Backyard Gardener (Photo Illustration/MetroCreative)
Hello gardeners and farmers of the Mid-Ohio Valley! Fourth of July weekend has come and gone and summer is fast approaching. Fireworks, barbecues with family and friends, and the heat of summer are all part of this great American holiday. Nothing says summer like a grilled hot dog (with coleslaw, onions, and mustard, of course).
Working outdoors on your lawn or in your garden is a great way to get exercise, grow, harvest, and enjoy nutritious food. It's already been very hot this summer. When working outdoors, remember to drink plenty of water, wear light-colored clothing, and don't push yourself too hard. Take plenty of breaks and sip mint iced tea in the shade. If possible, include some mint from your own herb garden.
This year's Fourth of July marked the 248th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence from Great Britain. July 4, 1826, also marked the deaths of former U.S. presidents Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. It was a remarkable coincidence that they died on the 50th anniversary, or jubilee, of Independence Day. Jefferson died just after noon in Monticello, Virginia, at age 83. A few hours later, Adams died in Quincy, Massachusetts, at age 90.
The mint genus is a large group of plants in the mint family (Lamiaceae). Mint is a very hardy perennial plant that is great for raised beds and herb gardens. My favorite variety is chocolate mint because of its amazing scent.
Mint is an easy-to-care-for plant to grow. Some varieties can reach a height of 3 feet. Be careful with this hardy plant, as it spreads very quickly and can take over any area in your yard or garden where you plant it.
Mint dates back more than 3,500 years and has been used for its pleasant aroma and taste. Today, mint continues this ancient tradition with its use in breath fresheners, chewing gum, candy, toothpaste, mouthwash, tea flavorings and as a flavoring in various medicines. Mint has also been used for medicinal purposes for centuries; for example, peppermint is used to soothe an upset stomach.
The Egyptian Ebers Papyrus, dated 1550 B.C., mentions mint as a digestive aid and a cure for flatulence. In ancient Greece and Rome, mint's sweet scent was used in funerals and for body fragrance. Mint is the third most popular flavoring in the world after vanilla and citrus. Other uses of mint include cooling balms, essential oils, perfumes, pest control, and as an antibacterial agent.
Grow mint in a container or place it somewhere that won't get in the way of other plants. Mints prefer full sun but can also thrive in partial shade. All mints prefer to grow in fertile, moist or moist soil in partial shade.
Mint should be planted early in the growing season and generally tolerates temperatures down to -20 ∂ F. Mint prefers moist soil, but too much water makes it susceptible to root and foliage diseases. Leaves and stems can be harvested throughout the season, or cut back to within an inch of the ground about three times a season just before flowering.
Although you can grow mint from seed, it's much easier to propagate it from root cuttings. Stems or root cuttings can be easily transplanted from plants given to you by friends or neighbors.
Mint requires a border because of its vigorous growth habit. Mint is a creeping plant that spreads from shallow underground stems. The fragrant, opposite leaves are elliptical to oblong, 1 to 2 inches long, § to 1.5 inches wide, and have serrated or toothed edges. The leaves are sessile and lack petioles.
We highly recommend growing mint in containers above ground. Other suggestions for growing mint include planting it in large bottomless containers submerged in the garden. This method is not always successful and the mint may migrate out of the container and become invasive.
To keep the plant healthy, it is recommended to divide it every 3-4 years. To preserve the flavor of the leaves, the flower spikes should be removed when they appear.
Mint is a very large group of herbs with many species and varieties and a wide range of flavors. Harvest the leaves frequently to encourage best growth and prevent flowering. Spearmint (Mentha spicata) is one of the easiest mints to grow. It's the traditional mint used for mint juleps and mint tea. Peppermint (Mentha x piperita) has a candy cane-like flavor. Apple mint (Mentha suaveolens) is also very popular.
Other mints include ginger mint (Mentha x gentilis), the very dwarf Corsican mint (Mentha corsica), and pineapple mint (Mentha suaveolens 'Variegata'). Pineapple mint has creamy white striped leaves and a similarly sweet, fruity scent. Field mint (Mentha arvensis), also known as corn mint, is a wild species. It is common in all temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere.
Fresh mint leaves can be harvested any time during the growing season once the plants are 3 to 4 inches tall. Use a sharp knife or scissors to remove the leaves and stems. The youngest leaves and stems have the most flavor. Cut the stems to within an inch of the soil and pick late in the morning on a dry, sunny day. Fresh mint can be stored in the refrigerator, submerged in water, for up to 1 week.
To dry, harvest the fully grown stems and leaves and hang the cuttings upside down in a hot, shady spot until they become brittle, or spread them out on a net in the shade to dry. Dried mint can be stored in an airtight container for up to a year.
Mint plants are very productive. One or two plants will give you plenty of fresh cuttings for daily use, and a few more to dry and store. Each plant can give you two to three harvests per season.
Commercially, mint is grown, packaged, and distilled to extract the oil, which is used in dental products, gum, candy, medicines, liqueurs, soaps, and household products. Midwestern farmers, primarily in Indiana and Wisconsin, produce more than 600,000 pounds of mint oil each year. Indiana alone grows 1,800 acres of spearmint and 3,000 acres of peppermint.
Mint flowers are not only beautiful, they also play an important role in pollination. The aromatic compounds and nectar in the herb attract pollinators such as long-tongued bumblebees, short-tongued honeybees, solitary wasps, and other beneficial insects. Most mint flowers in August and September.
Mint is often served with pork and lamb. In the UK, roast lamb is often served with mint sauce. Mint is also used in Middle Eastern dishes such as tabouli salad. Mint is also used to make cold and hot drinks. To enjoy mint tea, add a few mint leaves to boiling water and let steep for about 5 minutes. Add sweetener if desired.
If you have any questions, please contact the Wood County WVU Extension Office at 304-424-1960 or email me at jj.barrett@mail.wvu.edu Until next time, good luck, and happy gardening!
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Question of the week: My first tomato plant has some dark spots on the bottom. What could be going on?
You've probably got blossom end rot, a disease common to tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, pumpkins, squash and watermelon, which is caused by a lack of calcium in the developing fruit.
This physiological disorder usually occurs when the plant is growing rapidly and often affects the developing fruit first. As cells break down, dark spots appear on the flower end of the affected fruit. The spots expand and the entire bottom of the fruit becomes dark, shrunken and leathery.
Factors that promote end rot include low soil pH, low calcium levels, inconsistent or shallow watering, drought conditions, and excessive use of nitrogen fertilizer. Symptoms are rarely seen on cherry tomatoes and are most commonly seen on plum and paste-type large tomato cultivars and long bell pepper fruits.
Regular watering is important to prevent end rot. Be careful not to water too much or too little. Mulch and water plants well throughout the growing season. In the absence of rain, water deeply at least once a week.
Avoid growing near plants that will damage the roots. Do not overfertilize tomatoes and avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers such as urea. Test soil regularly to make sure the soil contains enough calcium (pH of at least 6.2). Most garden soils can be improved with at least 5 pounds of crushed limestone per 100 square feet every three years. As a preventative measure, you can also mix 1/4 cup of gypsum (calcium sulfate) into the soil in each planting hole before transplanting.
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