Mint is a perennial herb grown for its aromatic leaves. It's extremely easy to grow, with a range of delicious flavours to choose from. The leaves can be infused in hot water to make a refreshing tea, chopped and added to many dishes, or used to make mint sauce to accompany roast lamb.
Plant
Mint is very vigorous and will spread all over the place if planted in the ground. Given it's vigorous growth, there aren't specific instructions necessary on growing from a scratch, but there are a few practical principles to follow.
You should consider planting it in a pot filled with multi-purpose compost, to avoid it taking over your garden or allotment.
Mint generally likes full sun or partial shade, and watering regularly before and after planting.
Normally Mint plants grow well when planted between March and May in the UK.
Harvest
Mint leaves can be harvested from late spring and mid-autumn (May to October), before the shoots die back over winter. You should pick them regularly to ensure they produce lots of fresh new growth.
The leaves are best used fresh, but you can also freeze them for use in winter. Chop the leaves finely and pack into an ice-cube tray with some water, then freeze. Whenever you need some mint for a recipe, simply knock out as many ice cubes as you want and add to the pan.
Recommendations
Why not try Hydro Herb's Mint Kit? A hydroponic herb kit made from a recycled green wine bottle. Click here to view...
