Herb of the Month: Mint

Refreshing, Versatile Mint

If you want to grow an herb that thrives well and is difficult to kill, look no further than mint (botanical name Mentha). The many varieties of mint--peppermint, spearmint, apple mint and other fruit mints, even chocolate mint--are easy to grow and, once established, will produce copious amounts of fragrant leaves.

Growing Mint in the Garden

Again, mint is easy to grow--perhaps too easy. This herb can be invasive, so it's a good idea to plant it in a pot so that it doesn't take over the entire garden. Make sure the herb receives direct or partial sun, as well as plenty of water: it is all but impossible to over water mint. Some people I know plant mint right underneath a dripping water faucet, for example.

By Mokkie (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Harvesting and Using Mint

Pick leaves as needed, preferably before 10:00 a.m.--or before the day's heat arrives-- on the day you need them. Mint can be steeped in tea and enjoyed in its own right, or it can be taken for stomach upset and flatulence, among other stomach ailments. Mint can also be bruised and added into a sugar syrup: this sugar syrup can be added to various homemade desserts and candies, as well as the famed Mint Julep. And let's not forget about mint jelly.

Even sniffing the bruised mint leaves can be beneficial. The other day, the air conditioner in my house decided that it was a good day to die. While waiting for the air conditioner to be fixed, I found that sniffing mint leaves made it seem as if I were cooler: this is a handy psychological trick.

If there is a perfect herb, mint would be it. Happy gardening, and bon appetit!