To mint, or not to mint

To mint, or not to mint, that is the question.

Mint: one of the greatest plants

I love mint. I love the smell, The taste, and how it grows. The mint plant is just so awesome. How could you not love this plant. Making tea? Put some mint in there. Baking? Throw some mint in there.

Why I like mint

When I was growing up, every year or so, my dad and I would go to Virginia to visit my grandmother. She had a huge yard, In front and back. When I went on my grandmothers back porch, there was this amazing, big mint plant. It was just so massive. It had an amazing aroma. The taste of the leaves was fresher, and more vibrant than any piece of gum.

What does mint do for you?

Mint is one of those smells that really brighten everything up. It makes your house smell a little more cozy with its inviting smell. Mint purifies your air. Not only does it recycle your breath, it will absorb toxins that are in your home. In the winter time, fresh clean air indoors is a must. After all inside air is dirtier then outside air.

How to grow mint

If I were you, I would get a large pot. About 5 gallons will do. Make sure that the pot has a basin, or dish for excess water to go. Put a good draining potting soil that has a high nitrogen level in the pot. Check out my guide to fertilizers. When you plant your mint, keep the exposure of the roots to the air at a minimum. Once your plant is in the soil, I like to give mine a bit of water. Just enough to make the soil a little more compact around the roots.

Sun for my mint

Mint likes the sun. About five hours of direct sun a day.

Growth and setbacks

Mint plants grow fast. This is a great thing though. If you use it in your tea, or cooking, you can use mint just about everyday. The more you use, the better your bush will look. I didn't use my bush for a few months, and it looks like a spider.

You will have some set backs if you over water, or poor water directly over the mint plant in large quantities. Your mint plant drinks a lot of water. But it also has a chance to drown if the roots stay too wet. The mint plant will bounce back though. So if you over water, just don't water for a week or two.

Propagation

Take a cutting of about three inches, and place it in water. Only about the bottom inch needs to be under water. The plant will root fairly quick. This will take about 10 days. Once you have some established root growth, go ahead and plant your new mint plant.