Pint mint: variety description, planting and care with photo

If you want to try to grow an unusual plant on your backyard, experts advise you to pay attention to ombalo - pennyroyal. This name of the plant is common in Georgia, in other countries “flea” is more often used. Aromatic herbs are used as a seasoning and are used to prepare various culinary dishes.

Specific variety

Flea mint belongs to the Lamiaceae family and is a perennial herb. The height of the shoots reaches 25-30 cm. Unlike other varieties of mint, the culture has a rounded leaf shape. The plates are wide, wrinkled, curly and slightly pubescent.A feature of the culture is a long flowering period, which begins in June and lasts until frost. Inflorescences are formed in dense, almost spherical rings. At the time of flowering, they have a pink-purple hue with a white tube. The advantage of the fleabane is its high rooting ability. The plant has a creeping type of growth. It is considered an excellent honey plant.

Used greens as a seasoning, while the direction of application is quite extensive. Residents of Turkmenistan add flea beetle when stewing lamb, in Armenia for pickled cheeses, in Georgia for sauces. The greens are also used as a natural insect repellent. Due to the high content of essential oils, mint is used in the field of cosmetology.

In the recipes of traditional medicine, wound healing, antiseptic and abortive properties are attributed to her.

Conditions for plant growth

Under natural conditions, the plant develops in floodplain meadows and on the banks of rivers. Such a culture can be found in Asia, the Crimea, the Caucasus and Turkmenistan. Ombalo belongs to the category of heat-loving crops, therefore, if it is insufficient, yields decrease.

When to plant a crop

The plant is grown by sowing seeds into the ground, using the seedling method and by dividing the rhizome. The latter method allows you to quickly propagate the culture and in a short time to significantly increase the planting area. Plant division is carried out from the beginning of spring. The most popular seed varieties are Pennyroyal and Pulegium.

Some gardeners practice growing mint in pots.

The planting time is determined depending on the climatic conditions of the region, for the central Russian territories this is the middle of spring.

Preparation of planting material

Mint seeds are quite small, so growing this way requires some skill. It is recommended to plant planting material in sandy soil to ensure better germination. After sowing, cover with a film and put in a lighted place. On average, after 15 days, the first shoots appear, at this moment the film is removed.

When using the division method for propagation, adult plants with a well-formed root system are selected. There should be no signs of putrefactive damage and defects of a different kind on the shoots. After digging, the bush is carefully divided so that each part has a sufficient number of roots and transplanted to a new place.

Select site

For planting choose open sunny places with sufficient light.The soil must be fertile. The soil is preliminarily prepared by digging well for at least a shovel bayonet. The remains of previous plants must be completely removed, in the fall it is recommended to fertilize the place of the planned planting with manure with the calculation of 3 kg per square meter.

Planting mint

Seedlings are transplanted to their permanent growing site after the threat of frost has passed.

The plant does not survive stress well and does not tolerate temperature drops below 8 C.

Planting is carried out in small holes, placing the roots directly with the ground from the growing container. The recommended distance between plants is 30 cm.

Mint Care Rules

Mint is not considered a demanding crop. It is necessary to remove weeds, and when the topsoil hardens, loosen.With sufficient natural precipitation, the culture can not be watered, moisturizing is carried out as needed. During the season, 2 fertilizing with complex fertilizers is carried out.

Diseases

Mint is easily susceptible to fungal diseases. Shoots are often affected by rust or powdery mildew. The first is observed with excessive soil moisture, high nitrogen content in the soil and cold weather. A preventive measure is to follow the rules of crop rotation and periodically transplant mint bushes.

Pests

Cultivation can be difficult due to pest infestations, as many insects enjoy the aromatic seasoning.

The main danger is associated with invasions of the following types of insects:

• aphids;
• spider mites;
• slug;
• caterpillars;
• leaf beetle.

Use chemicals for pest control is not allowed, so they use the benefits of folk advice. For the prevention and control of insects, plantings are sprinkled with ashes, treated with a solution of laundry soap, washed with running water from a hose. A good effect is the use of a solution based on garlic or celandine.

Harvest and storage of crops

The collection begins in June, when the greenery is formed in sufficient volume. Harvested by hand, choosing he althy foliage. You can store the herb as a dry seasoning or frozen. In the latter case, plastic bags are more often used, in which mint greens washed and sorted from garbage are placed. For better storage, after placing the herb in the bag, it is recommended to remove as much air as possible. This trick will also significantly save space in the freezer.

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