Wild mint: features of cultivation and care with photo

Most gardeners, in addition to vegetables, plant spicy herbs on their plots. Preference is given to wild mint, which serves as a decorative decoration of the landscape, medicine, seasoning for various dishes and the basis of fragrant drinks. No wonder the second common name for this fragrant herb is oregano. It is also known under the name of oregano, amulet, motherboard. The bush plant reaches 30-70 cm in height and blooms in a variety of shades depending on the variety.

Spearmint Features

Spearmint is able to produce crops, growing over 20 years in one place.But the healing properties are preserved as fully as possible in the case of plant transplantation every five years. Oregano is an ideal predecessor for any vegetable crop, as it cleanses the soil of pests and pathogens.

Necessary conditions for growth

The simplicity of agrotechnical methods of growing forest mint allows an inexperienced gardener to start cultivating. The positive characteristics of the plant include unpretentiousness, cold resistance, undemanding to soils. However, plants are responsive to planting in fertile, sun-exposed areas and regular moderate watering.

Overwetting and stagnant groundwater have a detrimental effect on oregano, as does prolonged drought.

Heat-loving plant tolerates high temperatures. The optimum ambient temperature for development is +20 degrees. However, there are no problems with oregano in winter, except for long-term frosty weather.

Date of planting

Sowing seeds is recommended in early spring or autumn. Mint, propagated vegetatively - by dividing the bush, cuttings or layering, is planted at the same time, but successfully takes root in the summer months.

Seed preparation

Despite good germination, the best performance is achieved with seedbed preparation, which includes:

soaking seeds in warm water for two days to remove essential oils from the surface that hinder germination;
water changes four times a day, which speeds up the process;
mixing seed material with river sand in equal volumes, this procedure is needed to evenly distribute small seeds.

Choosing a landing site

Light-loving culture prefers sunny areas. Shading plantings leads to stretching of seedlings, a weakening of the aroma and a decrease in healing properties. Forest mint feels good on any soil. High yields are achieved by growing fragrant grass on sandy loamy soils with neutral acidity and good drainage. The place for growing should be moderately moist.

Sowing

Sowing seeds in open ground is carried out in May, in warm, loosened soil, cleared of weeds. Planting material is buried no more than one centimeter. The distance between the grooves is maintained within 25-45 cm. The soil surface is slightly compacted and moistened by sprinkling. Mulching is shown to preserve moisture. Sprouts appear in 2-3 weeks.

Irrigation features

Plantings of forest mint do not require excessive moisture, but drought has a detrimental effect on them. In case of waterlogging, the plants rot, and during the dry period, the leaves begin to turn yellow, dry out and fall off. The intensity and timing of watering depend on the degree of drying of the soil. To avoid stagnant water in rainy weather, shallow grooves are dug around the beds. Regular, moderate watering promotes rhizome development. To avoid evaporation of moisture, it is recommended to water oregano in the evening hours.

Loosening and weeding

Oregano likes constant loosening and weeding, which is shown in the first years of growth. In the future, mint grows and leaves no room for weeds. Mulching the beds with straw will help reduce the number of waterings and get rid of weeds, which stimulates the growth of oregano.

Diseases and pests

This variety of mint is resistant to pests and diseases. It can be affected by aphids that feed on plant sap, and a red glass spider that covers the leaves with cobwebs, as a result of which they fall off. The use of pesticides on green crops is prohibited, therefore, they fight insect pests with biological preparations and folk methods. Processing is shown with a mixture of wood ash and tobacco dust in equal amounts, soapy water, infusion of tomato tops or garlic.

Experienced growers plant oregano next to pest-prone vegetables because its fragrance repels them.

Collection and storage of mint

Harvest in July, when the oregano enters the flowering phase. Up to three shoots 20 cm long are cut from each bush.The stems are tied into bundles, which are hung under a canopy. The second drying option is laying out the raw material on paper in a thin layer with constant stirring. Dry leaves are cut off, placed in glass jars and hermetically sealed. The shelf life of blanks is 2-3 years.

Seed material ripens in early autumn. To obtain seeds, the best bushes are left for flowering. Cut branches with boxes are dried and rubbed by hand, after which they are passed through a sieve and dried again. Seeds are stored in paper bags in a dry place.

Application of dry material:

Leaves and flowering tops of forest mint are used as tea leaves, the basis for drinks, tinctures. The blanks are used as spices in canning vegetables.
Charges with oregano normalize digestive processes, cure tonsillitis, stomatitis, pharyngitis, relieve headaches.
Bags of weed are hung in cupboards to keep out moths.

Grow fragrant grass in your summer cottage and use it as you wish: in cooking, in folk medicine, in garden decoration.