How to harvest mint? Detailed explanation of key cultivation techniques
How to harvest mint? A detailed introduction: mint is harvested twice a year. The first harvest is from late June to early July, but no later than mid-July, otherwise the second yield will be affected. The second harvest takes place in early October during the flowering period. When harvesting, choose a sunny day between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., with the period from 12 noon to 2 p.m. being the best...
How to harvest mint? A detailed introduction
Mint is harvested twice a year. The first harvest is from late June to early July, but no later than mid-July, otherwise the second yield will be affected. The second harvest takes place in early October during the flowering period. When harvesting, choose a sunny day between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., with the period from 12 noon to 2 p.m. being the best, because at this time the mint leaves contain the highest levels of mint oil and menthol. Since the mint oil and menthol content in the plant body often changes with the growth stage and different weather conditions, seizing the time when the oil content is high for timely harvest is the key to achieving high and abundant yields of oil and menthol. Specifically, follow the "three observations":
1. Observe the plants: mint leaves have a high oil content at the bud stage and a high menthol content at the flowering stage, so the first crop of mint should be harvested at the bud stage, when a small amount of flowering is seen. The second crop of mint should be harvested when 30-40% of the plants are flowering and the top leaves curl and wrinkle. At this time, if you hold the mint leaf tips in your hand and gently stir the air, a rich fragrance will be released, which means it is ready for harvest.
2. Observe the weather: in weather with high temperatures, consecutive sunny days, strong sunlight and little wind, the oil content of the leaves is high, so it is advisable to harvest on the 4th-5th day after consecutive sunny and high-temperature weather, when there is no wind or only a slight breeze. Morning, evening, overcast days, rainy days, low temperatures and strong winds are all unsuitable for harvest.
3. Observe the ground: harvest after the ground surface is dry and has turned white, to prevent damage to the underground rhizomes from stepping on them.
When harvesting, cut the aboveground stems as close to the ground as possible and spread them out in the sun to dry until 50-60% dry. It is best to cut and transport them back for distillation on the same day. Leaves that cannot all be distilled in time should be spread out to air promptly and not piled up, to prevent heating, mold and rot of stems and leaves, and volatilization of the oil. The leaves left in the field after harvest can also be collected for oil distillation.
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