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Moonshine Designs Nursery Located in Milan, Illinois 309-756-1967 Fax: 309-756-1058
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Mint Culture
For the best results, please use the following suggestions as a guideline in growing your mints:
Unpacking: Unpack the plants as soon as possible and place in a bright, warm area. Keep out of direct sun for the first day or so until they get acclimated after their trip. If frozen, allow to thaw naturally at room temperature. Freezing does not harm these plants and they will pop right back. Keep evenly moist, but not soaking wet.
Preparing containers: We recommend growing your mints in containers. If planting out into an herb garden or border, we still recommend planting in containers. Sink the containers in the ground so the lip of the pot is about ½” above the surrounding soil line. Mints spread by both above ground and underground runners and if not kept in bounds can be invasive. If you have purchased the complete garden including these pots and potting mix:
Add two gallons of water to the potting mix and allow to soak for several hours until evenly moist. Hand mixing will accelerate this process. The mix is shipped dry to save weight. (The potting mix supplied is “soilless” , meaning there is no actual “dirt” in the mix and is sterile. There are also no chemical fertilizers added. Only lime has incorporated to adjust the pH.).
Planting In Containers: After the mix has been moistened, fill the nursery pots and plant your mints; one per nursery container, in the center. Keep in a protected area for a few days before placing out into full sun. The plants will look tiny in these big pots at first, but will rapidly fill up the pot! Other similar size containers may also be used, including hanging baskets and window boxes, etc.
Planting out into the garden: A moist situation is preferable, but mints will succeed in almost any soil, once started into growth. Although in dry, sandy soils it is sometimes difficult to grow, and should be planted in the coolest and dampest situations. We still recommend planting in containers for control! Plant in full sun (north) to light shade (south). Space plants 3 feet apart and prune often to prevent aggressive spreading and promote branching.
Care: Water to keep the soil evenly moist and fertilize lightly to encourage maximum flavor. Keep fresh manure away from mint to discourage rust disease from forming. Remove any yellow-streaked sprigs to prevent the spread of virus. Treat most insect pests with insecticidal soap, should any appear. Insects will not bother Pennyroyal! Mulch around plants to prevent weed growth an to keep soil evenly cool and moist. In northern zones, apply a 6” -12” mulch over the plants after a couple of hard freezes in the fall. Remove in early spring. Pennyroyal is more prone to winter damage north of zone 6 than the others.
Harvesting and Using: Harvest sprigs just before flowering or as needed. Use the foliage fresh, frozen, or dried in teas, candied treats, or as flavoring for peas, lamb, potatoes, and other foods.
Where a long or regular supply is required, it is a good plan to have at least one bed in a sunny and sheltered area, and another in a shady spot. This way, harvests may be made both early and late in the season. Pinching off early flower stems will extend harvest time.
Preserving & Drying: When the plants are breaking into bloom, the stalks should be cut a few inches above the soil level, on a dry day, after the dew has disappeared, and before the hot sun has taken any oil from the leaves. It can then be dried for culinary in the future. All discolored and insect-eaten leaves should be removed and the stems tied loosely into bunches and hung to dry on strings for 'bunched' herbs. The bunches should be nearly equal in length and uniform in size to facilitate uniform drying. The leaves may also be stripped from the stems as soon as completely dry and rubbed through a fine sieve, or pounded in a mortar and thus powdered. Store in tightly capped bottles or containers that are airtight.