Peppermint Mentha piperita 5 m² - Herb seeds

Mint seeds require no prior treatment and are ready to use. Sowing method Sow under glass in March.
Sow in the garden, April-June.

There are 3 ways of sowing:
In the garden, preferably in a sunny spot, from April right up to June. Fork the soil loose to at least 30 cm deep.

1. In the garden, preferably in full sun, from April to June. Fork the soil loose to at least 30 cm. Draw a straight furrow 1 cm deep and label the row. Mix the seed with some dry sharp sand and sow lightly along the row. Cover with 0.5 cm soil, press lightly down and sprinkle with water. Extra rows at 25 cm apart. The seeds will germinate in 14-21 days.
2. Under glass, can be done from March using a cold frame. Fill your trays with good, fine soil. Mix the seed with dry sand and sow evenly over the top of the soil. Cover with a layer of soil to 0.5 cm. Press lightly down and sprinkle with water. Cover with a sheet of glass and place in the cold frame. Once germinated, the glass can be removed. The seeds will germinate within a fortnight.
3. You could also simply plant some seeds in pots on the windowsill. Using a 9 cm diameter pot, plant up to three seeds per pot at nice regular intervals. Cover with a layer of soil to 0.5 cm. Press lightly down and sprinkle with water. Seeds in a pot on the windowsill will germinate within the week.

Do not allow the seedlings to dry out. You can thin the seedlings on seed trays once they are 3-4 weeks old and plant them in their final spot. Those in the garden will also need thinning out. One plant every 10 cm is ideal – make new rows with the extras you thin out.
 

Water extra in periods of drought. Mint flowers from July to September. Stand the pot in a sunny, partly shaded spot. Be aware that planted directly in the ground, mint has a tendency to spread! Prevent this by planting in the garden in its pot. Harvesting Pick your mint from June to November.

Just pick or snip of a stem of mint from the plant but do leave the centre alone. It is best to use scissors, or a sharp knife although pinching off between thumb and forefinger is fine - just be careful not to pull up the whole plant. Do not take too much from one plant. As long as new leaves appear, keep harvesting and you will be able to do this for months on end from one plant!
 

Peppermint was first discovered in England in the 17th century amongst other types of mint and thereafter spread to other temperate climes. This plant has commercial properties with its high concentrate of menthol oil and is used in teas and confectionery.

Mint is one of the Labiateaeceae family and its natural habitat is in marshy ground. There are many varieties of mint. This one (Mentha x piperita) is a natural hybrid of Water Mint (Mentha aquatica) and Spearmint (Mentha spicata). Mint is a fast growing perennial that flowers in the summer with purple blooms.