![]() The best way to harvest mint is to cut down the entire plant to within 1” of the soil. The leaves have their best flavor before the plants flower. Harvesting of mint leaves can be done any time. Please note that while mint leaves are edible, mint seeds are poisonous and should never be eaten. Your plants can be transplanted to your garden after all danger of frost. Germination should be within 12 to 16 days. If you do want to grow mint from seed, you can start them outdoors in a partially shady moist spot in your garden or indoors 8 to 10 weeks before your last frost date. They can be grown from seeds, but the results are highly variable. Mints are best propagated by cuttings or division. You can grow mint indoors provided they have enough light. The best way to kill mint is to allow it to dry out. Their native habitats are areas around water such as lakes and rivers. Most mints grow from 12” to 24” in partial shade to full sun. Peppermint is hardy in zones 3 through 7 while spearmint is hardy is zones 4 to 11. Even mints grown in containers over a foot tall will find a way into your garden. My own experience is that those methods won’t work. Some sources suggest using a metal ring around the plants in the garden to check their spread and others claim that you can sink your mint containers in the ground leaving a 2inch rim above ground to keep them from spreading. Culinary mints should be grown in containers to keep them from taking over your garden. ![]() They spread via stolens, or runners, both above and below the ground. Not all members of the mint family are invasive, but the popular culinary mints are all aggressive spreaders. Mint growing out of the cracks in its container requienii) is a creeping mint that is a popular ground cover planted between pavers. The mints most commonly grown and used are peppermint ( M. In the Middle East, it is used to flavor lamb dishes. It is used in teas and other beverages, jellies, syrups and ice cream. Mint has been used as a culinary herb all over the world for centuries. Peppermint tea is still recommended for stomach aches. Traditionally mint has been used as a medicinal herb for the treatment of stomach aches and chest pains. The essential oils are also used as flavorings in candies, breath fresheners, toothpaste and mouthwash. In modern times, mint essential oil is used in the practice of aromatherapy. ![]() They referred to it as the herb of hospitality. The ancient Greeks strew mint on their dirt floors to provide a refreshing scent to their indoor rooms. They have been used both medicinally and as culinary herbs for thousands of years. Members of the mint family can be found on every continent except South America and Antarctica. Mints ( Menthe spp) are a huge family of plants characterized by square stems. ![]()
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