Peppermints (the mint family) originate from the Mediterranean regions. While all mints belong to the same family, they also include oregano, sage and marjoram. All except these herbs can be grown in your garden beds without fear of taking over. The peppermint plant is a hardy perennial. The flowers are usually in pinks, white and blues. Peppermints are usually used in culinary and are often found in desserts or herbal teas. The leaves can be crushed to excrete their oil to make as flavoring or in perfume essences. You can grow peppermint from seeds collected as the flowers dry. These can be sown in a seed-raising mix in late inter and early spring. You can plant this plant in a container when the plants are about 10cm tall. Other propagates for peppermint is by root cuttings that are much easier. What you can do is cut it leaving a small root ball attached and repot into a smaller container. Mint could be by far the most invasive herbs you could ever plant. Either it is peppermint, chocolate mint, common mint, apple mint or ginger mint or any other derivative you can think of. You will say that your peppermint bush is ok when they seduce you into finding a spare rod of soil and reward you almost immediately with lush green leaves and a bushy habit. To tell you the truth, it is not ok. There is more sinister plot in hand that was unleashed the moment you introduced your peppermint into the garden bed. It\’s a plan bent on control and evil. What the peppermint and any other variety want is actually to control of your garden. They want it all. Growing peppermint is all about the rules. Break the rules and they will reward you with the consequences. If you adhere to them, you will be awarded year after year with a bounty bordering of peppermint.
Here are some of the \’don\’ts\’ that you should follow when growing the peppermints:
- Never grow peppermint in a pot. Peppermint dislikes being confined and would much rather be out playing with the other plants.
- Give peppermint lots of shade, in fact, the more shade the happier your plant will be.
- Never repot peppermint, as it will be just as vigorous as the previous year, at the end of its growing season.
- Peppermint thrives in drought areas and will wither and die if it\’s given too much water. So keep the watering to a minimum.
- If you do exactly the opposite, you will find that the peppermint and any other mint will thrive in your garden. Just never plant it in your garden beds without serious barrier to contain it.
Additional Reading:
http://www.gardeningtipsnideas.com/2006/11/how_not_to_grow_peppermint.html
Image Credit:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jylcat/562388488/
