Mint is another of our must-have plants to grow. It is such a generous herb and can be used in so many ways. The first rule with mint is never to plant it into the ground otherwise you will end up with only mint in your garden. Instead, you must plant mint into a pot or container and use a different pot for each type of mint. If you mix them in together then you tend to get a muddled minty flavour after a couple of years. We recommend planting into pots that have a circumference of 25-30cm (8”-10”). Every couple of years in the spring, remove mint from the pot and split it to keep it fresh and flavoursome. If you don’t split it, the plant will get woody and not produce much foliage.
Mint grown in the UK is primarily one of two species: peppermint (Mentha xpiperita) and spearmint (Mentha spicata). Peppermint is a sterile hybrid of spearmint and water mint (M. aquatica) and has a different profile of volatiles from either parent. There are more than 120 varieties available.
Mint leaves vary in colour from light to dark green, can be variegated and also come in shades of yellow and red. The red tends to show as the leaves age, or in autumn. Mint will go dormant around December and will start to put on spring growth from March. If grown under glass, you can enjoy mint all year round.
Culinary mint can be used in so many dishes, both savoury and sweet. It pairs very well with vegetables, can be added to pesto sauces for a fresh zing, and is used in many lamb recipes. When chopped finely, the leaves are lovely in a salad, especially with watermelon. Make a delicious salad dressing, simply by infusing mint with olive or rapeseed oil. Leave in the fridge overnight to infuse and serve generously over your salad - we find black peppermint is best for this. Then of course no decent barman would be without mint for their cocktails, especially mojitos. When you are making cocktails, as you are mixing with sugar, it’s best to use Moroccan mint, as the leaves don’t break down as quickly and the flavour best matches the scent.
Medicinally, mint is used most to aid digestion (mint tea). Take care though if you suffer from acid reflux or hiatus hernia as it relaxes the oesophageal valve, which can then exacerbate those conditions. It can also be used to encourage the appetite for those who are off their food. The menthol content of mint makes it widely used as a decongestant and is also antispasmodic, antibacterial and antiparasitic. Do always take care when using mint for medicinal purposes, as it is a strong herb. Several cups of mint tea equate to a medicinal dose, so always take guidance from qualified naturopaths or herbologists.