Need some tips for growing mint? Look no further.
As many preppers know, having good health means more than just popping pills every day. In fact, ideally it means less pills and more healthy, natural foods that transform your health.
And few plants are as good for your tastebuds AND your body quite like mint.
Not only is mint crazy healthy for you – when SHTF you’re much more likely to find it growing in the wild than you are to find a Walgreens to pick up a prescription.
Mint’s natural healing properties have been healing abdominal pain, indigestion, nausea, and more for generations. And now you can grow your very own mint right in your survival garden.
However, it may not be as easy as you think. That’s why you’ll want to read these…
6 Survival Tips For Growing Mint
Choose Your Flavor
Two of the most common types of mint are spearmint and peppermint. This is mostly because chewing gum tends to come in these two flavors.
However, there are over 600 types of mint to choose from. And some, like Chocolate Mint and Pineapple Mint, may be more appealing than others.
Here’s a helpful video about growing mint (and choosing the right kind for you).
Borrow From Another Plant
One of the easiest ways to start your own mint garden is to clip a stem from another mint plant. Place the stem in water, and place it on the windowsill where it can get some sun. As it sprouts, roots will begin to form. And you’ll soon have your very own mint plant to transplant into a separate pot or garden.
Control Your Plant
Mint may look delicate, but it can actually be quite aggressive, growing and spreading quite rapidly until it takes over. This can be ideal for preppers (to an extent), since you know you’ll always have a huge supply available. However, you want to make sure you’re able to grow other things – without the mint plant taking over.
By keeping it under control you can restrain your mint plant and have it work FOR you rather than against you. This is often done by putting it in a raised pot or container, well-off the ground. This gives it a limited space to work with.
When planting, place them in rich, moist (not wet) soil and leave approximately an inch of mint plant out of the ground. Place it in a partially shady area, and watch it bloom.
Prune The Plant
Remember how mint can be aggressive? Well, you’ll want to prune it back in order to prevent overgrowth. You’ll know when this happens, since the mint leaves tend to become less flavorful.
To prune, simply trim the tips of the stems regularly. This will help keep the mint plant from getting out of control.
Know When To Harvest
It’s crucial to know when to harvest mint. Otherwise you’ll have to watch all your hard work go to waste.
The most important part of harvesting is to do it before frost. This is done by picking off the best mint leaves (if it’s planted in the ground), or by bringing the entire potted plant inside.
These leaves can now be chopped and put in some delicious iced tea, sprinkled over salads, added to chocolate for a flavorful twist, and more.
Or, to keep them for longer, dry the heaves and place them in a cool, dry, airtight container. Keep them out of air and sunlight to ensure the mint’s health properties and flavor remain intact.
Learn How To Identify Mint
Have a plant growing in your yard but aren’t sure if it’s mint? After all, with 600+ different mint varieties, it can be hard to know.
Luckily, every type of mint shares two main attributes in common, which makes it easy to identify. Check out the video to learn about what they are.
