Spearmint Care Learn How To Grow Spearmint Herbs

Care of Spearmint Mint in the garden should be mulched annually to keep the roots cool and moist. Potted mint does best when fertilized monthly during the growing season with a liquid fertilizer. Divide plants every two years to keep them healthy. Prune potted plants regularly to keep neat and tidy.

How do you grow spearmint plants?

Spearmint prefers part shade and moist soil with a neutral to slightly acidic pH. Mulching around the plants will keep the soil cool and also helps you keep an eye on any errant stems to prevent rooting.

How do you sprout Spearmint?

Sowing Seed Indoors:

Sow mint seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before the last frost in spring using a seed starting kit.
Sow seeds ¼ inches deep in seed-starting formula.
Keep the soil moist at 70 degrees F.
Seedlings emerge in 7-14 days.

How long does spearmint take to grow from seed?

Spearmint germinates quickly, in 7 to 14 days. Direct Seeding: Once your garden is past frost danger and the ground has warmed up, you can plant your spearmint seeds directly in the soil or into outdoor containers.

Does spearmint come back every year?

Mint is frost tolerant. It usually dies back in the winter but comes back in spring.

Can you eat spearmint leaves?

Serving suggestions for fresh spearmint

Fresh spearmint leaves contain a much lower level of menthol than other mint species, which makes it less pungent and more suited to health drinks and cooking. Some serving suggestions are: Chopping the leaves and sprinkling it onto food. Using the leaves to make mint sauce.

How do I make my mint plant bushy?

Sprinkle the soil with a little time-release fertilizer if you wish. Water in the plants well. Finally, positioning your fingers like mine in the photo at left, pinch off the top two to four leaves on each plant. This will make the mint branch out and become bushy.

Does spearmint need full sun?

Light requirements: Full sun to part shade. Protect plants from hot afternoon sun in southerly zones. Planting: Space 18 to 24 inches apart. Soil requirements: Nutrient-rich, moist soil is ideal, although mint grows in nearly any type of soil.

Can I plant spearmint and peppermint together?

Companion Planting

Peppermint and spearmint are beneficial to cabbage, kohlrabi, broccoli, and the other kales by repelling or distracting cabbage fly, ants, and cabbage looper.

What is the difference between spearmint and peppermint?

Peppermint contains 40% menthol while spearmint contains less than 1% menthol. This means peppermint is going to have a more intense “minty” flavor that spearmint. So if you grab a leaf of your garden mint and taste it, if it has a really strong minty aftertaste, you are dealing with peppermint.

Should I soak mint seeds before planting?

You may be wondering, “Should I soak mint seeds before planting?” Yes, you can, but you don't have to. If you feel a rush to grow your mint, perhaps because you sense an impending mint emergency on the horizon, you can soak them to speed up germination.

Can I grow mint indoors all year?

Mint plants are easy to grow indoors, year-round. One of the most important details is to select a container with a wide surface, rather than a deep one, to keep the mint roots from encircling themselves and choking a plant.

How fast does spearmint spread?

Mint Growth Rate

Growing at 4 inches per month, a single plant would spread to 2 feet in about six months. However, as the rhizomes creep away from the original plant, new plants are created, increasing the size of the mint area. Spearmint, which is more vigorous than peppermint, has an even faster growth/spread rate.

How often should you water Spearmint?

Instead of watering mint plants on a schedule, focus on keeping the soil consistently moist without being saturated. Mint plants usually need 1 to 2 inches of water per week, but growing conditions can affect how much water the mint needs.

Does Mint regrow after cutting?

Cut the mint stem just below a node (where a leaf grows) on the plant. Remove all but the top leaves. Stick a few cuttings into a glass jar with about one inch of water. ... As the mint grows, replant in a larger pot or in the ground.

Is Spearmint good for your stomach?

Spearmint is commonly used to help relieve symptoms of indigestion, nausea, vomiting and gas. The compound (-)-carvone, which is naturally found in spearmint, has been shown to strongly inhibit muscle contractions in the digestive tract, which may explain how this herb helps relieve digestive upsets ( 1 ).

Does spearmint tea increase breast size?

Spearmint tea has long been known to increase breasts size; which is good! However, it also has a very nasty side effect: it can make your breast smaller if you don't use it correctly!

What can I use spearmint leaves for?

Here Are 10 Ways to Use Fresh Mint:

Add Mint to Greek Yogurt with Berries. ...
Make Your Own Mint Tea to Aid Digestion. ...
Change Up Your Protein Smoothie. ...
Try Strawberry, Mint & Basil with Balsamic. ...
Make a Minty Lime Fizzler. ...
Try a Watermelon, Basil, Mint Salad with Feta. ...
Make My Watermelon Mint Pops. ...
Add Fresh Mint to Basil Pesto.

Can we drink mint water daily?

Mint's well-liked flavor makes it the perfect ingredient for switching up your daily drink repertoire. Mint water doesn't just taste good; it's also good for you. Several studies indicate that drinking mint water is beneficial for your health.

How do you encourage mint to grow?

Pick a Sunny Location

Pick a Sunny Location.
Grow mint in a location that receives six hours or more of direct sunlight every day, whether in a garden bed or a container. ...
Give It a Drink.
Water your mint plant when the top inch of soil feels dry, suggests Bonnie Plants. ...
Feed Your Mint.

How do I make my herbs bushier?

All you need to do is remove a small top portion of each stem every week or so. You do this with a pinching action on the top of the stem. This removes the top part of the stem cleanly and those dormant leaf buds will then start to grow. Pinching and harvesting do not damage your herb plants.

How do I make my plants Fuller?

If the plant receives enough light, water and nutrients, poor pruning habits may be the cause of the weak growth. Proper pruning of most herbaceous plants forces them to produce more branches. This results in denser foliage and a fuller plant. Flowering plants may also produce more buds if pruned correctly.