Mint the magical herb

A popular herb for making candies, mint has many more uses than just playing with your taste-bud's.  This versatile herb has medicinal purposes as well as the culinary.  But something else most don't know is how important this wonderful smelling plant is in the garden..

So lets learn a little about Mint

Growing Mint:


There are many different varieties of mint, and they all have one big thing in common.  They are very invasive.  Now hold on thats not a bad thing....ok it can be but it can be controlled.  Mint is a wonderful container plant.  Check out this Pennyroyal plant:

A little wild and everywhere but....this plant in particular you want in a container and a container everywhere you may be.  Pennyroyal is a VERY strong scented herb.  (WARNING - PENNYROYAL IS NOT EDIBLE)  So strong scented in fact it is commonly used in aromatherapy.  But it true claim to fame is it mosquito repellent capabilities.  Yup those pesky bugs we deal with in the summer time hate this plant.  So although not grown for cooking....a very valuable plant.

Mint in general like I said is invasive.  You can plant in containers or in the ground.  If in the garden though you may want to plant it in a container that you also put into the ground.  Mint can also grow very very fast...so watch out.  They are also very hardy.  You may think they are dead....but keep watering and you would be surprised as to what may just come back.  Mint is also a perennial herb...yup thats right it keeps coming back.

Harvesting Mint:




Now for my favorite part of having mint growing in the garden.  You get up one morning and go to tend to your plants and instead of this:

A small tame mint plant you find this:

Mint over taking it's place.

Is this bad?  Goodness no....it just means you get to harvest.  Since it is morning get out those sharp herb cutters we call scissors and cut.  Now if you really want go ahead and cut all the way down to the dirt.  But I find (and it's recommended) that if you cut down to the last 2 sets of leaves on the stem...it stays bushy and will provide you will a lot more harvests.  Some people say not to harvest until you see blooms forming.  But I am impatient and have found no problem with harvesting before there is even a sign of a bud.  Course if you want seeds you have to let it go.  

In the morning the smell and the mint oil's are at their peak-est.  Meaning when you cut the stem you will smell it...and your fingers will for a while too.....hmmmmmm mint.

Harvested Mint leaves:

So now you have some fresh cut stems.  What to do now? Well if you want you can use some now.  You can put the stems into a cup of water and enjoy their fresh smell for up to a week.  Or you can always dry them..

Just look at those freshly cut mint stems.

There are 2 ways that you can dry them.  One is to gather these herbs by the base of the stem and tie them together.

Pretty much like this.  I like to use twist ties.

After that place them into a paper bag and hang in a cool dry place.  Make sure if you have more herbs drying you lable your bags with what and when.  Can get confusing.


Or if this just doesn't sound like something you want to do you can do my favorite way of drying them...is keeping them loose and putting them in laundry bags.....

Like these -  They are great for allowing air to flow around the herbs.  Making them dry more even and sometimes a little faster.  Also you can tell when they are done easier.  With out disturbing them as much.

Word of caution - Please make sure that you lable some how so you know what herbs are in what bag and when you put them there.  I know from experiance that oregano and mint look a lot alike when they are dry.  I put a # on each bag and then in a special notebook I write what I put in that #'d bag and when.  The when isn't always necessary unless you like to keep track of how often you harvest.  But it can also help you to know when to start checking to see if they are done or not.  Usually it takes about a week.  I hang mine in the laundry room.  It gets the least amount of sun, heat from furnace, and far less traffic.  Yes the dryer does add some heat to the air but it doesn't seem to effect them.

Once they are dry store them in an air tight container.  Glass is best.  I like to use the small Jelly canning jars.  They are seethru and hold a lot.  When you go to store them just the leaves.  The stems are not really edible.  A good way to tell if they are ready to store is if you run your fingers down the stem the leaves fall off.

Next:  Using your dried mint.