From Seed – Unlike peppermint, which must be produced from roots or cuttings due to its hybrid nature, spearmint may be grown from seed. After the risk of frost has gone, seeds can be planted immediately in the garden, or they can be started indoors around eight weeks before the final frost date.
- Plant seeds approximately 1/4 inch deep in prepared soil or seed starting mix.
- Mint seeds require consistently wet and warm soil, around 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
- If you live in a dry region, you may keep soil moist by covering seeds with a plastic bag or glass cloche.
- After approximately two weeks, you should see seedlings develop.
If you have started your plants indoors, you should harden them off for approximately one week before putting them in the garden. On the first day, give four-inch seedlings one hour of indirect sunlight before bringing them back inside. Add one hour of sunshine every day until the plant can withstand seven hours outside.
How long does it take for spearmint to develop from seed?
How to Cultivate Mint The genus Mentha has around 24 species, and cross-pollination is difficult to regulate; hence, many sources indicate that mint will not grow true from seed. Our mint seeds are produced in isolation and are carefully cultivated in a greenhouse.
- Continue reading for instructions on how to cultivate mint from seed.
- Latin Mentha species; Lamiaceae family Difficulty Easy Climate & Zone The season is the cool season Exposure: Full sun to moderate shade Hardy through Zone 4 Timing Sow inside eight to ten weeks before the last frost, or sow outdoors in late April.
The seeds should germinate between 10 to 16 days. Heat from below will hasten germination. Starting Plant seeds no deeper than 5mm (14″) in damp soil. Space plants 45-60cm (18-24″) apart. Growing Due to its robust root system, it may be advisable to restrict mint to pots on the balcony or a raised bed rather than the garden.
- To encourage healthy top growth, prune plants severely in early summer.
- Bring some indoors to grow in a tiny pot on a well-lit windowsill throughout the winter.
- Harvest As necessary, prune leaves and branches throughout the year.
- Mint is so resistant and resilient that it grows back immediately.
- Use the leaves and blooms fresh or dried to make peppermint tea.
The blossoms are delicious and impart a unique flavor to salads and desserts. Companion Planting Mint is attractive to earthworms, hoverflies, and predatory wasps, but repellent to cabbage moths, aphids, and flea beetles. It may be preferable to use chopped mint as a mulch around Brassicas or to confine it in pots around the vegetable garden because mint can spread aggressively.
Is it difficult to cultivate spearmint from seed?
Commonly, spearmint plants are produced from seedlings since sprouting from seed is quite difficult. However, you may plant them from seed as the soil begins to warm up in the spring. Growing from a seedling or a mature plant cutting is, however, strongly advised.
