- Planting mint: the right location
- Sow mint and grow it yourself
- Procedure for planting
- Which plant neighbors go well with mint?
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Mint is a popular, refreshing herb that no garden should be without. Planting mint doesn't require your thumb to be quite as green as it is for other plants, either.
Mint (Mentha), once established, is relatively undemanding as a horticultural crop, yet very productive. In addition, there is a mint variety for every taste in the large selection. You can find out how to plant mint, which location to look out for and much more in this article.
Planting mint: the right location
Mint plants generally enjoy a sunny to partially shaded location. In direct sunlight, especially at midday, the water requirement naturally increases. The optimal location of mint depends on the species. Overall, it can be said that mint is very adaptable and thrives in many locations.
Whether you are looking for a mint location in your garden or want to grow mint in a pot - the perennial herb has a lot to offer.
Planting mint in the garden
If you want to plant mint in your garden, it is best to do so in spring. Ensure a humus-rich, nutrient-rich, moist and loose substrate. If the soil is too heavy or too sandy, loosen it before planting and enrich it with nutrient-rich soil such as our Plantura organic universal soil.
Find a suitable location in the garden. If possible, choose a spot where the mint has room to spread - because that's what they do very happily and quickly too. If you don't want this, use a root barrier such as a flower pot.
Planting mint in a pot
If you plant mint in a pot, you should choose a suitable planter with a diameter of at least 20 cm. Fill this at the bottom with a drainage layer made of coarse components such as gravel or expanded clay and then add a suitable soil such as our Plantura organic universal soil. Optionally you can use thismix in about 30 percent expanded clay to avoid waterlogging in the pot.
Cultivate mint in a pot, so the plant roots through the container relatively quickly. You should rejuvenate and repot the plant after 3 years at the latest. To learn how to continue cultivating Mentha after planting, read our article on caring for mint.
The right soil for mint
Because mint is very adaptable, it can cope with different soils. However, mint prefers its substrate to be rich in nutrients, loose and moist, but not wet. Our Plantura organic universal soil has several advantages. It is already pre-fertilized with primarily organic fertilizers and also contains no peat, which results in lower CO2 emissions in production.
Does mint need a root barrier?
Whether mint needs a root barrier depends a lot on the gardener and the garden. Since mint forms creeping runners - so-called stolons - it can spread quickly around the planting site. For example, if you plant mint in a bed where spreading is not desired, you can set up a root barrier about 50 cm deep or regularly dig out the resulting offshoots.
If you use a root barrier, you have to keep in mind that the earth is quickly penetrated by roots at this point. This can lead to stunted growth after a while and you will need to rejuvenate or transplant the plant. If you ever get tired of mint in the summer, you can dry or freeze mint to preserve it so you can enjoy it in the winter.
Does mint help against spiders or snails?
Since the scent of intense types of mint is said to repel spiders, the herb can be placed on doors and windows - but an insect screen should be more effective in most cases.
Mint can be used as a mulch layer against snails use. Here, too, the mint forms a scent barrier, but this is only partially successful. It would have to be applied very regularly and accurately to have a sufficient and lasting effect.
Sow mint and grow it yourself
If you want to propagate mint by seeds, we recommend pre-cultivating them first. Mint can be preferred in early spring. Thereforeplace the seeds on low-nutrient seed soil such as our Plantura Organic Herb & Seed Soil, which is also peat-free, and cover the seeds only lightly with soil. After good watering and at around 18 °C, the seeds will germinate within 2 weeks. You can separate the plants from a size of 7 to 10 cm. Alternatively, sow the seeds directly from the beginning of May.
Tip: Sowing mint is easy with our Plantura herb growing set. It contains not only seeds for mint, but also for 4 other aromatic types of herbs. In addition, you will find everything else you need for growing in the set: growing pots, substrate, plant labels and a reusable mini greenhouse.
Procedure for planting
The best time to plant mint is from mid-May, after the last late frosts. Because although mint is generally considered hardy, young mint is a little more sensitive. Proceed as follows when planting mint.
Plant mint:
- Soak the root ball thoroughly
- Loosen soil
- Dig the planting hole: About twice the size of the root ball
- Put mint in the planting hole
- Planting depth as in the pot
- Fill the planting hole with soil and compact slightly
- Water thoroughly
Because mint spreads very quickly, you can also integrate a root barrier. The planting distance should be about 50 cm.
Which plant neighbors go well with mint?
Mint gets along well with most plants in the vicinity. One thing to consider, however, is the rapid spread of mint if left unchecked. It therefore likes to compete with other plants for water or nutrients.
Good Mint Neighbors:
- Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium)
- Coriander (Coriandrum sativum)
- Cabbages (Brassica)
- Carrots (Daucus carota)
- Tomatoes (Solanum sect. Lycopersicon)
Bad Mint Neighbors:
- Other mints
- Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
- Celery (Apium)
Once the mint cultivation has been successful and the green herb sprout in your garden, it must of course also be pruned. How to harvest mintand cut, we have summarized them for you in another article.