How to Plant Spearmint Seeds? A Detailed Guide to Growing Methods
Anyone with a keen eye for everyday life will notice that many toothpastes nowadays are labeled "spearmint flavor." Spearmint is a type of mint with a scent different from ordinary mint, feeling somewhat fresher, so it is widely used by manufacturers in toothpaste production, giving our toothpaste a very fresh taste. So how is this fragrant mint grown?
How to Plant Spearmint Seeds
1. Sowing time: In the Yangtze River basin region of southern China, autumn and winter planting, that is, late October to late November, is preferred; in the north, spring planting, that is, March to April, is suitable.
2. Sowing method:
① Container: For sowing, you can use a relatively short small flower pot. You can also substitute a milk carton by piercing several small holes in the bottom with an awl.
② Soil: Herb seeds are relatively small and have a low germination rate, so the soil used for sowing generally needs to be loose, breathable, highly water-retentive, and thoroughly sterilized. A mix of vermiculite, peat, sphagnum moss, perlite, and osmund fiber is generally used. (3) Broadcast sowing: Dip your hand in some seeds and gently scatter them over the soil. Then evenly cover with a thin layer of soil, taking care to maintain soil moisture.
③ Watering: After sowing, water thoroughly. Use a fine spray bottle for watering. The bottom-watering method is best: fill a large basin two-thirds full of water and set the container into the basin, allowing water to slowly seep in through the bottom holes of the container. After sowing, cover the container with cling film and pierce several small holes in the film for ventilation. Place the container in sunlight and maintain a temperature of around 20°C.
Methods for Growing Spearmint
1. Growing environment: Spearmint rhizomes can sprout and emerge at 5-6°C; the suitable temperature for plant growth is 20-30°C. The rhizomes have strong cold resistance; if the soil maintains a certain humidity, they can still overwinter in areas with winter temperatures of -30 to -20°C. It should not be cultivated in shaded places. Spearmint has low soil requirements, but loose, fertile, moist sandy loam or oil sandy soil is better.
2. Cultivation techniques: Spearmint prefers a soil pH of 5.5-6.5; slightly alkaline soil can also be used. It can be propagated by seeds, cuttings, division, and rhizomes. In production, the rhizome propagation method is generally used. After the autumn harvest, leave the rhizomes in the soil and dig them out before planting. Select rhizomes with short internodes, white color, thick growth, and no pests or diseases, and cut them into 6-10 cm long segments as propagation material. The planting period can be from November to early March, varying by region. The planting site should receive plenty of base fertilizer and be deeply plowed. After leveling, open furrows at a row spacing of 25 cm with a furrow depth of 6-8 cm. Scatter the seed rhizomes into the furrows, cover with soil, rake level, and press firm. About 1125-1500 kg of rhizomes are needed per 1 hm2.
3. Field management: During the spearmint growing period, besides intertillage and weeding, clearing drainage channels, preventing waterlogging after rain, and timely irrigation, the most important task is topdressing, generally 4 times: after full emergence in April; during the peak growth period in May-June; after the first cutting of mint in July; and in late August when the second-cut spearmint seedlings are about 15 cm tall. Nitrogen fertilizer is the main fertilizer applied, supplemented with phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. Spearmint easily degrades, so attention should be paid to seed selection and retention.
4. Pest and disease control: Spearmint diseases include rust; field water should be drained promptly. In the early stage of the disease, spray with 25% triadimefon 1000x solution, or alternate with 1:1:200 Bordeaux mixture. Stop spraying 20 days before harvest. Pests include cutworms, measuring worms, aphids, and red spider mites.
Growth Habits of Spearmint
1. Wide temperature adaptation range
When the daily average temperature is above 5°C and the soil temperature reaches above 2°C, the roots, stems, scales, and buds of spearmint begin to sprout. The optimum temperature during the growing period is 25-30°C; it can also grow normally when the temperature is above 30-40°C. Planted around the start of winter, the underground rhizomes can safely overwinter.
2. Moisture-loving
Spearmint needs more water in the early and middle growth stages, but during the budding stage it needs ample sunlight and a dry climate to promote the growth of oil gland cells. Therefore, it is suitable for growing in the humid subtropical monsoon climate zones of China.
3. Light-loving
Spearmint is a light-loving plant; its leaves are both organs of photosynthesis and the main sites for storing essential oil. If the planting density is too high and ventilation and light penetration between plants are poor, the branching nodes will be high, branching will be reduced, and leaves will easily fall off, thereby affecting the yield and quality of the essential oil.
4. Suitable for weakly acidic soil
Spearmint has low soil requirements, with sandy and loose-textured soil being superior, and neutral soil being suitable in terms of pH. Because the aboveground biomass of spearmint is relatively large, it has a high fertilizer demand, especially for nitrogen fertilizer.
What Is Spearmint
Spearmint (scientific name: Mentha spicata Linn.), also known as green mint, fragrant mint, Dutch mint, green mint, fragrant flower vegetable, and fish mint. It is an upright perennial herbaceous plant of the Lamiaceae family, with upright stems, purple or white flowers, and a flowering period from July to September. It has a wide temperature adaptation range, likes moisture and light, and is suitable for weakly acidic soil. The stems and leaves can be distilled to extract spearmint oil, which can be used as medicine or eaten.
The seed planting method for spearmint is relatively simple, and spearmint's survival ability is also relatively strong. We only need to plant it according to spearmint's growth requirements and observe its growth status more often, and generally we can grow relatively delicate and lovely mint.