It is highly appreciated because it has real therapeutic virtues, in particular on the nervous system and the digestive sphere. But this is not its only advantage: we particularly like its freshness and very pleasant taste. It delicately flavours various dishes, teas, certain infusions and can also flavour certain creams. In the garden he keeps insects away.

When to sow mint?

Planting mint in pots takes place from March to April, but you have to be sure that then any risk of frost is avoided. The cuttings will be placed in summer, they are the cuttings taken in spring that are then planted.

It is recommended to plant mint at the time of the waning moon.

Which varieties to choose?

There are about twenty varieties of mint, here are some of the most interesting:

• Spearmint or sweet mint: Its smell is reminiscent of mint-flavored chewing gum. It measures between 30 and 60 cm and its leaves are flat or wrinkled, but always green. Its foliage is evergreen. It is used for meat for its sweetness, as well as for tea. She is originally from South Africa.
• Spearmint or Spearmint: It comes from a cross between water mint and spearmint. It has a strong smell, with a strong spicy touch. It is the richest in menthol. It measures between 40 and 60 cm.
• Pouliot mint: it is used especially in Spain and Italy. It measures only 20 cm and has a creeping bearing. It is very fragrant and its foliage is greenish-gray or variegated and its flowers are pink and lilac.
• Orange mint also called orange mint or round leaf mint : it is 80 cm tall and is certainly one of the least fragrant, although it releases citrus flavors and aromas. It has rough leaves and pink or white flowers.
• Buddleia mint or long-leaf mint: What sets it apart is its elongated leaves. It is a sweet mint that is around 1 meter tall.
• Water mint, also called water mint, river balm, water balm, or frogmint: found in wetlands at the water’s edge and has a strong menthol smell. The foliage is very aromatic and culminates between 40 and 60 cm. It is an aquatic or semi-aquatic perennial, rich in tannins and essential oil.
• Red mint : it is a very aromatic mint that is used like the classic mint. The leaves are green and the stem is burgundy red.
• Black Mint: It gives off a sweet and powerful peppery aroma.
• Crispy mint – It gets its name from its stretched, curled leaves. It has a taste very close to mint. Measures 50cm. It is very fragrant and is often used for peppermint tea.
• Scotch mint : it is a variety with large and very fluffy leaves. Its characteristic smell is sometimes less appreciated than that of mint or peppermint.

What to do before sowing mint?

Before planting your mint, you need to properly prepare the soil by digging up to loosen the soil that will house it. It is also necessary to remove stones, weeds and roots that can hinder the formation of its root system.

Then you incorporate the well-ripened compost into the soil, because mint likes fertile soil.

Mint is a plant that quickly becomes invasive. It is advisable to create an anti-rhizome barrier so that it has its own space and prevents its roots from spreading everywhere. You can also plant it in a bottomless container to contain it. For example, you can opt for a zinc sink.

How to sow it?

You can plant your purchased mint in buckets or pots starting in March or April. But be careful, the ground must be heated and any risk of frost must be avoided. You should know that it is easier to plant the mint you bought than to sow it.