Peppermintis a valued herbal raw material. The healing properties ofpeppermintare appreciated, as are its taste and aroma, thanks to whichpeppermint is also usedas an addition to many dishes and drinks. See whatgrowing peppermintlooks like in the garden and how to use its herb for medicinal and culinary purposes. Here's everything you need to know about peppermint.
Peppermint
Peppermint - properties
Peppermint(Mentha x piperita) is a natural hybrid of spearmint and water mint.It belongs to the perennials of the Bright family and is not found in the wild. Peppermint grows strongly and has a pleasant smell, it branches densely and grows up to 90 cm in height. Mint leaves are unevenly sharply toothed underneath, short hairy on the veins, and lilac-colored flowers appear in June-August. The fruit of peppermint is splitting.
Pepperminthas an extremely refreshing effect, so we find it more and more often in summer drinks. There are over 30 ingredients in peppermint oil, the main of which is menthol. It causes a slight cooling sensation and has a characteristic taste, smell and bactericidal properties. Mint leaves contain essential oils and vitamins A and C, flavonoids, rutin, tannins, phenolic acids and carotenoids that determine thehealing properties of mint
Good to knowPeppermint comes in many varieties with different flavors and aromas. We will sell pineapple, lemon, strawberry, chocolate, and even ginger or apple peppermint.
Peppermint - application
Peppermint is usedin medicine, where its leaves, herb and peppermint oil are used. Leaf extracts are used as a drug that improves digestion, has a relaxing, choleretic and choleretic effect. Peppermint leaves are used to treat gallstones and sore throats. In folk medicine, mint is known to heal ulcers and wounds. The peppermint leaf is used to make numerous galenic preparations - granules, tinctures, drops (mint, stomach), and the herb is used to produce the oil.
Mentholobtained from peppermintis used in the production of cosmetics, including toothpaste, mouth lotions, massage creams. Menthol is also found in ointments, lotions and powders used in dermatitis, as an antipruritic and analgesic. Menthol is also found in some perfumes.
In addition to its medicinal use,peppermint is usedin the food industry as a spice, ingredient in confectionery and chewing gum.Peppermint can be used fresh and dried as infusions, as an ingredient in salads, dips, sauces and drinks.
Peppermint - cultivation
The soil forpeppermint cultivationshould be sandy loam, loose and moist, rich in calcium, with a pH of 6.0 - 7.5. Peppermint prefers a slightly shaded position.
When choosing a place togrowing peppermint , take into account the fact that mint likes to expand. Very fast growth and lack of control can make the peppermint take over the entire bed, but we can prevent this from happening at the stage of planting the herb. One way is toplant the peppermintin a bottomless bucket, and another to surround the root ball with a low fence.
The peppermint herb is harvestedfrom mid-June (just before flowering) to August. We can tear off the leaves and cut the whole stems about 5 cm above the ground. Both materials can be dried at home, spread out in a single layer on clean and colorless paper in the shade or in an airy attic.
Peppermint is propagatedfrom cuttings in spring, before the flowering of the mother plant. In horticulture, a method of in vitro propagation of peppermint has been developed, which ensures the production of a large number of genetically homogeneous plants in a relatively short time.
Inthe cultivation of peppermintit is important to water it regularly and to nourish it with natural organic fertilizers, such as e.g. vermicelli, which can be used to feed mint during the entire growing season.
Ifwe grow peppermintin containers, it is worth to move it indoors before frosts or cover it with agrotextile, and place a piece of polystyrene under the pot, which will protect the plant from winter and frost.
Peppermint - sowing seeds
Peppermint can also be grown by sowing seedsMint seeds are sown from March to May in pots or in May directly into the ground. They need a temperature of 12 to 20 ° C to germinate.It is best to sow several seeds in one pot or hole in a flower bed, and then make an intermission, leaving the strongest seedlings. The recommended spacing between plants in the bed is 30x30 cm.
Potop-quality mint seedsvisit our guide. We have found for our readers the best varieties for amateur garden and allotment cultivation.
MSc
MSc Eng. Joanna Białowąs
