Mint is best known as an aromatic herb that is commonly used in drink mixes and desserts. We will tell you what is important when it comes to overwintering and propagating mint.
As early as around the year 800, Charlemagne prescribed, among other things, four types of mint to be grown in the gardens of his empire. However, mint has not been forgotten and is still grown in many gardens today. In the following article you will learn how to overwinter mint, how to propagate it and whether mint can be poisonous to pets.
contents
- Mint: flower, origin and properties
- Overwinter mint properly
- Multiply mint: offshoots, cuttings and co.
- Is mint toxic to cats or dogs?
Mint: flower, origin and properties
To the genus of mints (mentha) count more than twenty different species. As a mint family (Lamiaceae), mints are associated with other famous garden herbs such as rosemary (Rosmarinusofficinalis), thyme (thymus) or the real lavender
(Lavandulaangustifolia) related. Most are at home types of mint in areas in the northern hemisphere with a moderate climate like in our latitudes. What Plant species and varieties differs, we took a closer look in an extra article.
Mint is a herbaceous, perennial plant that grows an average of about 0.5 to 1 meter high, depending on the species. The inflorescences of mint are mostly false whorls, which, like the bell-shaped, tube-like individual flowers, are typical of lamiaceae. Depending on the species, the mint flowers between May and October in white, pink or purple, depending on the species. The mint flowers have a medium to good nectar value and are particularly important for butterflies. After flowering, so-called Klausen fruits form from the flowers, which break down into four individual seeds. Since mint often grows near water in the wild, the partial fruits are usually spread by hydrochory, i.e. with the help of water.
The egg-shaped to elliptical-shaped, mostly serrated leaves of the mint stand out due to their intense smell, which can cover a wide variety of aromatic directions, depending on the species. More than a thousand years ago, mint was cultivated specifically to be used as a spice or to be brewed into a tea. The great thing is that mint is a very grateful plant that thrives in your own garden with little gardening skill. You can also use it in your garden plant mintYou can find out what you need to consider in our extra article.
What is the difference between spearmint and peppermint?
Especially have mint and peppermint (mentha x piperita) the difference that the term mint refers to an entire genus and peppermint is only one species of this genus. Peppermint, like other mints, stands out above all because of its sharper taste.
Overwinter mint properly
When it comes to cold temperatures, mint tends to be very hardy and by itself doesn't require any special protection. Mint is hardy down to -15 °C. However, to be on the safe side when overwintering mint, you can also protect the mint from frost. On the one hand, the parts of the plant that die off in autumn can only be cut back in spring and left as protection over the winter. Additionally, you can cover the mint with twigs or foliage. If you have the plants in the pot and want to overwinter the mint, you can wrap it with garden fleece, for example, to prevent the pot from freezing through. We have summarized further tips for the correct care of mint for you in a separate article.
Multiply mint: offshoots, cuttings and co.
As with many plants, seedlings are a way to propagate mint. Not all species can be propagated from seed, seed of some types of mint however, is commercially available. To harvest your own seeds, cut off the withered stalks of the fruit and lay them out on kitchen paper or newspaper to dry. After a few days, you can crush the seeds and collect the seeds. The seeds should dry a bit before storing them in a cool, dark place.
The mint plant also forms fleshy roots, so-called stolons. These can be dug up after the flowering period, divided and grown as independent plants. Mint often forms offshoots on its own, which can be separated as soon as they are sufficiently rooted. They are then planted, and they should be watered well after planting.
If you already have a larger mint plant, you can also propagate it by division. To do this, you need to cut off part of the mint with a spade and replant it in another place.
Another quick and promising way to multiply mint is to multiply cuttings. The best way to do this is to take the tips of the shoots, so-called head cuttings, from the mint in late spring and plant them in suitable soil like ours Plantura Organic Herb & Seed Soil plugged. To loosen up the soil a bit, you can mix it with about 20% sand. If the humidity is high, the new mint will be rooted within two to three weeks.
tip: As Harvest and cut mint, we explain in detail in our special article.
Is mint toxic to cats or dogs?
Mint is generally considered non-toxic to humans and animals, with one exception: Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium). The active ingredient in pennyroyal is called pulegone and, by irritating the digestive tract, can lead to vomiting, an increase in blood pressure or anaesthetic-like paralysis, and in high doses even death. The wild pennyroyal is highly endangered in Germany and threatened with extinction and is not one of the classic cultivated mint species.
Mint essential oil should also be used with caution on pets as it can cause nausea and vomiting.
Did you know that mint can be enjoyed all year round? How one Preserve mint by drying or freezing can be found in our special article.