How to Grow Hydroponic Mint? A Detailed Guide to the Latest Growing Methods

Mint is an aromatic crop with special economic value, also known as wild mint, night-rest fragrance, etc. It is a perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Mentha in the Lamiaceae family, with green and fragrant stems, opposite leaves, small light purple labiate flowers, and small dark purple-brown seeds after flowering. It mostly grows in mountain wetlands and by riversides, with rhizomes creeping underground. Let's take a look below at how to grow hydroponic mint!

Mint's Growth Habits

1. Temperature: Mint has a strong ability to adapt to temperature. Its rhizomes overwinter and can withstand low temperatures of -15°C. Its most suitable growth temperature is 25-30°C. When the temperature is below 15°C, growth is slow, and when it is above 20°C, growth speeds up. At 20-30°C, as long as water and fertilizer are suitable, the higher the temperature, the faster the growth.

2. Light: Mint is a long-day crop and likes sunlight. Long daylight hours can promote mint flowering and are beneficial for the accumulation of mint oil and menthol.

3. Soil: Mint is not very strict about soil requirements. Except for overly sandy, overly clayey, excessively acidic or alkaline soil, and low-lying poorly drained soil, it can generally be planted in ordinary soil, with sandy loam and alluvial soil being preferable. The suitable soil pH is 6-7.5.

Hydroponic Methods for Mint

1. Prepare an empty cup, either plastic or ceramic, and fill it with tap water.

2. Cut a slightly longer branch from the mother mint plant. You can let it dry for 12 hours to heal the wound, then insert it into sand, or you can directly grow it hydroponically.

3. Choose spring or summer when the temperature is higher and warmer for hydroponic growing, as this makes it easier to grow roots. Generally, when grown hydroponically in summer, roots begin to grow in just over a week.

How to Grow Hydroponic Mint?

1. Plenty of sunlight: Mint has considerable demand for both sunlight and water, so mint should be placed in a place with sufficient light. Being kept in a shaded place with weak light for a long time is not conducive to normal photosynthesis, is not good for leaf growth, and will also reduce the number of roots. Placing the hydroponic mint bottle in a place with sufficient light once every two days can meet its light needs for growth.

2. Change the water in time: There is no need to change the water too frequently. Usually, changing it once a week is enough. If the base water in the bottle decreases, you can add an appropriate amount of water, but do not fill it too full. At the same time, you can add an appropriate amount of nutrient solution to the water to ensure sufficient nutrients for mint growth.

3. Spray water to maintain moisture: Although mint is grown hydroponically, the leaves still need to be sprayed with water to maintain moisture, generally twice a day. Use a small spray bottle, and do not spray too much water. Mist-like water is more easily absorbed by the leaves.

Precautions for Hydroponic Mint

1. If leaves turn black during hydroponic growing, remove the black leaves promptly. There is no need to worry about removing leaves from herbaceous plants; on the contrary, they usually grow more vigorously the more they are picked.

2. When changing the base water, wash the roots at the same time and remove any leaves that have already rotted in the water, so as to keep the base water and the plant clean and healthy.

3. Whether hydroponic or soil-grown, mint grows very quickly, so the mother plant can be divided by branching, that is, breaking one branch into two and continuing to grow them hydroponically or in soil.