Peppermint (Mentha Piperita) - plant description

Mint (family Iasnatkovye, or Labrettes) is a hybrid formed from aquatic and garden species. Popularly known under the names of cold mint, pepper, English, chill. The first mention of what mint refers to the times of ancient Rome. Infusion of peppermint leaves was used as a refreshing agent. The culture is grown on garden plots and on an industrial scale.

Peppermint: features of cultivation and care

Peppermint is a herbaceous perennial plant. According to the description from the botanical reference book, it has a branched fibrous root system and an erect tetrahedral stem. The height depending on the species varies from 0.5 meters to 1.5 meters.

Peppermint

The stem is covered with thin fluffy hairs. Leaf plates have an ovoid shape. The edges are slightly jagged. The color range is pale to dark green. During flowering, produces spike-shaped inflorescences. Flowers are small in size with a purple hue.

Mentha piperita is a valuable honey plant. Culture has found application in medicine, cooking, perfumery. Plants are distinguished by a rich composition of macro- and microelements.

Mint contains:

• essential oils;
• vitamins of groups A, C, PP, B;
• calcium;
• potassium;
• magnesium;
• sodium;
• phosphorus;
• iron;
• manganese;
• flavonoids;
• tannins;
• hesperidin;
• beain;
• polyphenols;
• ursolic and oleanolic acids;
• menthol.

Healing properties

The beneficial properties of mint are numerous and diverse. It is used to treat and prevent a wide range of diseases.

Peppermint has a sedative, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic effect. Helps reduce temperature, increase immunity. It has a tonic and refreshing effect. In case of disruption of the digestive tract, it is used to normalize digestion and increase appetite. It is used as a choleretic agent.

The healing properties of the plant are the reason for the wide popularity

Peppermint shows high efficiency in the treatment of:

• diseases of the nervous system;
• insomnia
• respiratory infection;
• tonsillitis, bronchitis, pharyngitis;
• diseases of the oral cavity;
• diseases of the female reproductive system.

Contraindications

Despite the undeniable benefits, mint has a number of contraindications. The high content of essential oils in the composition can provoke an allergic reaction, cause drowsiness, and decrease the reaction.

It is not recommended to use mint:

• during pregnancy;
• during lactation;
• children under the age of 6;
• with individual intolerance;
• in case of low blood pressure;
• with varicose veins;
• with weakness, loss of strength, drowsiness.

Usage Methods

Mint and preparations made on its basis have a wide range of applications. Its use in medicine is best known.

Harvesting mint leaves for consumption

Due to its medicinal properties, the plant is used for treatment and prevention:

• respiratory viral and bacterial diseases;
• digestive system diseases;
• diseases of the cardiovascular system;
• nervous disorders;
• skin diseases.

As a medicine, it is used:

• water infusion;
• alcohol infusion;
• peppermint decoction;
• oil;
• tea with mint.

In addition to traditional medicine, mint is used in cooking and cosmetology.

Species diversity

To date, more than 25 species and 10 subspecies of peppermint are known (in Latin, Méntha piperíta). Many of them are actively grown in garden plots.

• Curly. A smaller view. The height of the bushes does not exceed 80 centimeters. The difference is curly foliage and high resistance to frost. It has healing properties.
• Apple. Low grade and velvety dark green foliage. It has an unexpressed aroma.
• Longleaf. The variety is characterized by powerful tall bushes. The height reaches 1-1.5 meters. The main difference with peppermint is the elongated dentate shape of the leaves.
• Lemon. Known as lemon balm. It has a pleasant lemon aroma. It differs in medicinal properties.
• Fragrant. A low perennial plant. It has a pleasant smell. It is actively used in cooking and traditional medicine.
• Wild The difference with pepper is in unexpressed aroma and light cooling effect.

Among gardeners, mint mustard, garden, orange, dog, steppe, water, Korean, chocolate, ginger. Of the hybrids grown on an industrial scale, distribution was gained: Prylukskaya 6, Medicinal 4, Riddle, Charm, Udaichanka.

Growing Features

Peppermint refers to plants grown in a vegetative way. Common methods include:

• root division;
• germination of cuttings;
• sowing seeds.

For planting, choose spring time. The second half of April - the first half of May is best suited. At this time, the plants take root well in a new place and begin to grow actively.

Planting plants

When growing, observe a number of rules:

• A plot for seedlings is prepared in advance. It is dug up and cleared of weeds. When preparing, it is recommended to lay fertilizers in the soil in advance.
• When planting plants grown from seeds, they are covered with a film or non-woven material. This will allow young seedlings to quickly adapt to new conditions. Landings open when the threat of night and day frosts completely passes.
• Peppermint reacts negatively to the high nitrogen content in the soil. When feeding, potassium and phosphorus formulations are preferred.
• Culture belongs to the category of creeping. Constraining control is required to limit sprawl. Slate sheets or metal hoops embedded in the ground act as a natural limiter.
• Planting plants by the method of root division is allowed until mid-August.

Features of outdoor care

According to the description, mint is an unpretentious plant. Growing and caring for it in the open field does not require serious labor costs. The basic requirement is compliance with the simple rules of agricultural technology. They consist in timely watering, loosening the soil and top dressing:

1. Mint grows well in lighted, not dry areas. Often grown plants in partial shade.
2. Fertile, well-drained soil is best suited.
3. In ordinary conditions, it is enough to water 2 times a month. At elevated air temperatures and droughts, the multiplicity is increased to 1 time per week.
4. Plants feed in the spring. A mixture of superphosphate, ammonium nitrate and potassium salt is added to the soil. The ingredients are taken at a rate of 250 for every 10 square meters.
5. Loosening is carried out several times during the season, combining with weeding of weed grass.

Features of growing at home

For breeding at home use seed, plots from adult plants, cuttings. Seed breeding is one of the most labor intensive methods. To do this, you must strictly follow the instructions for sowing seeds. The most common germination of cuttings or division of bushes.

Growing at home

Choose healthy processes up to 20 centimeters long. Cuttings are placed in water with the addition of a growth activator. After the appearance of a branched root system, the seedling is placed in a pre-prepared pot.

The sprout is buried and sprinkled with soil. After planting, the plant is abundantly watered with water. To successfully grow mint, it is recommended to follow a number of care rules:

1. The room maintains a temperature of +20 to +25 ℃.
2. Seedlings are regularly ventilated and irrigated as the soil dries.
3. After each irrigation, the soil is loosened to improve soil aeration.
4. When growing mint from seeds, thinning is performed to remove weak and yellowed sprouts.
5. Seedlings provide good lighting. In winter, additional lighting is provided.

Adult sprouts are looked after as well as other indoor plants - they observe the scheme of watering, top dressing and loosening of the soil.

Flowering period

The flowering period of peppermint depends on the region of cultivation. In the southern regions, it is earlier. Flowers appear in mid-June. In the central regions and in the north, this period is shifted to a later time. The first peduncles appear in late June or mid-July. In the North, mint can only bloom in early August.

The culture is characterized by long flowering, which lasts until September. In some species, flower stalks are preserved until frost.

Peppermint during the flowering period

Peppermint is a cross-pollinated plant. The main pollinators are insects. After flowering, the seeds ripen in plants - small brown nuts. Seeds retain their properties for two years.

Collection and storage of peppermint

Plants of the second year of life are suitable for collection. Work is carried out in mid-June or July, when the plants go into the flowering phase. It is believed that at this time it has the most healing properties.

It is better to collect a medicinal plant in the morning on a dry day. Before harvesting, it is recommended to rinse the mint with water and let it dry. Knowing all about mint, its medicinal properties and method of application, they choose the method of preparation.

Preparation of mint is carried out in several ways:

• Freezing Fresh plants are washed, dried and stacked in containers or bags in small portions. The containers are stored in a freezer.
• Peppermint syrup. 800 g of water requires 500 g of sugar. The syrup is brought to a boil. Mint is added to it and boiled again. The hot mixture is filtered through a fine sieve and the juice of half a lemon is added. The composition is thoroughly mixed and the last time brought to a boil.
• Peppermint tincture. For cooking use 70 percent alcohol. Mint is poured into a sterilized container with alcohol in a proportion of 1:10. Capacity put in a dark cool place for 10 days. Every 1-2 days, the container is shaken. After 10 days, the container is rearranged in the refrigerator for another 3 days. After that, the tincture is filtered and poured into a clean container for storage.
• Liquor. To prepare a drink, 400 milliliters of alcohol, 200 milliliters of water, 1 g of lemon peel and 6 g of dry mint are required. All ingredients are mixed in one container and insisted for 2 days in a dark, cool place. After 2 days, syrup prepared from 1 kg of granulated sugar and 150 milliliters of water is added to the tincture. The mixture is stirred and bottled.
• Drying. Long stalks of previously washed peppermint are cut off and collected in bunches up to 3 cm in diameter. The bundles are suspended in a well-ventilated dark place.

Pest and Disease Control

Mint is characterized by weak immunity. It is often susceptible to diseases and pests.

Specialists identify a number of diseases that cause the most harm to plants:

• Rust. It occurs with high humidity, low temperatures or with an excess of nitrogen in the soil. It is characterized by the formation of dark red hue pigmentation on the leaf plates.
• Powdery Mildew The main sign of damage is the appearance of plaque on white leaves. For the prevention of the disease, colloidal sulfur is sprayed.
• Verticillin wilt. It manifests itself in a change in the color of the upper pairs of leaf plates to black. As the disease spreads, the plant dies.
• Anthracnose. The disease manifests itself in the formation of brown spots on leaf blades. To combat the disease, spraying with Bordeaux fluid is used.
• Septoria or spotting. It appears in the form of brown or black spots of an angular shape with a black border. To combat the spread of the disease, spraying is used with a Bordeaux mixture.
• Sprouting. The disease is caused by mycoplasmas. In affected plants, growth is stopped, foliage color changes. It is recommended to dig and burn affected plants. Healthy bushes are transplanted to a new site.

Powdery mildew on mint

Of the pests, mint is most susceptible to damage:

• peppermint flea;
• shield bearer;
• aphids;
• cicadas;
• beetles weevils;
• meadow crank;
• slobbering pennies.

Of the pests, a bear is isolated, caterpillars of the cabbage scoop, meadow moth, burdock. To control pests, observe crop rotation, adhere to the planting scheme, carry out preventive spraying.

Watch the video: Peppermint Mentha piperita (May 2024).