Can mint be grown at home?

Its aroma is one of the most recognizable and beloved, the leaves are present in the kitchen supplies of almost every housewife, and its natural properties help relieve nervous tension and restore a healthy sound sleep.

is it possible to grow mint at home

Mint is a herb that has earned the respect of culinary craftsmen and experts in traditional medicine. How to grow mint at home yourself?

Characterized by jagged leaves and tiny pink, purple, white flowers, the perennial is widespread in the wild and cultivated horticulture. At home, mint is not a capricious and easily adaptable plant.

Vegetative growing method

How to grow mint at home? The most common method of propagation is vegetative, in which cuttings or rhizome cuttings with shoots can be used.

is it possible to grow mint at home

To obtain a cutting in the summer from an adult plant, you should cut off a twig with leaf nodules and place it in a glass of water or in the sand. After a week, you can see the appearance of small white roots. When they reach a decent length, the plant can be planted in a permanent place of growth. You can also get planting material by digging a mint bush in early autumn and dividing it into several parts. Each of them should have shoots with roots and several buds.

Propagation of mint by seeds

The seed method is less in demand and is quite lengthy. Typically, mint seeds are purchased in stores. They need to be planted in containers with barely damp soil to a depth of no more than 0.5 cm, create greenhouse conditions for them, covered with plastic wrap or glass. After 7-16 days, the mint seeds will sprout; the emerging and matured seedlings should be transplanted into pots and determined in cooler conditions for the purpose of gradual acclimatization. After 7-10 days, the young plant will be ready to be assigned to a permanent place of growth.

How to grow mint at home: useful tips

Mint can be grown both outdoors and as a pot plant. For indoor maintenance, in which the plant can be grown all year round, a drainage layer should be placed in the planting container, and a soil composition of 1 part humus and 2 parts of leafy soil should be used as a nutrient soil. Plant a new plant here.

is it possible to grow mint at home

Mint on the windowsill will feel good in the west or east side of the room, without direct sunlight on the green leaves. In summer, the plant will be comfortable on the balcony, in winter - on a lighted windowsill. In room conditions, it should be controlled that the soil is constantly moist, and there is always water in the pan of the pot. Mint on the windowsill needs regular watering with soft water at room temperature, it is also recommended to spray the leaves from time to time. A weekly shower during the warmer months will only benefit a fragrant room culture. With regular cutting off of the leaves, it is recommended to feed the plant once a month.

Mint: outdoor growing conditions

When grown outdoors, mint should be placed in a sunny location in fertile, well-drained soil. The best precursors for mint are turnips, carrots, and potatoes. The planting depth of the seedling is 10-12 cm, the recommended distance between plants is 15-30 cm. The bush will root better if, when planting at a distance of 5 cm from the soil surface, its aboveground part is cut off.

is it possible to grow mint at home

How to grow mint at home so that its reserves are not depleted? Mint tends to grow strongly. You can limit it in active growth to the sides by planting a bush in a wide container, which you can immerse in the ground. The planted plant will delight with young leaves in a couple of weeks. The top of the fragrant grass should be kept trimmed: this inhibits growth in height, causes overgrowth to the sides, thereby increasing the yield.

After planting, you can feed the mint with a urea solution at the rate of 2 grams of the drug per 1 liter of water. It is not recommended to fertilize the plant with nitrogen-containing agents: they will cause an active growth of the vegetative mass, which will negatively affect the accumulation of essential oils mint.

Harvesting and storage

Harvesting can begin in the second year after planting: about 3 cuts are made per season. It is best to harvest mint leaves during flowering (June – September) - it is at this moment that it has the highest content of essential oils.

is it possible to grow mint at home

Dried leaves and petioles, which are the aromatic component of herbal tea and seasoning for dishes, should be stored in a dark place in a glass container. It is recommended to grow a garden culture in one place for no more than 4 years.

Diseases and pests

Mint can be affected by pests such as spider mites, slugs, whiteflies, and weevils. Keeping a plant healthy requires good air circulation in the soil and drainage. Insects, which tend to reside on the underside of leaves, can be rinsed off with a hose.

Home-grown mint varieties

On your own plot, you can plant several types of mint, or stop at one of them.

So, apple mint, characterized by a pleasant aroma and delicate refreshing taste, does not give bitterness and is tasty in compotes, jelly, jams. For culinary purposes, the entire aerial part of the plant is used. Green and variegated varieties, combining spicy and tasteful qualities with decorativeness, are characterized by wide ovoid leaves with a clearly visible thick pile. The height of the herbaceous bushes is about 70 cm.

is it possible to grow mint at home

Curly mint is ideal for culinary purposes because it does not have the cold menthol flavor that peppermint has. The plant is characterized by strong stems and bright green, jagged leaves along the edges. Mint looks very nice in a pot, giving a year-round harvest when grown indoors.

Field mint fully reveals its qualities in tonic drinks. The long-leaved species contains a large amount of vitamin C and, due to the high content of essential oils, is successfully used in cosmetology and home soap making.Therefore, you should definitely acquire such a useful culture on your own site, which is at the same time a medicine, a spice and a seasoning.

In cultural gardening, peppermint is widespread - a plant with creeping long roots, numerous branches with green egg-shaped leaves and miniature purple-pink inflorescences. Due to the high content of menthol, the aerial part of the grass emits a strong aroma and is characterized by a specific "cooling" taste.

is it possible to grow mint at home

Young mint greens are used to flavor drinks, sauces, desserts, fruit and vegetable dishes. Peppermint, which has sedative and antiseptic properties, is a constituent of many medicines, is effective in treating colds and improves digestion.

is it possible to grow mint at home

Drinks made with fresh mint can be enjoyed all year round, even when there is snow outside and there is severe frost. And it's not at all about going to the nearest store and buying fragrant leaves or getting the dried last year's harvest. Anyone can grow this plant at home, on their windowsill or in the country.

Green mint all year round on your windowsill

It would seem why add unnecessary trouble to yourself and grow mint at home, if you can make the necessary supply from the summer by drying the fragrant greens for future use. However, dried mint does not have such a bright taste and rich aroma as a fresh plant, and some of the beneficial properties of mint are lost during processing, which is also quite important. No essential oil can compare in its properties with a living plant. In addition, growing mint on the windowsill does not require much effort - it is enough to carry out the simplest care of the plant and there will always be fresh greens on the windowsill! There are two possible ways to grow mint both in the country and at home. The first option is to grow healthy greens from seeds, the second using cuttings. But keep in mind that mint sprouting from seeds immediately after the emergence of sprouts gives very tender, incomparable greens, while mint from cuttings is already "adult", that is, somewhat tough and coarse. However, the "cut" mint has a more pronounced taste, but the "seed" - the aroma.

Growing mint at home is not only useful, but also beautiful.

Whichever of the two methods you choose, the first step is to prepare the seats.

As for the containers, it all depends on your own preferences and capabilities, since mint can be grown, including in flower pots, especially since a green mint bush will look like an ornamental house plant, so growing mint at home is not only useful, but also beautiful. But we do not recommend taking a too small container, since the plant has a branched and strong root system, and if there is not enough space, the greens will be frail and not powerful enough.

Video about how to grow mint at home

As for the soil, it is best to take care of this issue in advance. Since mint grows best in acidified soil, you can prepare a soil mixture based on peat. If there is no time to prepare the soil, then you can purchase a ready-made substrate in the store, or dig up land in the country. In the latter case, when digging land in the garden, it is worth taking a more oily and fertile soil. In addition, if the land was taken from the garden, it cannot be used without making light disinfection to destroy pathogenic microbes. The easiest way to do this is to spill the prepared soil with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, and then ignite it.

Further actions depend on which method of planting mint (cuttings or seeds) you have chosen.

Growing from seeds

In order to grow mint from seeds, you first need to get them. The most correct way is to purchase seed in a specialized store. As a rule, varieties such as Pepper or Lemon are purchased for the home, since, on the one hand, they have a pronounced taste and aroma, and on the other, they do not require any kind of exotic soil or special fertilizers. It is possible to grow a more exotic variety, but this should be done by "stuffing your hand" on the simplest one.

Planting in pots or trays with wet soil is done after the preliminary preparation of the seeds has passed. Seeds are poured into grooves, up to 5 mm deep, sprinkled on top flush with the ground. Further care is watering with a spray bottle and covering with a film. The film remains on the pot constantly until the sprouts appear, only 2-3 times a day the soil must be aired for 30-40 minutes, and it is better to do this in the evening and morning hours.

The plant sprouts in just 2-3 weeks. After the sprouts appear, some of them (with especially frequent sowing) can be moved to another container, however, when extracting the plants, you should be extremely careful, since the root system of young mint is still very tender.

Planting in pots or trays with wet soil is done after the preliminary preparation of the seeds has passed.

Growing from cuttings

Growing mint from cuttings is extremely simple and even easier than growing from seeds. To do this, you need to buy (or take in the garden) a strong stalk, which is placed at home in a glass or glass jar for germination of the root system. Plastic containers are not recommended for use.

Video about growing mint on a windowsill

Experienced gardeners advise putting a gauze-cotton pad on the bottom of the container, which imitates the soil and immediately gives more branched roots. As soon as the roots reach a length of at least 7-10 mm, the stalk is transplanted into moist soil, and the plant is placed in a sunny place, but for the first months it is protected from direct rays with a white translucent cloth or thick gauze.

Plastic container is not recommended for use

Mint care

Special care is not required for home mint; it is enough to perform a few simple steps:

  • regular watering is also the main care. In no case should the soil be allowed to dry out, since mint does not tolerate dryness well. However, you cannot fill the plant;
  • dust removal. Using a sprayer, you should regularly remove dust from the foliage - this will make the mint only bushy and aromatic;
  • top dressing. In the summer, you can feed with urea once (1 g / 1 l of water), in the winter, no feeding is needed;
  • supplementary lighting. In summer, an abundance of light is not required, but from October to March daylight hours must be extended to 12 hours;
  • direct sunlight is detrimental to foliage, so the plant must be hidden from it behind a light canopy;
  • maintaining the temperature. Mint does not tolerate cold, the optimum temperature for it is 20-22 grams Celsius. In the summer, mint can (and should) be kept on the balcony, and in the winter it can be moved to the windowsill;
  • leaves should be pinched off at a distance of 15-20mm from the stem, which stimulates the emergence of new shoots.

No special care required for homemade mint

Caring for mint at home is not difficult and not burdensome, but you always have at hand not only fresh and tasty greens, rich in vitamins, improving sleep, memory, increasing the body's defenses, but also just a beautiful-looking bushy plant.

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Mint is a very healthy and tasty plant. It is added to tea to calm the nerves, improve mood and tune in to a sweet dream. And if you just touch the mint leaves, then the space will be filled with a wonderful aroma. Therefore, many want to know if it is possible to grow mint on a windowsill in winter. You can, for this you need to know the basic rules for planting a bush in the ground and basic plant care at home.

is it possible to grow mint at home

Features of growing on a windowsill

Growing mint at home on a windowsill is considered a bit exotic.She usually lives well in the open field. But some people really want to grow it in a pot and keep it not only for the beauty of the interior, but also for the health and wellness benefits.

To do this, you need to take into account some of the features of planting and caring for a young plant. There are several ways to grow homemade mint on the windowsill. If rooting is carried out by seeds, then you need to be prepared for the fact that the seedlings sprout poorly and slowly. Most importantly, in most cases, young seedlings have poor heredity and often get sick.

It is best to grow mint on the windowsill with cuttings, they take root faster and carry all the useful qualities taken from the mother shrub.

is it possible to grow mint at home

Important! You need to keep mint at room temperature not lower than + 250C, in winter you should adhere to +17 .. + 200C. Hypothermia for an indoor flower is destructive.

Watering is required in the summer to be of high quality. Over-irrigation should be avoided during the winter months, supplying nutrient moisture to the shrubs only when needed. But unlike summer, since January, you need to spray the leaves daily with warm room water.

is it possible to grow mint at home

Thus, the features of growing mint on the windowsill are not too different from other rooted plants in indoor living conditions. The main point of keeping a shrub on the window is a comfortable temperature, a sufficient amount of light and watering provided.

Video: features of growing mint on a windowsill.

What varieties are suitable for growing on a windowsill

Mint is considered a spice that grows in the open field, so there are not so many varieties for growing on the windowsill. A small list is represented by the following species, suitable for planting on the windowsill in the room. Here are the varieties of mint that can be grown on the windowsill:

  1. Pearl - small size. It is distinguished by wrinkled leaves of medium volume with a dark green tint. In order for the bush to start branching, it is required to pinch the top growth point. Then lateral dormant buds will grow. The smell of the species is distinguished by a spicy mint aroma.
  2. Penniroyal - home bush of compact volume. Its advantage is the formation of a large number of long processes. Its foliage is insignificant in length, the leaves are close to each other. Inflorescences are small, give off a purple tone. The smell of foliage when touched is bright, clearly expressed.
  3. Ceremony - an essential oily deciduous plant. The foliage vaguely resembles the Pearl variety, having the same wrinkled leaf plates and a rich dark shade. It is imperative to pinch the upper bud so that the shrub begins to actively branch. Without this, the flower will begin to stretch out in a single trunk. The taste of fresh leaves is mint, intense, and the aroma is bright, spreading over a large area.

is it possible to grow mint at home

In addition to these varieties of mint, you can try to grow garden bushes in pots on the windowsill. For this purpose, a larger flowerpot and constant monitoring of active growth will be required. Perfect for planting on a windowsill are such varieties of mint as Garden Menthol, Garden Pepper and Anise Lofant.

is it possible to grow mint at home

How to plant and grow on a windowsill - features, conditions and step-by-step instructions

To grow mint on the windowsill at home, you need to know how to plant correctly, at what depth to place seedlings or mint seedlings.

Reference! A correctly selected planting substrate will provide the shrub with good germination and rapid growth. Therefore, you should adhere to the basic recommendations during planting.

is it possible to grow mint at home

What should be the place

To safely grow mint on a windowsill in an apartment or private house, you should choose the right place. Mint prefers sunny windowsills. But at the same time, the midday rays of the luminary can burn young tender leaves. Therefore, it is recommended to expose slides with shrubs to the western or eastern windows.If it is not possible to place flowerpots on these sides, then the southern window sill should be shaded at noon or the plant should be moved into the shade for a while.

Interesting! If the bush does not have enough light, the shoots begin to stretch excessively, and the leaves become light in color and small in size. Therefore, there should be an optimal amount of sun.

is it possible to grow mint at home

The shrub is very sensitive to moisture. Therefore, on hot summer days and at times when the battery located next to the window glows with heat in winter, it is imperative to adhere to high humidity. To do this, the leaves should be sprayed 1-2 times a day with boiled, settled water.

The temperature regime at which mint shoots grow rapidly is +23 .. + 250C. If the degrees fall below, then the shrub tends to slow down active growth. Therefore, in winter, the temperature in the room where the mint is located is reduced to +17 .. + 190 C. This is done so that the mint rests and gains strength for the spring release of young shoots.

is it possible to grow mint at home

What container to plant

It is necessary to organize the planting of mint for growing on the windowsill in pots of a small size in height, but with a sufficiently large width. Mint grows in breadth, rather than rooted in depth. A ceramic pot is ideal for planting. If you plant mint at home on a windowsill in a plastic pot, the roots of the shrub can rot.

Attention! The plant takes root well in a ceramic pot. It has the ability to absorb excess moisture and allow the air required for the roots to pass through.

It is also important to choose a fairly large flowerpot. If the root system is cramped, then the shrub will slow down its growth and will not please with a rich color.

is it possible to grow mint at home

What soil to plant

Mint is not picky about the soil substrate, but its active growth is noted in loose, fertile soils. The acidity of the earth is not recommended to exceed pH 6. If the indicator is higher, then the plant will sit in one place, showing no signs of an increase in green shoots.

The fragrant bush will not refuse to take root in peat soil. Therefore, it is recommended to purchase soil mixtures based on peat and humus. It is they who have a beneficial effect on the transformation from a young cutting into a beautifully developed plant.

is it possible to grow mint at home

Attention! If possible, you can prepare the soil for planting yourself. To do this, you need to take in equal proportions the soil from the garden or vegetable garden, river sand, deciduous humus and crushed peat. Mix the contents thoroughly and leave the entire consistency for a month.

There is another option for preparing the land for planting mint at home on the windowsill. Land is taken from the garden and combined in a 2: 1 ratio with deciduous humus. Such a concentration is somewhat poorer than the first option, but in the presence of additional dressings, such a composition is perfect for growing.

is it possible to grow mint at home

Preparing seeds and cuttings for planting

Mint propagates in two ways: seeds and cuttings. Before planting begins, planting material should be prepared. Seedlings can be collected from the mother bush after the inflorescences have faded. The main point is to take into account the moments of seed ripening. If you collect them green, they will not rise.

Important! To grow mint on a windowsill from seeds, it is better to buy planting material in a specialized store. Additional processing of seedlings purchased in the store is not required. They are immediately buried in the ground.

is it possible to grow mint at home

To prepare the cuttings, they are cut from the mother bush. The seedling should be up to 10 cm tall. It can be put in water until the stalk sprouts. Or immediately root it into wet soil.

For the rapid release of young roots, the plant must be warm, constantly irrigated with moisture. The main thing is to control the process of germination of the root system.

As soon as the first roots began to appear, the seedlings must be immediately planted in the ground.

is it possible to grow mint at home

The disadvantage of this method is the moment of rooting. After all, if the root system grows significantly, it is possible to damage or completely break the roots during placement in the ground.

Video: how to grow mint on a windowsill using cuttings.

Direct landing

Seeds are sown on the soil, and sprinkled on top with a small amount of earth, but so that the seedlings are at a depth of 0.5 cm from the top. In turn, the cuttings are buried to a depth not exceeding 7 cm.

When growing mint on a windowsill with seeds, it is recommended to plant them in March or April. After planting, they need to be covered with glass or film. This is necessary in order to reproduce the greenhouse conditions for rapid germination.

is it possible to grow mint at home

Attention! Cuttings, as opposed to seedlings, should be rooted in the fall. It is at this moment that the mother bush contains a large amount of nutrients that have a beneficial effect on the rapid release of young roots.

is it possible to grow mint at home

Further growth depends only on quality care, which includes watering, feeding and loosening young seedlings.

Video: how to grow mint at home on a windowsill.

How to care after planting and before harvest - tips

To successfully grow mint on a windowsill in an apartment, you need to properly care for it. And proper care must be carried out according to the established rules. You need to follow the advice and then the shrub will begin to grow rapidly and delight with a persistent aroma. There are the following recommendations:

  1. The temperature should be at + 250C.
  2. In winter, on a short daylight hours, plantings should be highlighted. If you do not light for an additional 6 hours, then the sprouts will begin to stretch.
  3. If additional lighting is organized, then it is recommended to reduce the temperature to +17 .. + 180C and reduce watering.
  4. A moisture content of 80% should be adhered to. Such a moment is relevant on winter days, when heating devices are turned on and sufficiently dry air is observed. It is required to put containers with water.
  5. In addition to containers with water, it is required to spray delicate leaves. The moisture should be boiled, separated, at room temperature.
  6. To simplify the care of mint on the windowsill, a small amount of hydrogel can be introduced into the soil. It accumulates moisture and evaporates it for a long period, which reduces the frequency of watering.
  7. Top dressing is carried out with potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen. With the latter, you need to gently act on the shrub. When it is oversaturated, fertilizers begin to be deposited in the soil.

Thus, by caring for the mint and controlling its constant state, you can achieve a chic bush that will delight with its appearance, aromatic smell and additives to cooking.

is it possible to grow mint at home

Diseases and pests

Young mint sprouts, like the mother bush, are a tasty morsel for diseases and parasites. The most common attack is the mint flea. It spoils both the root system and the ground part. To combat it, they are exposed to chemical insecticides (Karbofos).

Important! Also likes to settle on foliage leaf beetle. He often attacks a bush with increased dampness and excessive watering. To combat, it is necessary to eliminate the beneficial conditions for the living of the pest - to ventilate more and reduce watering.

is it possible to grow mint at home

In addition, the plant can be affected by diseases - rust and powdery mildew. To fight rust, the bush is ruthlessly removed from the collection so that the disease does not have time to move to other specimens. And in the case of powdery mildew, it is sprayed with colloidal sulfur.

is it possible to grow mint at home

To prevent the appearance of parasites and disease, you need to constantly monitor his condition. If you notice the appearance of pests at the first stages of settlement, it is possible to get rid of them without significant losses.

is it possible to grow mint at home

Terms of germination and harvesting

When growing mint on a windowsill using seeds, the first shoots appear after 21 days. After 14-17 days have passed, you can pick off the first leaves.By this time, the shrub will be 25-30 cm tall, after which the young leaves can be used in cooking.

is it possible to grow mint at home

When rooting by cuttings, you need to wait until the young leaves grow. They will appear 10-15 days after planting the cuttings. Only then can you pinch off the greens.

Attention! If the foliage is needed for drying and using in tea, then it is better to wait until more essential oils are collected in the leaf plate. This period begins simultaneously with the beginning of the formation of peduncles.

is it possible to grow mint at home

Thus, growing mint on a windowsill in winter (or any other season) at home is not difficult at all. The main thing is to fulfill all the requirements for planting, choose the correct soil composition and constantly take care of the plant, and then the mint on the windowsill will delight you all year round.

Useful article - an overview of how mint grows on the windowsill, as well as its relative, the herb lemon balm. Secrets of planting, care, selection of seeds, watering, harvesting.

Mint and lemon balm are very common and beloved by everyone, without exception, spicy aromatic plants.

Many people know about their most valuable medicinal properties and use these gifts of nature for the benefit of their health.

Melissa and mint on the windowsill - how to grow and have a fresh spice at your fingertips all year round? This will be discussed below.

Mint on the windowsill - the secrets of growing

Mint - (lat.Méntha is a genus of plants of the Lamiaceae family. All species are highly aromatic, most of them contain a lot of menthol

Mint can be grown on windowsills, on loggias, using flower pots or large special containers.

The name of the genus comes from the name of the nymph Minfa (or Minta), the goddess of Mount Mente in Elis, the beloved of the god of the underworld, Hades. Hades' wife Persephone turned her into a plant - a fragrant mint

What breeding methods are there?

There are two ways to grow: seeds and cuttings.

Of course, with the graft propagation method, you will get a harvest faster than using the seed method.

Therefore, if you have such an opportunity - to prepare cuttings, then it would be most reasonable to do so.

Or simply, knowing this moment, plant the seeds in advance, calculating in time the date of the expected first harvest.

What capacity should I use?

It is necessary to choose a container for planting from those considerations, how much you need to get a harvest by volume.

What kind of soil does mint like?

It feels great on loose humus soil, the acidity of which should not exceed 5-6 pH.

Peat soil is also suitable for her. Therefore, on the basis of these points, and buy the necessary soil mixtures.

You can prepare the necessary soil mixture with your own hands.

How to do it?

There are two options:

  1. Take in equal proportions garden soil, humus, peat, sand. Stir evenly. The mixture is ready.
  2. You can mix just garden soil and humus in a 2: 1 ratio. This option is poorer in composition, but it is also quite suitable.

Growing mint from seeds

You can buy seeds at any garden store, or you can collect them yourself from mature plants.

Advice

There are many varieties and types of mint, therefore, if you are growing this plant for the first time, but it is most advisable to try several of its types and then choose which fragrant herb you prefer.

  • So, make grooves or holes about 5 ml in the soil. in depth, sow seeds, water, sprinkle with soil.
  • The first shoots appear in two to three weeks.
  • Comfortable temperature for growing is 18-25 degrees.
  • There must be a sufficient, good level of lighting.

Mint on the windowsill - Growing spices from cuttings

In the fall, when the growing season of the plant is over, it is necessary to prepare cuttings for yourself.

The rhizome must be carefully dug out together with a lump of earth.If you do not plan to plant immediately, then store the rhizome in a cold cellar, sprinkling with sand on top.

Attention!

All types of mint are suitable for propagation by cuttings, except for water mint.

  • Before planting, carefully examine the dug roots, divide into small parts so that each has root suckers with dormant buds.
  • Next, plant the cuttings in flowerpots or boxes filled with soil mixture for 2/3 of the volume. After laying, water abundantly, sprinkle with soil.
  • Within ten to twelve days you will have the first leaves ready.
  • After planting, it is recommended to feed the plant with fertilizers.
  • You can use urea for this purpose - one gram of fertilizer per liter of water. Stir, pour.

How to care for mint?

She is not picky, but there are still some points.

In winter, it should be watered carefully to prevent too much waterlogging.

At this time of the year, plant growth slows down, so its need for nutrients and moisture decreases.

But at this time of the year, heating radiators in apartments work hard, the air becomes too dry, so it is recommended to spray the plant with a spray bottle.

Mint does not tolerate drafts, consider this moment when caring for it.

In summer, do not overdry the soil, this will lead to the death of the plant.

This spice is very light-requiring, but still, carefully observe how it behaves in direct sunlight. Shade it if necessary.

How to grow lemon balm on a windowsill?

Seed growing method

To do this, plant the seeds in a box, which you must fill 2/3 of with soil mixture, which must be purchased at a special store.

  • You can make such a soil mixture yourself. To do this, take in equal proportions ordinary turf soil, peat and humus. Mix thoroughly.
  • Pour into containers prepared for planting, make grooves there 0.5 cm deep, at a distance of about 5-6 centimeters from one another. Pour water over them.
  • Before planting, the seeds should be dry, sprinkle them sparsely, cover them with soil, water.
  • Moisten the soil regularly before the first shoots appear.
  • Seedlings should appear in about ten to fourteen days.

Reproduction method by cuttings (vegetative)

From absolutely identical to what is written above in relation to propagation by cuttings of mint.

Plant care

In winter, you should not leave lemon balm on the balcony, it is better to bring the flowerpots or boxes into the house and install them on the windowsill.

  • At the same time, it is necessary to be careful not to overcool the plant with drafts, not to dry it out, since, as a rule, there are central heating batteries under the windowsill.
  • During this period, the plant can do for a long time without moisture, but do not overdo it. You just need to slightly reduce the number and frequency of watering compared to the summer period.

Important!

Melissa thrives on the same soil for several years in a row, so it makes no sense to change the soil mixture every year or two.

  • Be sure to keep the soil loose, loosen it periodically so that the plant breathes better.
  • Remember that lemon balm is a fairly light-loving plant, so provide it with adequate sunlight.
  • When grown in shade, the plant slows down the production of a sufficient amount of essential oil and loses its aromatic properties.

Growing seedlings at home

If you want to pre-grow lemon balm at home on a windowsill in order to then move it into the ground in the spring, after sowing the seeds, you can cover the soil with a film for faster first shoots.

  • As soon as the first true shoots appear, dive the plant.
  • It is necessary to plant lemon balm seedlings in the ground in the first decade of May, when all danger of frost has probably passed.
  • Plant the plant at a distance of 40-60 centimeters from each other so that the bushes do not interfere with each other during growth.

Mint on the windowsill - Useful video

Be sure to watch this video, where Oktyabrina Ganechkina tells everything about growing aromatic herbs on the windowsill.

Collection, preparation, storage of mint and lemon balm.

The collected leaves must be laid out on a dry surface in a dark place, out of direct sunlight.

It is necessary to dry the leaves until they are absolutely brittle.

Raw materials are stored in paper or cloth bags, in a dry and cool place.

Carefully keep the moisture level during storage low. Otherwise, it will lead to damage to your blanks.

mint on the windowsill - Useful plaque memo

Save to yourself, add to bookmarks and share with your friends on social networks and you will always know the basic principles of growing mint and lemon balm at home.

Try to grow mint and lemon balm on the windowsill and have a Lush harvest!

Read about what other plants can be grown on the windowsill in this interesting article.

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