Permapotes

Mint

Mint: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar

Mint refers to several aromatic plants in the genus Mentha, within the mint family. Culinary mints are valued for their fragrant leaves, but they do not all have the same aroma. Spearmint, Mentha spicata, and peppermint, Mentha × piperita, are two familiar examples. Other varieties suggest fruity notes. The precise plant name is therefore useful when making your choice, alongside the scent of its foliage and the use you have in mind.

The leaves grow in opposite pairs and generally have toothed edges. Their size, colour and surface vary between species and varieties: some are smooth, others downy or more puckered, sometimes with purple tones or variegation. The foliage therefore offers visual diversity alongside the different aromas. Mint is not recognisable only by a uniform green colour; the appearance of the leaves is also part of each type’s identity and its appeal among other culinary herbs. The contrast is particularly noticeable between smooth and softly hairy foliage.

In the kitchen, mint suits both savoury and sweet uses. It accompanies salads, sauces, potatoes, peas and fruit dishes. Its fragrance also belongs in desserts, ice creams and drinks. An infusion of leaves is another common use, different from adding the herb as a seasoning to a dish. Mint brings a fresh and distinctive note: depending on the type chosen, it pairs differently with a combination of vegetables, a dessert or a drink.

The plant is an herbaceous perennial whose underground stems, called rhizomes, allow it to spread. This characteristic explains its often vigorous habit and its ability to form a group of shoots beyond the original clump. It is an important feature when considering its place in a garden. In temperate climates, the above ground parts can disappear during winter, with new shoots appearing in the following season. Mint therefore has a different life cycle from an annual culinary herb.

Flowering brings small flowers, often in spikes or groups around the stems. Depending on the mint, these are white, pink or purple and provide a resource for pollinators. The plant’s appeal therefore combines fragrance, foliage and flowers. This description concerns mints identified for culinary use: the common name mint alone does not define every fragrant plant that carries it, nor establish whether that plant is suitable to eat.

Mint
Mint
Characteristics
  • Lifecycle : Perennial
  • Exposure : Partial Shade
  • Frost Hardiness : Frost Resistant
  • Cultivation Difficulty : Easy
  • Mature height : 30 cm
Sowing & Planting
  • Greenhouse Growing : Not Required
  • Plant Spacing : 10 cm
  • Row Spacing : 25 cm
Maintenance
  • Maintenance : Moderate
  • Water Requirements : Moderate
Other characteristics
  • Soil Type : Humus-rich
  • Soil pH Preference : Neutral
  • Pest Sensitivity : Moderate
  • Disease Sensitivity : Moderate
  • Weed Sensitivity : Moderate
  • Pollination : Insect-pollinated
  • Propagation : Division