Grow Spearmint Plant Easily With Easy To Follow Steps
Updated on
December 8, 2023
Growing Spearmint
Do you have a small corner of your garden that you'd like to fill with something that smells wonderful, looks great, and can be used in the kitchen? If you answered yes, then grow a spearmint plant! Spearmint is easy to maintain, can be grown nearly anywhere, and has a wide variety of uses in culinary and medicinal remedies. Not sure how? Read on to find out the simple steps you can take to easily grow your very own spearmint plant!
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Cheatsheet: Growing Spearmint Plant
1. Choose the Perfect Spot
🌞 Plant in well-drained soil
🌳 Provide partial sun for optimal growth
2. Prepare the Soil
🔨 Loosen soil and remove weeds
🛠️ Add compost for rich nutrients
3. Plant the Spearmint
🌱 Dig a hole twice the root ball size
💦 Gently place the plant, cover with soil
4. Watering Routine
💧 Keep soil consistently moist
⏱️ Water every 2-3 days or when the top soil feels dry
5. Prune and Pinch
✂️ Pinch regularly to encourage bushy growth
🌿 Trim back after flowering to prevent spreading
6. Pest Control
🐛 Check leaves for pests and remove if necessary
🌸 Plant companion plants like marigolds to deter pests
7. Harvest Time
🍃 Pick leaves when they reach their peak flavor
🌱 Harvest in the morning for maximum essential oil content
8. Health Benefits
💪 Rich in antioxidants and essential oils
🌿 Soothes digestive issues and relieves headaches
9. Culinary Uses
🍹 Flavor teas, cocktails, and sauces with fresh spearmint
🥗 Enhance salads and desserts with its refreshing taste
10. Self-Sufficiency
🌍 Grow your own sustainable source of spearmint
🌿 Reduce reliance on store-bought herbs
Growing spearmint is a delightful venture that can add value to your garden and freshness to your culinary creations. Spearmint, also known as Mentha spicata, is a hardy perennial herb well-suited to both container and ground planting, and is renowned for its sweet, invigorating scent.
Choosing Your Spearmint Variety
First things first, you need to select the ideal variety of spearmint for your garden. There are several varieties available, like 'Mentha Spicata Crispa' and 'Moroccan', each having its own distinct taste and aroma. Schools of gardening thought encourage experimenting with a few breeds to discover your preferred one.
Starting From Seed or Cutting
Like most mint plants, growing spearmint from seed could be challenging due to their tiny size and longer germination period. Instead, many gardeners, including myself, prefer starting from a cutting or division of an established plant, promising higher success rates.
Perfect Planting Mix
Once you have your spearmint variety and propagation method sorted, you'll want to prepare the perfect soil mix. Spearmint thrives in well-draining, fertile soil with a neutral to slightly alkaline pH. A mix of two parts potting soil to one-part perlite or sand usually does the trick quite well.
Did you know? The United States produces 70% of the world’s supply of peppermint and spearmint!
Planting Spearmint
- Fill your pot or garden bed with the soil mix and make a hole around 2 inches deep.
- Carefully place the spearmint seed or cutting into the hole.
- Cover it with soil, gently firming it down around the base of the plant.
Sunlight, Water and Fertilizer Guidelines
Spearmint needs a good amount of sunlight; between 4-6 hours a day. While they do enjoy moist soil, they dislike being drenched. To avoid over-watering, stick your finger into the top inch of the soil, if it feels dry then it's time to water.
As for fertilizing, go easy. I remember a time when I fertilized my spearmint too often and ended up with a bushy but less aromatic plant. Therefore, a monthly application of a water soluble, nitrogen-rich fertilizer during the growing season is advisable.
Harvesting Your Spearmint
Once your spearmint has reached a height of around 5 inches, it's time to harvest. Remember to only take about a third of the plant at a time and it will continue to thrive. It has a habit of growing aggressively, so don't feel too guilty about trimming it back.
In the spirit of sharing, I've given many a trimmed sprig to my fellow gardeners as a way to spread the joy of this aromatic herb. There’s nothing like the smell of fresh spearmint filling up your garden and your kitchen!
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do I start growing spearmint?
To begin growing spearmint, plant seeds or seedlings in well-draining soil.
2. What is the ideal location for growing spearmint?
Choose a sunny spot with partial shade for your spearmint plant.
3. How often should I water my spearmint plant?
Water your spearmint regularly, keeping the soil moist but not waterlogged.
4. Can I grow spearmint indoors?
Absolutely! Use a potted spearmint plant by a sunny windowsill indoors.
5. When can I harvest spearmint leaves?
Start harvesting spearmint leaves anytime after the plant reaches 6 inches in height.
6. How do I maintain my spearmint plant?
Prune the plant regularly to encourage leaf growth and prevent it from getting leggy.
7. How do I propagate spearmint?
Easily propagate spearmint by taking stem cuttings and rooting them in water or soil.
8. Can I use spearmint for culinary purposes?
Absolutely! Spearmint leaves can be used in teas, salads, desserts, and more.
Spearmint is a wonderful plant that not only smells and tastes great, but is also very easy to care for. Growing spearmint from seed is a fulfilling and rewarding experience. Plus, it adds a delightful and interesting flavor to salads, teas, and many other dishes. With its refreshing and bright flavor, it's no wonder so many people love spearmint! So why not give it a try and give your garden a little burst of flavorful fun and excitement this season?
