint is aphid. This is a small green insect that sucks the juice from young leaves and apical growing points. Aphids grow very quickly and can completely destroy a plant. She is a carrier of viral diseases. Damage of this type is caused leafhoppers.
In addition to these pests, mint can be damaged by:
- beetle - weevil
- meadow moth
- mint mites and other pests
Special preparations can be used against diseases and pests. For diseases - pesticides and fungicides. For pests - insecticides and acaricides. You can also use traditional methods of struggle.
In order to prevent the plant from being damaged by diseases or damaged by pests, it is necessary to strictly follow the basic rules of caring for the plant. Timely watering, proper lighting, fertilizing, a well-ventilated room, as well as maintaining optimal temperature and humidity will help mint create strong immunity. This will allow the plant to always be in a vigorous state. It will form powerful shoots and large leaves.
It doesn't take much effort to grow mint on your windowsill or in the garden. Although you need to know the basic points for caring for the plant. I hope that this information will help you understand this issue well and grow beautiful and fragrant mint.
Instructions
The easiest way to grow mint on a windowsill is through rhizome cuttings. Almost all varieties of mint can be propagated by cuttings, with the exception of marsh and water mint. The most favorable time for taking cuttings is considered to be autumn, when the plant is preparing for winter and ends the growing season. Mint rhizomes are carefully dug up along with a lump of earth, stored until spring in a cool place, sprinkled with sand. In spring, the rhizome is divided into separate fragments, each of which should have several dormant buds. The cuttings are planted in prepared containers filled halfway with soil. The roots of the plant are carefully placed, trying not to damage them, on the prepared soil, thoroughly watered and covered with soil.
During the rooting period, mint needs feeding - a urea solution is best. Caring for a young plant comes down to timely watering, protection from insect pests and light shading in the summer - mint does not tolerate direct sunlight. When growing a plant on a windowsill, it is very important to ensure that it does not overheat and does not sit in dry soil for a long time. In winter, young mint sprouts should be protected from drafts and excessive waterlogging. Air dried out by central heating radiators will also not benefit the plant: in winter, mint leaves need to be irrigated with water from a spray bottle from time to time.
Growing mint on a windowsill from seeds is a more labor-intensive process than propagation by cuttings. Mint prefers a certain temperature regime, which is difficult to regulate if containers with the plant are placed on the windowsill. Thus, the most favorable temperature is considered to be in the range of 20-25°C. In winter, when daylight hours are short and the plant does not have additional lighting, the sprouts may be weak and very elongated. In this case, the temperature needs to be lowered to 15-17 ° C - such conditions allow you to harden and strengthen the young mint.
The seeds are sown in shallow furrows, no more than 5-6 mm deep, and lightly sprinkled with earth on top. Shoots appear in about 2-3 weeks. In winter, the sprouts may need additional lighting, but the backlight lamps should not be placed too close to the seedlings, because fragile plants can get severe burns.
The main care at the growth stage of sprouted seeds comes down to timely watering and fertilizing. After the mint grows to 10-15 cm, the intensity of care can be reduced. It should be remembered that when growing mint from seeds, you can get a plant of a different type, different from the mother one, because mint is a cross-pollinated plant and easily interbreeds with any related species.
For a long time, mint has been grown as a medicinal plant. Its unique medicinal properties were noticed in ancient times. There is a mention of mint in the Gospel; it was discovered in the tomb of the pharaohs of Egypt. According to an old legend, the goddess Minthe, in love with the god Persen, was transformed into fragrant grass. Out of jealousy, Persen's wife bewitched her.
Description
Indoor mint or plectranthus is a foliage ornamental plant that is grown in hanging pots.
Plant characteristics:
- thin shoots covered with dense leaves;
- the oval leaves of the plant have clearly defined veins and patterns;
- mint flowers are inconspicuous;
- has a pleasant smell.
Plectranthus has many varieties. Most species are shrubs (rather than hanging plants) reaching a height of 40 cm.
Types of Plectranthus:
As stated: the leaves of the plant have a minty aroma. They have special glands that secrete essential oils. You can grow several varieties at home.
- The most popular subtype is the “moth tree”. This plant is about one meter high. All year round, the evergreen tree delights with fresh shoots.
- The second type is Scandinavian, Swedish ivy with creeping meter-long shoots.
- The third subtype is a green shrub, with shoots hanging from a flower pot.
Useful properties of indoor mint
Homemade mint, just like garden mint has a healing effect. In addition, indoors, the aromatic plant drives out moths, flies and mosquitoes (that’s why mint in Russia is also called fly wagon).
The aroma that this plant produces has a beneficial effect on the human nervous system. Fresh leaves are used in folk medicine to treat enuresis in children, making aromatic baths. Take a glass of fresh leaves of the plant and pour boiling water (half a liter) over them. The medicinal liquid is infused and filtered. The infusion is added to the baby’s bathtub. It is important that the temperature does not exceed 29 degrees. Each time the infusion must be prepared fresh.
Mint is also used as a seasoning for meat dishes and roasts, the main thing is to follow the norm so that the smell is not too strong. It is added to tea as an excellent remedy to help calm down in a stressful situation. It is advisable that the tea be without any flavoring additives or impurities.
Mint and pomegranate juice mixed in equal doses relieves nausea. This is due to the presence of tannins and astringents in mint.
Chinese, Japanese and Arab healers actively use mint, prescribing it for bronchial disease, liver and gynecological diseases.
The leaves of this plant help relieve irritation and itching after mosquito bites. Before applying the leaf to the bite site, it must be washed and kneaded.
Cool drinks with mint, giving a feeling of freshness on hot summer days, are an excellent tonic. It is impossible to imagine cough drops without mint, as well as the Mojito cocktail, oriental dolma, sauerkraut and printed gingerbread. Curly, long-leafed apple mint adds piquancy and a distinctive taste to dishes.
Planting homemade mint
The fate of plectranthus depends on proper planting. In order for mint to easily adapt to new conditions, it is necessary to prepare special soil for its growth.
The best option would be fertile soil with low acidity levels. The following mixture is ideal:
- 1 part humus;
- 2 parts of turf;
- one part leaf soil
- 1/2 part - sand;
- 1/2 part is peat.
Before filling the pot with soil, you should line the bottom with a three-centimeter layer of drainage. Expanded clay, small pebbles, and small bricks are perfect for drainage. In order not to disturb the growth of roots, the soil is not compacted too much. After planting a plant, it needs to be watered.
Mint is a fast growing plant, therefore, when choosing a pot, it is important to pay attention to its size. For initial planting you need a medium pot. It will last for several years. There will be enough space for the root system to strengthen and grow.
When replanting a plant, you will need a pot two to three times larger than the previous one. These conditions must be observed every year. The pot should not be too voluminous, tall and made of high-quality material.
Indoor mint is very demanding on air humidity. It tolerates being in proximity to a heater or radiator well in the presence of high humidity in the room.
To regulate humidity, place a plate of water next to the flower or place wet pebbles, moss or expanded clay in a tray. Make sure that the bottom of the pot does not touch the water in the pan.
Plectranthus should be watered frequently. In summer, its leaves are sprayed or doused with water from a watering can. The soil should not be washed out of the pot.
In winter, the plant rests, so watering should be reduced to a minimum.
To grow and reproduce any plant, including home mint a certain room temperature is required.In summer and spring, the optimal temperature is 22-26 degrees. If this norm is not observed, leaves from the lower part of the plant will begin to fall rapidly.
During the cold period, the temperature should be reduced to 12 degrees
At home, the best option would be to place mint on western or eastern windows. The south side is strictly discouraged, as direct rays of the sun can cause negative consequences, including leaf burns.
Indoor mint loves diffused bright light. With the onset of the warm season, it is advisable to move the plant to the balcony. It is important to protect the plant from drafts. Plectranthus should not be placed near air conditioners, vents or balcony doors.
In winter, the plant needs additional lighting, so a fluorescent lamp may be needed.
Plectranthus is fed with organic and mineral fertilizers, using them alternately. For quick absorption, liquid fertilizer must be diluted with a small amount of water.
Mint spring pruning required, in which weak, bare branches are removed. To form a beautiful crown of the plant, the branches should be pinched regularly.
Flowering and reproduction
Indoor mint begins to bloom in the summer. Small spike-shaped inflorescences appear on the plant. The flowering of plectranthus takes a lot of energy and strength from it, so it is recommended to trim the flowers in time.
A young mint bush can be grow from cuttings or seeds. But it should be borne in mind that the plant from seeds may differ from the mother plant.
Plectranthus is a cross-pollinated plant, so it can interbreed with related different species. To be sure, it is better to propagate the plant vegetatively.
Cuttings must first be rooted in sand or water. When the regrown roots become stronger, you need to take a small container or pot, lay drainage at the bottom, add soil and plant the plant.
The soil for mint should be oily, fertile and acidified, containing peat..
To destroy pathogenic microbes, before use, you need to water the soil with potassium permanganate, then water and calcinate it. The plant will grow quickly in this soil mixture, as it contains a lot of oils and other useful substances.
You can plant the plant in another way. In the fall, dig up a bush from open soil along with a lump. If it is large, divide it into parts so that each of them has shoots with roots.
Before planting in a pot, Old shoots should be trimmed, leaving 5 cm from the root. This way the plant will quickly take root in a new place. New buds will appear on the bushes within two weeks. During this period, it is useful to feed mint with a urea solution (1-2 grams per liter of water).
Pests and diseases
Plectranthus is a fairly disease-resistant plant, however , when growing it there may be some complications:
How to collect mint
The harvest from a mint bush must be plucked according to the rules. so as not to harm the plant. They take leaves from different places on the left and right, while leaving half a centimeter of leaf axil near the stem.
In place of the torn leaves, young, new ones will very soon appear. By carefully harvesting, they form a neat, attractive bush and stimulate further growth of the plant.
Choosing a variety of homemade mint
The choice of mint variety depends on the specific purpose. What exactly will it be grown for: for use in cooking, for treatment, or for home soap making.
Varieties Plectranthus differ in the chemical composition of essential oils, in the intensity of the smell and in its shades:
Toxicity and beneficial properties of the plant
non-poisonous plant. This flower, on the contrary, has many unusual beneficial properties.Very often, plectranthus is used in cosmetology or for medical purposes. Its magnificent qualities have a beneficial effect on the nervous system, normalize sleep and mood.
Plectranthus has magical properties and attracts good luck and prosperity to the home.
