How to Grow Peppermint Herbs

Rendition of a Typical Peppermint Sprig

Peppermint is a very common herb that is used in many different types of cooking. It is also believed to be one of the world's oldest medicines. Archaeologists have found evidence to suggest that it was used as a remedy for stomach problems as much as 10,000 years ago. Genetically peppermint was found to be the hybrid offspring of watermint and spearmint. Whether this was the result of nature or human influences is as yet unknown. It was known to have originated in Europe and still grows prolifically there, but has since been spread throughout the rest of the world, where it is occasionally found in the wild.

Things You'll Need

• Peat
• Perlite
• Organic soil
• Plastic wrap
• Peppermint seeds
• Water
• Time activated fertilizer
• Generic water soluble fertilizer
• Small pots of 2-inch diameter
• Rubber bands

Instructions

1. Begin by obtaining peppermint seeds. This should not be difficult as they are commonly sold in garden departments and lawn care stores throughout the country. You should plant them sometime in early spring. Prepare their pots by mixing equal measures of peat, perlite and organic potting soil. Peppermint loves water but needs soil that drains well in order to avoid root rot.

2. Push one seed a half inch into the center of each pot. Water them all well, until water is draining out of the bases, and then cover the top of each pot with plastic wrap. Use rubber bands to secure the plastic wrap tightly in place. This will help maintain high humidity and soil moisture throughout the seeds’ incubation process. Leave the pots on a windowsill that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight each day. Check on them a couple times each week. They should sprout after two to three weeks.

3. Remove the plastic wrap from the pots once the peppermint has sprouted. Use a time activated solid fertilizer on each pot. It will come either in pressed bars that you push into the soil or beads that you water into the surface. Supplement this with a diluted liquid fertilizer every two weeks. Peppermint grows fast and needs a lot of nutrients. Water them daily and make sure they get at least four hours of direct sunlight each day.

4. Keep your peppermint herbs indoors in the pots you’ve placed them into to keep them at a manageable size. Plant them outdoors if you wish them to propagate more peppermint plants and grow much larger. They can survive in the poorest of soils once they’ve established themselves, so don’t worry about that. Make sure to plant them well away from any other species that you are trying to grow. They will grow aggressively and kill off any other species of plant in their midst if you allow them to.

Tips & Warnings

• Adding a little peppermint to medicine makes it much more palatable for children. Peppermint is also well-known for its ability to relieve stomach problems.

• The flowering heads and leaves of the peppermint are the portions of the plant containing peppermint oil in specialized glands. These parts should be harvested in the morning when the oil is most highly concentrated within these glands. This will ensure a more powerful and fragrant herb to add to your cooking.

• When storing peppermint seeds or leaves, make sure to keep them in tightly concealed containers well away from other herbs. Their odor can overpower and taint other herbs close in proximity