Menthol mint: characteristics of the plant, cultivation and care with photo

Menthol mint is one of the many varieties of the crop. Today, such a plant can be found in the backyards of many Russian gardeners, due to the special properties of the plant. To avoid problems when growing, it is recommended to familiarize yourself with the simple rules for planting and caring for a unique healing herb in advance.

Characteristic features of the plant

Menthol mint is a type of perennial plant. It differs from other representatives of the varieties by its unique taste and aroma of freshness and coolness, which is due to the rich content of essential oils in the composition of the plant.

For a horticultural crop with menthol properties, the following features are characteristic:

• branchy root system;
• straight stem with cavity inside;
• egg-shaped leaves;
• formation at the time of flowering of small inflorescences of a light purple hue.

Under favorable growing conditions, plant height can reach 1 m. Wild bushes have a much more modest figure, and their height does not exceed 40 cm.

Useful properties

Mint today is widely used in various fields of human activity, including cooking, medicine, cosmetology.

Many gardeners use the herb in making delicious teas or as an ingredient in the treatment of many types of ailments.

This component is found in recipes for first and second courses, and for the preparation of many cocktails, mint is considered indispensable.

Useful properties of the plant:

• antiseptic;
• anti-inflammatory;
• sedative;
• anti-spasmodic.

Active substances in the composition of the plant can have a healing effect on angina pectoris, neurosis, and various inflammatory diseases. In traditional medicine recipes, mint is used to prepare decoctions and tinctures, medicinal teas as an independent ingredient or as part of a mixture of herbs. The herb is often used to make perfumes for clothes and fragrances to eliminate unpleasant odors in the room.

Seed preparation

Mint seeds are sown in the ground or use the method of growing seedlings. For planting choose containers of small volume and fertile soil. To get the result, it is important to purchase good planting material.The seeds of the plant are quite small, so they are not pre-treated.

The plant propagates well by cuttings. The shoots are cut off when at least 5 leaves are formed on them. The cuttings are placed in fertile soil and transplanted as they take root.

Preparing the landing site

Menthol mint prefers loose fertile soil and is demanding of sufficient light. For planting choose a sunny open area. The crop can grow in calcareous soils and under shading conditions, but the plant's aroma richness properties may be reduced. Garden culture does not tolerate heavy soil with clay.

Before planting, the site must be prepared. To do this, weeds and the remains of previous plantings are removed. The soil must be enriched with a complex of mineral fertilizers. If the place is subject to excessive moisture, then the beds rise above the ground.

Sowing

Sowing is carried out in the spring in early April when grown by seedlings. Sowing directly into the ground is carried out at the beginning of summer after the soil warms up or at the beginning of August. Do not sow too often, as this will lead to a dense planting. It is recommended to moisten the soil well before planting, as watering after planting can cause the seeds to go deeper.

Note that mint reproduces quite quickly and can behave like a weed.

In connection with this feature, it is necessary to take into account the degree of proximity to other plants.

Crop care

Hard care is standard and does not require special cultivation skills. Even novice gardeners can get a harvest of medicinal herbs. Once every 3 years, an additional planting is carried out, since weeds lead to the effect of thinning the mint plantings.Plants are fed for better harvesting with nitrogen-phosphorus preparations, they do this during the growing season.

In autumn, it is recommended to mulch the soil with dry soil or make a shelter with straw for better wintering of the crop.

Irrigation features

Mint is undemanding to watering. With a sufficient amount of natural precipitation, plantings are watered 2 times a month. In hot weather, the next irrigation time is determined by the degree of moisture evaporation.

Loosening

For better penetration of moisture and oxygen into the soil, periodic loosening is necessary. The frequency depends on the quality of the soil and the amount of precipitation. In most cases, weeding and loosening are combined.

Weeding

Weeding is done as needed. It is impossible to allow weeds to overgrow mint plantings, as this reduces the amount of mint green mass.

Diseases

Mint is prone to various types of diseases. The most common rust, downy mildew, powdery mildew, fusarium.

Untimely adoption of measures is fraught with the death of plantings, a decrease in the yield of the formed green mass, a decrease in the content of essential oils.

For the fight, mainly folk recipes are used, since the use of chemicals makes the use of mint impossible.

Pests

The most dangerous pests of mint are mint flea, mint leaf beetle, aphids and leafhoppers. The best control measures are to carry out periodic plant transplantation, the destruction of diseased bushes, cutting greenery before the onset of pests. To increase the resistance of mint, it is recommended to enrich the soil with fertilizers based on potassium and phosphorus.

Harvest and storage of crops

Collection is carried out in dry, windless weather. The crop is removed in the form of individual leaves or whole shoots. For storage, choose the method of drying or freezing. For use as an indoor freshener, the stems of the plant are tied up and hung in an inconspicuous place with air access.

For further use as an ingredient for decoctions or cocktails, the grass is laid out on a flat surface and waited for complete drying. When freezing, use ordinary plastic containers or plastic bags.

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