A guide on how to grow mints at home quick and easy

Mint plants as being herbal are useful to treat or relieve common diseases. Furthermore, these plants can be used for various purposes like cosmetics, food-recipe, etc. Let’s learn how to grow mint plants in your home easily. 

There are mainly two method of growing mints. 

• Soil Method.
• Water method

Soil method is a traditional method most of the people knows about it but today we well emphasize on how to grow mints over water only in less available space and without putting hands in dirt. Most of the people love this method.

Please check the following video for growing mint plant in home easily:

Introduction

Mint commonly known as Mentha is a fast-growing and aromatic herb plant. It is commonly used as a fragrance in fresheners, toothpaste, other cosmetic products, and flavoring agent in edible food products. It is estimated that there are 13 to 24 species of mint found all over the world. Mints are found to be cultivated across Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, South-Asia, and North America. Mints are generally used as air fresheners and herbal medicines.

Climatic Condition

Mint plants grow to their full potential in a moist but well-drained site. Most species of mint plants grow in a wet environment. Mints are preferable to grow in moist areas like near water, lakes, rivers, and cool moist spots in partial shade. Mint plants grow all year round and can thrive in any climatic condition. Mint plants prefer fertile soil with a pH from 6.0 to 7.0. The upper part of the mint plant dies off during winter, but it can regenerate during spring through its roots. One of the most robust rooted plant ever.

Specialties

1. Mint plants can grow up to a height of 1-2 feet tall.
2. It is a vigorous perennial plant.
3. Mint is a wide-spreading plant that can spread over an indeterminate area. So pruning is important for limiting growth.
4. Leaf colors of mint vary from dark green and gray-green to purple and sometimes pale yellow.
5. They are very fast-growing plants.
6. Can be grown in any pot, tray, cups, water only at your home, apartment, basement etc. with proper care. 

Planting Techniques for Water Method.

Get a bunch of mint branches from your nearby supermarket. 

Remove/separate the leaves from the base of the branch so the bottom part can be submerged in the water.

Take a tray and a foam sheet equal size to cover the top of tray.

Poke some holes on the styrofoam as well to hold the branches, this is to make sure half of the part remains over the water and half remains submerged.

Now, insert those mint branches through the hole, prune branches that touch the bottom of the tray.

Pour clean water into the tray and put the styrofoam on top of it. Make sure all the branches get dipped inside water.

Keep them like that at basement or balcony or any place where there is fresh air flow and the get light also. I started at basement.

After a few days, some leaves don’t survive, so it’s much better to remove them which have died and prune leaves which turn yellow during the process. Only continue with healthy leaves.

Replace water with fresh water in the tray regularly (around 5 days), if you don’t see much progress.

Make sure to place the tray where it receives a large amount of sunlight for healthy growth.

Shifted the tray from basement to upper floor room where it gets lots of light.

After 15 days, you can see the progress – make sure to replace dying branches with fresh ones. Check if the roots are white to make sure the plants are happy with the current situation.

Keep them in continuous observation 

Keep follow up on the mints. Here after 25 days, if you witness the plants growing however leaves and roots are not developing at a satisfactory rate, relocate them to partial shaded areas outside the house.

After relocation and 30 day from the beginning, you can see the roots and leaves are growing healthy finally after shifting form basement to room to outside.

After 35 you can see much more progress because once they grow healthy they grow at a rapid rate. Algae can affect the root and upper greenish at the root if direct sunlight fall on the roots, so maintaining partial shed is important.

If roots are white and leaves are dark green it is a clear sign that they are growing healthy.

You can harvest the mint at this stage.

After 50 days, prune some leaves off the top as they grow so vigorously. It is necessary to prune some of the branches so the plant can grow more branches and therefore yield more.

Even more number of roots can be seen in the image. 

Mango Shake Recipe

Take a bunch of mint leaves and clean it with clean water.

Take some grapes, almonds, and peel the skin of mangoes.

Chop all of them into small pieces.

Mix yogurt with milk.

Drop all mango pieces, add some sugar, and finally mix it in a juicer.

Pour it in a glass, and finally to top it off place grapes, almonds and mint leaves for the presentation.

Health Benefits

1. Freshens up your breath.
2. Aids indigestion.
3. Aids in relieving headaches, nausea, and nasal congestions.
4. Shields the body against harmful bacterial infections.
5. Reduces fatigue and mental stress.
6. Mint plants are very rich in nature.
7. Common cold and sore throat can be treated.
8. Very much preferable for pregnant women.

Nutritional Facts (Half an ounce (14 grams) of mint contains)

Source: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/mint-benefits#section4

• Calories: 6
• Fiber: 1 gram
• Vitamin A: 12% of the RDI
• Iron: 9% of the RDI
• Manganese: 8% of the RDI
• Folate: 4% of the RDI
• Protein: 3.6 gram

Interesting Fun Facts

1. Mints gives body a soothing effect during hot seasons if consumed properly. 
2. Mint can be termed as a symbol of “Hospitality & Wisdom”.
3. Mint is used to treat gastrointestinal problems from centuries ago.
4. Mint plants can survive more than two years in the wild.
5. The United States produces 70% of the total world’s mints.
6. The Romans believed consuming mint would increase intelligence.