Today we talk about mint . Because we really like tea and because this herb has multiple qualities and is ideal to have in the garden.
Not only is it very easy to care for, but it is resistant and does not require too complicated conditions. But we also like it because it has great healing properties and is very useful in the kitchen, both for preparing sauces and for decorating desserts.
Plant
The most popular variety is peppermint , which is the result of a cross between water mint and spearmint or mentha spicata. That is why it is a sterile variety because it is the product of this cross.
Peppermint has a stem and its characteristic intense green leaves, which are smooth, lanceolate, opposite and stand out for their slightly jagged edges. I recommend looking closely at the leaves to discover a small finding: when they are in the light, it is possible to see the small bags of essence, which are what give the characteristic mint aroma.
Being a sterile plant, peppermint does not always bear fruit and when it does, they are quite basic and rudimentary. Something similar happens with flowers, although they are always present. They are small and pale pink in color that can turn lilac, although sometimes they appear white. In all cases the calyx is bell-shaped.
mint harvest
It’s always good to know what the mint looks like so you don’t make mistakes when picking. If you want to harvest the leaves, that is, the edible part of the plant , you have to cut the stems almost flush and then separate the stems from the leaves with your hands and then leave them to dry in a dark and ventilated place.
Once dry, they turn a soft, pale green color, at which point they can be stored in an airtight jar.
If what you want is to collect mint flowers , then you have to cut the plant to a slightly higher height.
