Growing mint in a greenhouse: how to care with video

Mint is valued not only for its aroma, but also for the beneficial properties that nature has invested in it. To get fresh plants all year round, gardeners grow mint in greenhouses. The main advantages of this method are the year-round harvest and the ability not to depend on weather conditions.

How to grow mint in greenhouse conditions?

Mint is an unpretentious plant. With proper care, the culture will give a good harvest even in winter. It is important that the temperature regime is observed in greenhouses and ventilation is present.

Preparation of cuttings

There are two ways to plant mint: cuttings and seeds.

When preparing the cuttings for planting, they are cut from the bush. Seedlings should not be less than 10 cm in height. They can be immediately planted in the ground, but in order to increase the chances of engraftment, it is recommended to put the seedlings in water to release the roots. It is important to control the germination of the root system. To speed up the process, cuttings should be provided with optimal temperature conditions and regularly irrigated with water.

The cuttings are planted immediately after the appearance of the first roots.

Mint seeds are recommended to be pre-treated with an aquarium compressor before planting. This will allow you to get optimal germination. The bottom line is to place the seeds in water and saturate them with oxygen. Before planting, the seed material should be dried in the fresh air.

If there is no opportunity to plant seeds immediately into the ground, then the seedling method of planting is used. Initially, the seeds are germinated at home in boxes, and after 1.5-2 weeks they are planted in a greenhouse. At the same time, it is important to regularly moisten the planting. The humidity level should not be less than 60%.

Preparing the soil for grass

Planted spicy greens in previously prepared soil. It is dug up, cleaned of weeds, fertilized with mineral and organic compounds. It is important to prevent souring. This requires good drainage of the site using crushed bricks or fine gravel.

Pay attention! If the soil is allowed to become acidic, there is a high probability of root rot and crop loss.

Thus, drained soil is an important condition when planting mint. The quality of the soil also plays an important role. Spicy grass loves slightly acidic and sandy, neutral soil. Acidic soils are absolutely not suitable for growing mint in a greenhouse.

Planting mint

It is best to plant mint in the ground in spring, but planting in summer and autumn will also give good results.After the roots of the cuttings develop, they are planted in the soil. The optimal planting depth is 5 cm. The distance between seedlings should be at least 15 cm. This way the plants will get enough space and nothing will interfere with their growth.

It is important to give the plant the right amount of light and the right temperature. To do this, lamps and electric stoves are installed in greenhouses.

Growing mint from seed is tricky, especially for beginner gardeners. If this particular method is chosen, then the seeds are sown in moist soil to a depth of 0.5 cm. For seedlings to emerge, the temperature in the greenhouse should not be less than 20 degrees. From above, the planted area is covered with a film until the seeds peck.

For a winter harvest, mint is planted in late August - early September. It is important at the same time to provide the culture with natural light as much as possible. If this is not possible, then you need to use additional lighting.

Basic principles of crop care

To get a good result, it is important to properly care for the crop: water in time, fertilize, and prevent diseases and pests. Those who grow mint for industrial purposes can use coconut substrate for planting.

Irrigation

Drying of the soil when growing mint should not be allowed. Watering is done as soon as the soil begins to dry out. This is about 3 times in 10 days. In greenhouses, it is optimal to use a drip irrigation system. In order for the root system to better absorb moisture, the earth should be periodically loosened. It is also important to destroy weeds in a timely manner, so the plants will receive more nutrients.

In summer, watering is done more often, in the summer they are reduced. It is also important not to allow moisture to stagnate in the soil. Despite the fact that mint is a moisture-loving plant, excessive water will lead to diseases and death of plants.

Feeding

Regular feeding of mint will have a good effect on its development. As a rule, phosphate and nitrogen fertilizers are used for these purposes. Top dressing is carried out during the growing season. Some gardeners prefer to fertilize mint with compost and manure.

Diseases and pests

The most dangerous disease for crops is powdery mildew. As a rule, the disease occurs due to sudden changes in temperature. As for pests, mint is attacked:

aphids;
whiteflies;
spider mites.

You can get rid of pests by spraying plants with industrial compounds. But it is safest to use folk remedies.

Collection and storage

Culture is harvested in the first year of planting.For drying, the leaves are torn off before flowering, during this period they are most saturated with useful trace elements. Dry the mint in the shade, after tying the plants into bunches. Thus, the plant will retain its aroma and beneficial properties throughout the long winter.

You can also freeze mint, but in this form it is stored for no more than two months. Cut leaves are washed in cool water, laid on a damp thin cloth. Mint is stored in the refrigerator in a tightly closed container. The optimum storage temperature is 0 degrees.

For fresh consumption, mint leaves are plucked as needed.