Does Mint Need Fertilizer? A Detailed Guide to the Correct Fertilizing Method
Mint, as if tireless, gives off a fresh fragrance and does not stop until late at night, which earned it the name "night fragrance." Mint has strong vitality and can grow in almost any soil. Its unique fragrance is refreshing and uplifting, making it a particularly practical garden plant.
Gardeners can grow potted mint on their own balcony or in their garden, pick a few leaves at any time, brew a pot of fragrant tea, sip the clear tea, sit leisurely in a chair reading a book, and relax freely. So, does mint need fertilizer? How should it be fertilized? Please read on, and the editor will answer each question for you.
Does mint need fertilizer?
Mint likes fertilizer. During its growing period, be sure to apply light fertilizer frequently, generally using a 1:400 ratio of Dewoduo series liquid fertilizer once every about 10~15 days. Stop fertilizing in winter, or you can use Dewoduo biological organic fertilizer (granules) shallowly buried along the edge of the flower pot, and there is no need to use liquid fertilizer.
How should mint be fertilized?
Actually, mint fertilizing is mainly nitrogen fertilizer, supplemented by phosphorus and potassium, with light fertilizer applied frequently. The growing medium is prepared with 4 parts loam soil with good drainage mixed with 1 part organic fertilizer; fertilize once every 1~2 months.
Home potted mint should be given 3-5 topdressings of fertilizer each year, which can be done together with weeding. During the growing period, in order to promote more luxuriant stems and leaves, mainly apply nitrogen fertilizer, with phosphorus and potassium fertilizer as a supplement, and apply light fertilizer frequently. You will find that just one or two small plants can grow into a whole patch.
For fertilizing mint, water-soluble diluted liquid fertilizer is enough. Of course, if you have some organic compost or manure, you can also give some, but it must be rotted. Remember not to give concentrated fertilizer; apply light fertilizer frequently, and fertilize less in winter.
In the process of growing mint, fertilizing is crucial. What should be noted when fertilizing mint? Next, the editor will introduce the precautions for fertilizing mint.
Precautions for fertilizing mint:
Mint has a long growing period and a relatively large fertilizer requirement. In addition to applying enough base fertilizer, it should also be topdressed 2-3 times, and urea is recommended. The amount of topdressing varies with the soil. For medium to high fertility soil, the method of first controlling and then promoting is generally adopted, that is, lightly applying seedling fertilizer and branching fertilizer in March-April to prevent excessive early growth, which would cause leaf drop and lodging later.
By early to mid-June, apply one heavy fertilization, and do not fertilize after that. During the growing period of mint, foliar spraying should be carried out according to the growth of the seedlings, generally spraying phosphorus fertilizer.
Potassium fertilizer has a very obvious yield-increasing effect and can increase yield by 10%-15%, but the following issues should be noted when spraying foliar fertilizer:
① The concentration range of foliar fertilizer should be strictly controlled. If the concentration is too low, there is no yield-increasing effect, and if the concentration is too high, seedling burn will occur. Generally, 1% superphosphate mixed with 0.1% potassium chloride in equal proportions is used for spraying.
② Foliar fertilizer spraying should be done on cloudy days, or in the evening on sunny days. In the late growth stage of mint, a large amount of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium nutrients is needed, especially nitrogen fertilizer. At this time, the roots have gradually aged, or due to other factors, the root absorption capacity has weakened. Urea can also be used for root-outside topdressing, because urea is a neutral fertilizer and does not burn mint leaves, and will not cause leaf drop and affect yield.