I love mint. And not just Metromint. I love mint leaves in my salads, I love it mixed with cilantro, so last year I planted it in a pot on my porch. It was fruitful (leafful?) all summer until I went away for a week and forgot to tell my husband to water it. Normally mint is very hearty and this wouldn’t be a problem, but in Northern California it doesn’t rain in the summer so my mint dried out and died. Or so I thought.
I am very excited to see that my mint has returned! So I decided to learn some more about my mint plant
- According to ancient mythology, the plant is named after the nymph Minthe, Pluto’s lover, who was transformed by the god Hades into mint after her death.
- Mint is a perennial and there are two basic types we are most familiar with: Spearmint (what I planted) and Peppermint.
- The fastest way to dry it is to place leaves between two paper towels and microwave on high for 3-4 minutes.
- Plant mint in a large pot. (This was my problem. Mine was too small and contributed to it drying out fast.) Mint can grow fast and become a nuisance, so a pot is ideal to contain it.
- Cut the mint to the ground in the fall (ooops, I didn’t do this) to ensure a full crop the next season.
- Repot mint each year to ensure it grows those big, tasty leaves. Otherwise the roots will get bound. (definitely did not do this either)
This year I will bring my mint inside in the fall and try to keep it alive through the winter. Nothing perks me up like a taste of summer in the winter.
What do you do with your mint leaves?