Mint is a herb associated with cool, refreshing, and revitalizing sensations. Slurping it as a Margarita or slushie beats that summer heat like no other. Here’s how to harvest home-grown mint in an easy and convenient style.
There are endless ways to put mint to good use. Mint tea is an excellent choice for those suffering from polycystic ovaries because it balances out the hormonal levels. You can also use it in various dishes to add flavor and aroma.
Mint has a variety of health benefits; find out more about them here!
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How to Harvest Mint?
You can start picking mint leaves as soon as they reach a height of 4 inches or right before the flowers appear (which is usually during the growing season).
Harvesting mint will ensure new foliage production since it is a form of pruning.
Mint is a perennial herb that offers thick harvests 3-4 times a year. As long as the soil is kept moist and the temperature within the range of 55-70 degrees Farhenheit, mint will never cease to offer healthy harvests.
Here’s a quick video to help you get an idea of harvesting mint.
Tips on Harvesting Mint
For bulk harvesting, use sterilized pruning shears; for occasional tea and drinks, simply pluck it off directly from the stem.
For best flavor, harvest right before flowering. This ensures a strong minty flavor.
Young leaves have more flavor than the bigger ones.
To keep the leaves fresh, tie the ends of the stems together.
To prevent the mint plant from shock, make sure to retain 2/3rd of the plant.
How to Store Mint?
There are three ways to store mint:
Store it in parchment paper inside the refrigerator.
Store it in a damp paper towel inside the fridge.
Use a glass jar filled with some water to store the mint.
How to Dry Mint?
Drying mint can prolong their life, which is typically 7-8 days in the refrigerator.
Using a dehydrator machine or air-drying them under the sun will suck out the moisture from the mint leaves. The dehydrator machine is expensive but offers better drying than the latter method.
You can also dry them in a brown paper bag over 1-2 weeks.
Drying mint in a dehydrator can prolong the shelf life up to 1-3 years.
Ask Away: The FAQ Section
Mint can not thrive below 20 degrees Fahrenheit.
Mint leaves like to stay hydrated. They should be watered once to twice daily.
Yellowing leaves
Droopy stature
Weak stems
Mint is one of the easiest herbs to grow. They do not require much maintenance, but these greedy perennials have the ability to go invasive. So you might want to keep those pruning shears in hand.
