Harvesting the mint

Today we talk about the mint. Because we really like tea and because this herb has multiple qualities and it 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 difficult conditions. But we also like it because it has great healing properties and it 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 the cross between water mint and spearmint or mentha spicata. That is why it is a sterile variety as it is the product of this cross.

Peppermint has a stem and its characteristic deep green leaves, which are smooth, lanceolate, opposite and stand out for their slightly serrated edges. I recommend looking closely at the leaves to discover a small find: when they are in the light, it is possible to see the small sachets of essence, which are the ones that give the characteristic mint aroma.

Because it is a sterile plant, peppermint does not always have fruits 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 they are sometimes white. In all cases the chalice is bell-shaped.

Mint harvest

It is always good to know what the mint looks like so you don't make mistakes when harvesting. If you want 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 let them dry in a dark and ventilated place.

Once dry, they take on a soft, pale green color, at which point they can be stored in an airtight jar.

If what you want is collect the mint flowers, then you have to cut the plant to a slightly higher height.