How to grow mint on an industrial scale. Growing cucumbers in a greenhouse as a business. Preparing the landing site

The necessary greens are often grown in a greenhouse. One of these crops is lemon balm, which is familiar to many by its other name - lemon balm. In the photo you can see what this culture looks like.

The description of lemon balm will allow you to determine how it is needed and where it can be used. If you decide to grow such a fresh spice with a charming smell, you should familiarize yourself with the key principles of caring for it in advance. Experience shows that growing lemon balm is not difficult, even for young gardeners.

• Growing lemon balm - photo

Development of lemon balm planting

Developing a planting of long herbs is quite simple. But you should not forget that its germination rate is very low. In the last days of May or in the first days of summer, you will need to prepare cups or special boxes for planting material.

Germination of lemon balm seeds is not very good

Attention! Growing lemon balm in a greenhouse allows you to plant it directly in the ground.

When sprouts appear, they can be thinned out. This approach will ensure normal development and active growth spicy herbs. Optimal distance There is a gap of at least 5 cm between the sprouts.

Another main rule for caring for lemon balm plantings is to provide the crop with good lighting. It is recommended to install the box with seedlings as close to the light source as possible. Spicy greens respond excellently to unnatural lighting.

It will be especially necessary to use a lamp for lemon balm seedlings on cloudy days.

When planting, seeds do not need to be buried very deep.

In order for the seedlings to develop well, they can be planted in peat pots. For optimal growth of seedlings, it is possible to use nitrogen fertilizers. But it is much more serious to thin out the lemon balm in time. This will need to be done when the first leaves form.

It is fundamentally important to take into account that it is not customary to pick this culture. After about 40 days, lemon balm is planted on permanent place in the greenhouse, if this was not done immediately.

Preparing land for grass and using cuttings

Planting herbs has a sequence of twists. First of all, it is recommended to plant it in well-prepared soil. Earth is recommended:

• dig up;
• free from weeds, if any;
• fertilize with organic and mineral compounds.

It is extremely important that the substrate in the greenhouse does not turn sour. If such a possibility exists, it is recommended to provide the area with good drainage. To do this, it is possible to use small crushed stone or crushed brick.

If this problem is not eliminated, you may encounter death of the root and rotting of the lemon balm system.

Melissa seeds

Well-drained soil is the first step to successful crop cultivation. But we should not forget about the highlights of the soil. A good substrate for lemon balm is sandy loam neutral or slightly acidic soil.

Acidic soil is not suitable for growing lemon balm in a greenhouse.

Advice. If the soil in the greenhouse is acidic, you will need to add dolomite flour to the soil.

Because growing herbs from seeds is a very long and labor-intensive process, many gardeners prefer to use cuttings. It is recommended to remove them lower leaves. Myself planting material should be at least 15-20 cm in height. In just a couple of days, lemon balm produces roots if you put the stems in water to which a couple of drops of a growth stimulator have been added.

In most cases, after seven days the plant’s personal root complex is formed. It is already possible to plant such lemon balm in closed ground.

Lemon balm can be grown by cuttings

Key principles of crop care

As for caring for lemon balm, first of all it needs:

1. Systematic spraying (especially at elevated air temperatures and excessive dryness)/
2. Moderate watering.
3. Sufficient amount of light.
4. Availability of backlight.

It is optimal to plant lemon balm in the spring. To get a lemon balm harvest in the greenhouse winter period, it is worth planting in the last days of summer or early September. Along with this, it is recommended to provide the herb with a sufficient amount of natural sunlight and additional lighting.

Mint in a greenhouse requires good air humidity.

When sowing lemon grass, it is recommended to leave at least 25 cm between successions. If grass seedlings are used, they must be transferred to the ground at an age of at least 35 days.

The crop needs to be watered about 3 times every 8-10 days. In summer, watering should be plentiful; with the onset of cold weather, it must be reduced. The most important thing is to prevent liquid from stagnating in the soil.

Despite the fact that herbs love water, too much water can cause the crop to become sick or rot.

Sufficient air humidity is no less important for the lemon plant. On summer days, it is recommended to spray the grass with cool water. To do this, you should use a spray bottle. This procedure will provide lemon balm with strength.

Its pages will acquire an attractive coloring and become juicier and larger.

When the stems reach 20 cm in height, their tops are in most cases shortened. This avoids the formation and weakening of lemon balm color on it. By pinching, side shoots will begin to appear, resulting in a lot of foliage.

Lemon mint needs to be watered every 2-3 days.

The optimal temperature for lemon balm growth is 18-20 degrees. It must be remembered: sudden changes in temperature levels negatively affect the condition of the leaves of the crop. Heat is also detrimental to them.

As you can see, growing lemon herb in a greenhouse is a fairly simple and feasible task for most gardeners. The main thing is to provide the crop with a sufficient level of illumination and timely optimal moisture.

Melissa or lemon balm - video

Growing lemon balm - photo

How to grow basil, mint, lemon balm

How to MAKE MONEY by growing SPICY herbs. Full discussion of the topic. // Oleg Karp

Growing mint

Mint is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Lamiaceae family. Stems are annual, tetrahedral, branched, densely leafy. Branching and leaf arrangement are opposite. The leaves are petiolate, oblong or ovate, with sharply serrated edges. They have glands that accumulate essential oil.

The rhizome is branched, with nodes from the buds of which shoots and roots are formed. The flowers are small, collected in a complex spike-shaped inflorescence. The fruit is a nut. The weight of 1000 nuts is 0.065 g, mint is demanding of sunlight and moisture. Rhizome buds have virtually no dormant period. They begin to germinate at a temperature of 2..3 o C. This feature is one of the reasons for the death of rhizomes in winters with frequent and prolonged thaws.

Young shoots tolerate frosts down to -5...-8 o C. Mint is very demanding on the particle size distribution, structure and fertility of the soil. The best are lowland, floodplain, fertile black soils.

Mint varieties, suitable for long-term cultivation:

Mint variety Zagrava

High-yielding, winter-hardy, rust-resistant mint variety. The yield of whole dried plants at 55% humidity is 131 c/ha, the collection of essential oil is 79.6 kg/ha; menthol content in essential oil is 78%.

Mint variety Simferopol -200

High-yielding, winter-hardy, rust-resistant mint variety. The yield of whole dried plants at 55% humidity is 132 c/ha, the collection of essential oil is 80-126 kg/ha; menthol content in essential oil is 64.3%.

Mint variety Ukrainian peppermint

High-yielding, drought-resistant, rust-resistant variety. The yield of whole dried plants at 55% humidity is 114 c/ha, the collection of essential oil is 61.5%; menthol content in essential oil is 52.5%.

Mint variety Udaychanka

High-yielding, winter-hardy, lodging-resistant mint variety. The yield of whole dried plants at 55% humidity is 135 c/ha, the collection of essential oil is 65-86 kg/ha; menthol content in essential oil is 47-52%.

Mint, as a perennial crop, should be placed on irrigated non-crop rotation plots after winter grains, legumes and other early harvested crops. In the southern regions best time plantation bookmarks is autumn.

At this planting period, after harvesting the predecessor, the stubble is peeled, after 2-3 weeks plowing is carried out, under which organic and mineral fertilizers. Before planting, the soil is kept as steam. Immediately before planting, loosening is carried out to 14-16 cm.

In case of severe weed infestation, the herbicides treflan, sinbar, penitran, maloran, and trophy are applied under preplant cultivation. After planting, mint rhizomes are applied 10-15 days before germination for harrowing with Gesagard, Ronstar, Dactal, Depra, Goltix, Treflan, Stomp, etc. After this, if planting is done manually, furrows are cut 12-15 cm deep, the distance between which is 60 -70cm. Mechanical planting of rhizomes is carried out by MKM-2.4 or a converted cultivator - plant feeder KRN-4.2B with a PP-6 device, while hillers, rollers, platforms for rhizomes and places for planters are installed. After planting, rolling is carried out using ring-spur rollers.

You can plant mint early in the spring, and at a later time - seedlings. The seedlings should have 6-8 pairs of leaves and a length of 10 cm. SKN-6A seedlings equipped with a device for planting mint PRM-6 are planted. The distance between plants in a row is 15 cm. The rate of planting rhizomes is 1.5-2 t/ha, seedlings - thousand plants/ha.

In the spring, on plantations with a fall planting period, harrowing is carried out with light harrows across the rows. Harrowing is carried out when weeds appear. When the rows of mint are well defined, carry out the first cultivation at 6-8cm to maintain optimal humidity soils (80-85%) are irrigated. They are stopped 15-20 days before harvesting.

Mint is often left in one place for 2 years or longer. The duration of operation of mint plantings depends on the location of the site, the level of agricultural technology, the state of the plantings in the spring after overwintering, the degree of weediness, and other reasons. If it is planned to use the plantation for the second year, then in the fall or in early spring apply mineral fertilizers. In the spring, harrowing is carried out in two tracks. This technique is repeated after the emergence of mint shoots, when the plants reach a height of 3-5 cm.

In the area allocated for the third year's harvest, mineral fertilizers are applied in the fall (approximately 120 kg of NPK) and plowing is carried out with plows without skimmers to a depth of 20-22 cm in a unit with ring-spur rollers. Subsoilers or crevices are installed on the plow. In early spring, before the third year of mint grows, if there is heavy weed infestation, the field is sprayed with herbicides. In subsequent years of cultivation, organic matter and mineral fertilizers (30 kg NPK each) are added for plowing. On a perennial plantation, special attention is paid to protecting plants from rust.

Cleaning mint

Mint of the first year is harvested in the technical ripeness phase at 50% flowering on warm sunny days, since rainy, cool weather sharply reduces the collection of essential oil per hectare (by 35-40%).

Mint of the second and third years is harvested in the phase of mass budding - the beginning of flowering. Mowing is carried out with headers such as ZhVN-6, ZhRB-4.2, E-303. Plants dried in windrows after 24-48 hours, when the humidity drops to 55-60%, are picked up by windrows E-281, KPI-2.4, KSS-2.6 with simultaneous crushing and loading into a cube container KTT-18, and sent for processing.

Greenhouses are coming into fashion. Small shelters are installed on most personal plots, and some farms are erecting large structures intended for industrial cultivation. How to start? It's worth starting with comparatively small shelter of 50 sq. m.

With time farming can be expanded, erecting several more greenhouses ranging in size from 100 square meters. m. If you start a business in greenhouses, what is more profitable to grow?

In the summer, competition for greenhouse farms comes from private farmsteads and farmers growing plants. To reduce costs it is recommended to combine heated year-round designs with seasonal unheated ones, ideal for the warm season.

Greenhouses: what are they?

Greenhouses can be divided into many categories based on the type of heating, shape, size used for manufacturing. First of all shelters worth sharing on the:

• heated year-round structures;
• seasonal greenhouses without heating.

Seasonal shelters most often made from thick plastic film stretched over plastic or metal. Such a greenhouse can be collapsible, it can be easily dismantled and moved to another place. It is better to dismantle shelters for the winter, to plastic film not damaged by snow.

Capital winter greenhouses are being done more thoroughly. They are erected on a solid surface; in cold regions, recessing is recommended to help better retain heat.

Winter greenhouses can be pitched or arched, the design depends on the frame. For industrial cultivation, pitched options are recommended; if you use a greenhouse at home as a business, then convenient ones are suitable.

As a frame for capital winter greenhouses more often durable metal is used with anti-corrosion coating. A rarer option is those treated with special impregnation.

Double coating is used as a coating plastic film or tempered. Window double glazed windows not suitable for greenhouses, they are too fragile and short-lived.

The most modern and comfortable material for year-round greenhouses – . The sheets can be given any shape, they are easily bent and cut, and are not damaged by long-term operation. Polycarbonate transmits light well, at the same time protecting plants from sunburn.

For the normal development of plants, a greenhouse is needed. top scores gives combined system, combining several heat sources. It is possible to use electric boilers, potbelly stoves, air heaters, fires, as well as cheap biofuel. The greenhouse will be equipped with a system, vents for ventilation and curtains for shading in the summer heat. The costs of a greenhouse for a small business, in this case, will increase.

Crops for year-round cultivation

Specialists for greenhouse business there are a number of crops, especially suitable for growing in shelters. The characteristics of the plants are taken into account, as well as the profit from the greenhouse that their sale brings. What is profitable to grow in a greenhouse? What is more profitable to grow in a greenhouse for business? Various varieties come first, greens come second, and vegetables are an honorable third.

The leaders in the flower group are those are particularly productive, and demand for cut flowers is high throughout the year.

It is recommended to start the season by sowing seeds for seedlings, as well as planting early cultures: , herbs, lettuce. In April-early May, seedlings move into the greenhouse tomatoes, .

By this time, the soil should warm up well, but retain moisture. Early varieties can be harvested already in mid-summer, making room for new crops. Radish and others seasonal vegetables are sown several times, until September inclusive.

Rules for planting and growing

Pledge proper development of plants and high yield - fertile soil. The topsoil is replaced annually. In large industrial greenhouses It is recommended to update the soil after each harvest, that is, after 3-4 months.

The best substrate for greenhouses – a mixture of old garden or turf soil with humus, peat, river sand. This soil is suitable for most greenhouse crops. For greater nutritional value, it can be supplemented with wood (preferably birch) ash, as well as complex mineral fertilizer. It is not advisable to add complexes containing a lot of nitrogen, they develop abundant green mass to the detriment of fruiting.

Plants are planted without thickening; there should be at least 30 cm between bushes. Compact forms are chosen for greenhouses, not forming spreading branches or long lashes. It is convenient to plant indeterminate plants that require trellis mounting in high greenhouses.

All crops must be self-pollinating, since access of insects to the shelter will be limited. It is important to organize, mineral or organic fertilizers are applied to the soil every 2 weeks.

Are greenhouses profitable? A properly organized greenhouse is the key to a good harvest. Her organization and operation is not cheap, however, when correct operation the design will pay for itself within a year. Greenhouse built from quality materials, does not require annual repairs and lasts several seasons without problems.

Useful information in the video about business ideas for greenhouse cultivation of various crops:

To the question Growing mint asked by the author Batyanka Kurchieva the best answer is I beg you - just don’t go to the greenhouse!! Mint is basically a weed. If you have someone to take a piece of rhizome or a lump of earth with them, stick it anywhere and it will fill everything around. I have already made all my neighbors happy)) I grow 3 types of mint. I'm tired of limiting her. I prepare it for myself, for friends, relatives, parents, I take it to work for everyone... And one bush grows on the corner of the greenhouse. The rhizomes sensed that it was better inside and rushed there. For 2 years in a row we have been digging this bush out of the greenhouse along with its roots, but it still grows)) And so in different places I leave it in the beds, in the cucumbers.
Unknown
(983)
Yes, in the same year - as soon as it blooms, it is cut off.

Answer from 22 answers[guru]

Hello! Here is a selection of topics with answers to your question: Growing mint

Answer from Eurovision[guru]
It is unpretentious, and it is necessary to fence off the space, its roots grow strongly...

Answer from Dazed[guru]
Mint perennial. Plant in open. soil and collect mint every year.

Answer from Olya Isakova[guru]
It grows near my house, I’m not in square meters I grow it, there is enough for seagulls, you don’t need a lot of it, it will grow quickly.

Answer from Idle[guru]
We planted our own plants and borrowed them from friends. It grows well.

Answer from Hope[guru]
you don’t need it in the greenhouse! Plant it in the OG at the edge of the garden - it tolerates partial shade normally. It is better to take a cutting than to struggle with seeds (perennials do not germinate very well). It grows VERY quickly

Answer from Lyudmila Klochkova[guru]
and plant lemon balm. It's called lemon balm. The plant is not whimsical and people love it very much. There is no need for a greenhouse for it and it grows well. perennial plant.

Answer from Elena Zubkova[guru]
for sale?

Answer from Aleks aleks[newbie]
Yes, there is no salvation from this mint. I have strawberries growing at the entrance to my yard in front of me - I’m tired of cutting them and digging them up. Just like a weed...

Answer from Elena Ivanova[guru]
There are many types of mint. You will want to collect and plant different ones. There is no need to go to the greenhouse, it unpretentious perennial. Limit space; it multiplies very quickly. If you want to cut early greens, you can cover them with film. And so, in May we are already tearing up with might and main.

Answer from Nellya Alpatova (Yatkevich)[guru]
What an unpretentious perennial! This is a terrible weed. It will give wheatgrass a hundred points head start. It's crawling, you can't stop it. My mint started growing on its own, maybe it was blown by the wind. One plantation grows next to strawberries, the other in a flower garden. Without pity I tear it up all summer long, along with the roots. Still growing. I beg you, don't plant her in the greenhouse. It will be easier to rearrange the greenhouse later than to remove the mint!

Mint has long been recognized as a miraculous plant throughout the world. The unusually pleasant, refreshing aroma and piquant taste have made mint popular in many regions of Europe, America and Asia. Its peculiarity is its versatility of use in cooking, cosmetology, medicine, alcoholic beverages, tobacco industry and other areas. Beneficial features essential oils, biologically active compounds and other nutrients, contained in mint, are unique and cannot but surprise.

This perennial herb has spread to most countries of the world since temperate climate. Enough unpretentious plant, mint is easy to propagate and grow at home. This does not require any special skills; any amateur gardener can master the process. But the result obtained in a garden bed or in a flower pot will bring a lot of pleasure. Mint tea, tonic drinks, meat and fish dishes, cosmetic lotions and rinses, medicinal lotions and decoctions, homemade mint soap - this is a small list of uses for fragrant green mint leaves at home.

How to grow and harvest mint? What care should be provided for her optimal growth and development? Where can mint be used? All these and many other questions will be answered in the article below.

Mint, plant description

Mint is a representative of the genus of perennial herbaceous plant of the Lamiaceae family. The distribution area is quite wide throughout the world. Known since ancient times, the herb is named after the goddess of Mount Mente, whom Persephone, out of jealousy for her husband, turned into a fragrant plant - mint.

This is a perennial plant, quite winter-hardy, moisture- and light-loving with a powerful root system. The height of the bushes varies from 30 cm to 1 meter, depending on the type of mint and growing conditions.

The plant has a tetrahedral, hollow, branched and densely leafed stem.

The leaves are oblong, ovoid, sharply serrate along the edges, and are capable of accumulating essential oil in special glands.

The rhizome of the plant is highly branched, with nodes from which additional shoots and roots are formed. The rhizome buds have a short dormant period and begin to germinate already at zero temperatures. This feature is one of the reasons for the death of roots in winters with prolonged thaws followed by persistent frosts.

The flowers are small, light lilac in color, collected in inflorescence spikes. Mint blooms from late June to September. The fruit consists of four nuts, but is formed extremely rarely.

Mint contains essential oil containing menthol, phellandrene, pinene, pulegone and other valuable organic compounds. Mint leaves are rich in ascorbic acid (up to 25 mg/100g), carotene (12 mg/100g) and rutin (13.8 mg/100g), contain trace elements, tannins, flavonoids and other biologically active substances.

The mint genus has about 25 species and more than 10 natural hybrids. All types have a strong pleasant aroma, and most contain organic matter– menthol with a characteristic refreshing and cooling effect. Different types mints differ in aroma and taste, which is due to the difference in their chemical composition.

Types of mint

The most popular and widespread types of mint:

• Peppermint

It is considered the most famous and recognized type of mint. This cultivated plant obtained by hybridizing two wild mint species: water mint and garden mint. Perennial, from Latin name Mentha piperita, contains a large number of essential oils and menthol. Thanks to its specific, slightly hot and cooling taste, mint received the name “pepper mint”. It is also called “English” because it was developed in England in the 16th century.

Peppermint leaves are bright green in color, the roots lie in the soil at a depth of about 15 cm. The plant blooms almost all summer with small purple flowers. Propagated vegetatively: by sections of rhizome or cuttings with several internodes.

The plant is widely used in the pharmaceutical, chemical, perfume and food industries. It is considered a valuable honey plant and phytoncide.

Peppermint comes in interesting varieties: lemon mint - with a lemon aroma, Thuringian mint - with a strong menthol smell.

• Field mint

Mentha arvensis - field mint - is a wild species widely distributed in forests and wooded areas throughout Europe. The variety has been known since the times of Kievan Rus, where it was used as a spice and medicine. In common parlance it was often called: “dog mint”, “deaf mint”, “horse mint”. A moisture-loving plant, prefers growing places near reservoirs, rivers or lakes. The perennial reaches an average height of 50 cm, although there are specimens that have grown in favorable conditions up to 1 meter. The stem is straight, branched, pubescent. Fresh leaves contain ascorbic acid, carotene, flavonoids, tannins, and organic acids. The variety is quite frost-resistant and can be cultivated in the garden.

Field mint has found its use in the food industry as a seasoning for preparing a variety of dishes. Fresh and dried mint leaves are brewed as tea or other tonic drinks.

Thanks to medicinal properties, mint is used as an analgesic and anti-inflammatory agent.

Essential oil is used in perfumery to prepare an extract for the production of toothpastes, powders, essences, elixirs, and eau de toilette.

One of the varieties of field mint, Japanese mint, is widely cultivated in Japan, India, China, and Latin American countries. It is valued due to the high content (up to 90%) of menthol in essential oil.

• Water mint

A moisture-loving plant, which in nature is mainly found near bodies of water and therefore received the appropriate name. Mentha aquatica, water mint, has stems creeping at the base, then turning into erect and branched shoots. The variety is considered a valuable cultivated plant.

Possessing a rich, pleasant aroma, it is widely used in the perfume industry.

Like any type of mint, it is used as a flavoring in the preparation of a variety of dishes and drinks.

One of the varieties is bergamot mint, which has a pleasant lemon or orange scent. In addition, valuable bergamot oil is obtained from it.

This type of mint is widely used by breeders to develop new varieties.

• Longleaf mint

Name of mint, Mentha longifolia , characterized by the presence of long (up to 20 cm) oblong-ovate leaves in the plant. A tall perennial with an erect and branched stem, completely covered with soft grayish hairs.

The species is winter-hardy, unpretentious and drought-resistant. Prefers open sunny areas and can reproduce by seeds.

Mint is collected in the period preceding mass flowering, cutting off the stem at a height of 10 cm from the soil level. After harvesting, this type of mint grows back beautifully and produces a second harvest.

Longleaf mint is widespread in the wild throughout Europe and Asia.

Possessing a pleasant, delicate aroma, mint has found its use in the food, alcoholic beverage and perfume industries. It is also used in the making of soap and toothpastes.

IN folk medicine mint is used as a sedative, antiseptic, anticonvulsant, analgesic, diaphoretic and expectorant, as well as to improve the digestion process. For diathesis and rickets, children are prescribed baths with mint decoction.

Being a good honey plant, it provides honey collection up to 300 kg/ha.

• Curly mint

A perennial herb with oval leaves ending in a wavy, curly edge, Mentha crispa, also called curly mint, garden mint, or German mint. This is prefabricated cultural species, of hybrid origin. It differs from other species by its pungent odor. The content of a large amount of essential oil provides spearmint with a leading position in the food, alcoholic beverage, perfume and tobacco (tobacco flavoring) industries.

• Flea mint

It got its unusual name (Mentha pulegium) from its use as a flea repellent. The species is widespread throughout Europe, Asia and America, and has been known since ancient times. A low-growing, creeping plant with branched and recumbent stems does not tolerate frost and needs additional shelter for the winter. Mint is propagated by seeds sown annually.

Flea mint essential oil contains 75 to 90% pulegone, an organic compound that is a common component of essential oil, as well as menthol, limonene, and dipentene. This type of mint with a rich aroma and taste is popular in cooking and in the preparation of many dishes, especially meat.

• Apple mint

It has a delicate, pleasant and unobtrusive mint taste with an apple or pineapple tint. Mentha rotundifolia is a perennial hybrid, reaching a height of about 50 cm. The species is quite resistant to cold, although it is inferior in this regard to peppermint. Thanks to its taste and delicate aroma, mint is very popular among chefs all over the world. It is not bitter and does not give a cooling effect, which makes it completely different from other types of mint.

• Spearmint

A hybrid species, Mentha spicata, is very similar to spearmint. It reaches an average height of 60-100 cm, covered with curly, wavy leaves with a purple tint. Pink flowers collected in false whorls, forming spikelets on the tops of the shoots. Unlike peppermint, it reproduces well by seeds.

One of the oldest spicy plants, the species is popular in Europe to this day. In Rus', this mint has long been added to kvass, and in America its leaves are indispensable in the preparation of chewing gum. Due to their beautiful aesthetic appearance, mint sprigs are often used to decorate dishes.

• Sweet mint

Perennial plant (Mentha suaveolens,) capable of active and rapid growth. Distinctive feature species - the presence of small and wrinkled leaves with a white edging along the edge of the leaf blade. The aroma of fragrant mint resembles the unusual and exotic smell of pineapple, which is why it is often called “Pineapple mint”. Moreover, than younger plant, the stronger the pineapple aroma, and the older you get, the typical mint smell becomes more pronounced. The plant is short (up to 30 cm), can reproduce by seeds, and is winter-hardy.

There are also quite a large number of types of mint with different shades of pleasant, subtle aromas and unusual tastes: chocolate, ginger, banana, apple, orange, pineapple, currant and mixed compounds. For their successful cultivation, it is important to know the features of reproduction and care.

Mint propagation

Mint propagates in two ways: seeds and vegetatively.

Seed method of propagating mint

How to grow mint from seeds? The seed method of growing mint is quite popular and uncomplicated among experienced gardeners, however, is not applicable to all types of mint.

• They buy seeds in a specialized store, often choosing varieties such as Peppermint or Lemonmint. These species have a pronounced taste and aroma, and do not require any special care.
• You can sow seeds as follows: open ground, and in pots. Mint seeds are quite small, which causes some inconvenience when sowing them. It is recommended to press them lightly into the soil, sprinkling them lightly with compost or soil.
• Seeds are sown to a depth of about 0.5 cm in the soil. It is important to provide good lighting and the optimal temperature for germination of mint seeds - 20-25 °C. To do this, additionally, you can cover the container with the seeds with cling film and periodically expose it to the sun. Also, several times a day, you need to open the film slightly for ventilation to prevent the seeds from rotting.
• It is better to water the planted seeds with a sprayer so as not to disturb the location of the seeds and prevent stagnation of moisture.
• If all conditions are met, the first shoots begin to appear after 2-3 weeks.
• When the seedlings grow up, they are transplanted into large pots(with a diameter of at least 8 cm) and placed in cooler conditions to gradually acclimatize the plant to external conditions. After 7 - 10 days, you can start planting mint outdoors.

A plant grown from seeds grows and develops more slowly than when vegetative way reproduction. On the other hand, the stems and leaves of mint grown by seed remain tender, thin and not roughened for a long time (while the mint grows).

At seed propagation There are also risks of cross-pollination, where the mature plant will look different from the originally chosen mint variety, especially if it is a hybrid.

Vegetative method of propagating mint

• They practice the propagation of mint using root cuttings, on which there is at least 1 bud and at least 3-5 emerging leaves. This method ensures complete transfer of the hereditary properties of the variety. The separated root cuttings are simply dropped into the hole (rows) in a new place, providing moderate watering, sufficient light and an air temperature of about +5-10°C and above.
• To propagate mint, use stem cuttings plants. In the spring, cut a branch of about 7-10 cm with an internode and place it in water or in a damp cotton-gauze pad in a warm, bright place. It is also practiced to drop cuttings into moistened sand. When white roots appear, continue to keep the cuttings in water for several more days until the roots increase in size to 8-10 mm. Then they are planted in the prepared place.
• Propagation of mint is possible with the help of a simple dividing the bush when the dug plant is divided into several full-fledged ones individual parts, after which they are planted in the soil. It is important to track the presence of full buds or several shoots with roots in each part. When planting a daughter bush, it is better to cut off its above-ground part about five centimeters from the ground so that it takes root better.
  Within two weeks, tender green young leaves will appear on the planted plants. This means that the plant has taken root and can be additionally fed (1 - 2 grams of urea per 1 liter of water).

The vegetative propagation method promotes rapid and active growth of the plant, although the stems will no longer be as tender as young shoots from seeds.

Planting mint: agricultural technology and necessary conditions

Preparing the landing site

• Before planting mint, you need to decide on the planting location: be it a flower pot or open ground.
• Mint is a plant that is demanding good lighting, moderate humidity and good soil composition. It is also better to avoid drafts and choose a place protected from winds.
• The plant prefers fertile and loose priming. The most optimal are fertile black soil in the floodplain of a reservoir. But heavy clay soil, with constant stagnation of moisture, will not be suitable for growing mint. Calcareous soils also negatively affect the intensity of the mint aroma.
• Plant mint on open areas possible in spring, summer and autumn. In areas with cold winters, mint is planted in the spring (April-May) so that its buds, which germinate already at 2-3 °C, are not damaged by frost. In the southern zone, on the contrary, autumn planting is recommended.
• When choosing a place for planting, it is important to take into account the degree of growth of mint, which may well displace other cultivated plants.
• So, choosing open sunny plot before planting mint, it is necessary to clear it of weeds, loosen it and add, if necessary, organic (3 kg of humus per 1 m²) and mineral fertilizers (superphosphate, ammonium nitrate and potassium chloride 15 g per 1 m²). To prevent or destroy pests, the ground is first watered with a solution of potassium permanganate.
• The best predecessors of mint are vegetable crops, legumes, perennial grasses, fertilized, in due time, with organic matter (manure, compost).

Technology for planting mint in pots

• A ready-germinated seedling is planted in a pot or grown directly from seeds. It is easier to plant mint seedlings prepared in advance. Planting is carried out in spring or autumn.
• A drainage layer is placed at the bottom of the flower pot to prevent the roots from excess moisture. Just like for anyone else flower plant, at the bottom of the pot there are holes through which excess moisture will drain into the tray.
• It should be noted that clay pots help the soil dry out faster. And in winter time, in a heated room, dry air will further dry out the soil in the pot. Therefore, most often, plastic pots or containers are used for planting mint. The diameter of the pot must be at least 30 cm, taking into account the subsequent growth of the plant.
• When growing mint at home, you need to monitor temperature conditions in the room. A bright, warm place will have a beneficial effect on the growth and development of perennials. If it is too cold near the window, you need to find a more suitable and comfortable place for mint.
• In dry air conditions, mint will “rejoice” at a damp “shower” from a spray bottle. But with a lack of light, the content of essential oils in mint leaves decreases, the aroma weakens and the stems, stretching out, may even die.
• The soil for the pot must be fertile; it is possible to combine soil with fertile compost. Peat-based mixtures are also perfect. Having filled a third of the pot with the prepared mixture, place the seedling in the pot and add the remaining soil mixture. To support the planted shoot, you can use special flower supports.
• At seed method, after dense sprouts appear, some of them can be moved to another container. However, when removing plants you should be extremely careful, since the root system of young mint is still very delicate.

When growing mint using the pot method, they often use seeds. Thus, they will appear on the windowsill and will delight all year round, young and fresh shoots of fragrant mint.

Mint takes root very well and can be grown at home throughout the year. In summer, it is better to place the pots on the balcony, avoiding direct burning sun rays. In winter, pots look spectacular on a well-lit windowsill.

For culinary purposes, spearmint is often chosen due to the lack of a cold menthol taste, as in peppermint.

Apple mint, having a delicate taste and aroma, does not give a bitter taste when heated, so it is added to compotes, jam and jelly.

Field mint is an excellent aroma addition to tonic drinks.

Technology for planting mint in open ground

• The technology for planting mint in a personal plot is in many ways no different from growing it on a windowsill. Having prepared the soil appropriately, as indicated above, you can proceed directly to planting.
• Mint is planted in furrows up to 10 cm deep, maintaining a distance between rows of at least 40 cm, and between plants in a row of about 30-40 cm. After sprinkling the shoots with soil, the beds need to be watered.
• To make the plant bush better, at a height of about 20-25 cm, pinch the upper parts of the shoots. By continually removing mint flowers, you can ensure maximum leaf growth for later harvesting.

Mint is grown in one place for 3 to 5 years, then, in order to improve the health and rejuvenation of the plant, it is better to change the bed.

When planning to grow mint in your garden, you need to remember about its ability to actively grow. Creeping rhizomes quite quickly and aggressively occupy new spaces around. To avoid such growth, you can initially protect its root system by burying restrictive strips of iron, plastic or slate to the depth of the rhizomes.

Mint is a relatively unpretentious plant that grows and reproduces on its own. in the garden bed.

• When planting and caring for mint, you need to take into account that this perennial is a moisture-loving and light-loving plant. Watering is needed in moderation, avoiding waterlogging and drought.
• When caring for a plant, it is enough to weed the bed to remove weeds, loosen the soil and water as needed. The soil should be light and crumbly.
• For getting more green mass, in the spring, as the shoots grow, it is recommended to carry out severe pruning - the mint will bush better.
• Spring feeding complex fertilizers(humus, nitrogen-phosphorus mineral supplements, potassium salt) will only improve the growth and development of the plant.
• Mint can grow optimally on sandy and loamy soil with sufficient humus and moisture. The plant does not tolerate waterlogging.
• In conditions of frosty and little snowy winters, you can cover the mint with dry leaves, sawdust or spruce branches with a layer of 15-20 cm. Such measures will prevent the plant from freezing.

Caring for indoor mint, differs depending on the time of year.

• In summer, pots of mint are placed on the balcony, providing plenty of sunlight(avoiding direct sunlight) and systematic moisturizing. Water better water room temperature, periodically spray the leaves with a spray bottle. During this period, you can feed the mint with urea once (1 g/1 l of water).
• In winter, it is important to avoid overwatering the plant, excessive cooling and drafts. During this period, plant growth slows down and the smell weakens. Therefore, it is better to move the pots to southern windows.
• After 2-3 years, you need to replant the mint bush, as the roots grow strongly and they become crowded in the flower pot.

Disease and pest control- an integral part of mint care in case of infection.

• Spider mites, root weevils, aphids, whiteflies and slugs are a small list of pests that can spoil or destroy a mint plant.
• To prevent diseases, ensure air circulation and soil drainage.
• If harmful insects are found on the plant, if possible, they should be removed and treated with plant protection products. When processing mint, pay attention to the timing (indicated on the medicine) at which it will be possible to harvest an environmentally friendly mint harvest after spraying it with an insecticide.
• When mint is damaged powdery mildew (white coating on foliage), the plantation is thinned out and sprayed with a 1.5% solution of colloidal sulfur with the addition of 40 g of liquid (potassium) or green soap to 10 liters of solution.
• Plants infected with rust (red spots on the underside of the leaf) must be removed.

Collection and storage of mint

Leaves for drying are collected in the first year of plant growth. They need to be collected before the mint flowering period, when they accumulate maximum amount useful substances and essential oil. Dry the leaves in the shade to better preserve the aroma and taste. They should be stored in a dry, dark and cool place (for example, in a closed jar or paper bag). The leaves are kept whole or ground into powder; you can also dry mint with whole sprigs.

Fresh, green shoots can be stored for some time in the refrigerator on damp gauze or cloth.

Application of mint:

Food supplement

Mint is added as an aromatic seasoning to meat, fish, sweet dishes, salads and drinks (tea, lemonade). They produce pleasant-tasting, minty chewing gum, candies and others confectionery. Mint is also used as a flavoring in liqueurs, homemade tinctures, and vodka.

Medicine

A tonic, sedative that can stimulate brain function and relieve nervous tension. Eliminates bad smell from the mouth, restores healthy sleep. Longleaf mint is used for stomach diseases, jaundice, dropsy, colds, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, and heart diseases. Externally, an infusion of this type of mint is used for ulcers in the mouth and stomatitis, ear pain, abscesses, and for gargling with sore throats. The analgesic and antiseptic properties of the plant are known; mint essential oil relieves vascular spasms, headache and successfully fights colds. Eye compresses with mint decoction will be useful for people who spend a lot of time in front of the computer. Peppermint oil is an anthelmintic. Widely used in the pharmaceutical industry.

Perfumery

Peppermint essential oil is added in the manufacture of perfumes, in the process of soap making and in the preparation of toothpastes, shampoos, creams and powders. Moreover, in the production of, for example, toothpastes, not only the refreshing properties of mint are used, but also its disinfecting qualities. Mint (menthol) is also used to flavor tobacco.

Cosmetology

Menthol oil, widely used in cosmetology, is obtained from mint. Aromatic baths, creams and cosmetic ointments are widely popular.

Honey plant

Mint is valued as an excellent honey plant that attracts bees. Mint honey is healing and has a special aroma, color and taste.

Almost all types of mint are used by humans. Variety of all shades of smell and taste different varieties mint allows you to experiment and apply it in various areas of human life.

The world of mint is amazing and attractive. This perennial is a must have on your garden or windowsill. How to easily grow mint at home was described in detail in the article. Caring for mint is not complicated and not burdensome, but you will always have at hand not only fresh and tasty greens, rich in vitamins, improving sleep, memory, increasing the body's defenses, but also just a beautiful-looking bushy plant. And the taste of the dishes will be enriched with spicy and unique notes. In addition, fresh leaves contain much more useful substances than dried ones. And, in general, green mint bushes in the house have a positive effect on a person’s mood and well-being.

Video: How to grow mint on a windowsill