How to Grow Mint for High Yields? A Detailed Guide to Green Cultivation Techniques
How is mint grown? Mint is distributed across many provinces in China, with the mint produced in Taicang, Jiangsu being the best, known as Su mint; currently Anhui, Hubei, Shandong and Sichuan are the main production areas. Based on practical experience, the green, high-yield and high-quality cultivation techniques for mint are introduced as follows:
1 Variety selection
Generally speaking, there are two most common varieties of mint, namely green-stem and purple-stem purple-vein.
2 Selection of the cultivation site
Mint is a long-day plant that likes sunlight, and its most suitable growing temperature is 25-30°C. It can be cultivated in most soils, with sandy loam and alluvial soil being the best. The suitable soil pH is 6.0-7.5. Choose scattered plots with irrigation and drainage conditions and sufficient light, such as beside ponds, houses and water channels, with fertile soil and flat terrain being ideal; sandy soil, and land with insufficient light, drought or prone to waterlogging should not be planted. Land where mint has been grown must lie fallow for about 3 years before it can be planted again.
3 Land preparation and fertilization
Mint is a perennial crop, so for large-scale planting the land must be leveled to facilitate irrigation in the dry season and drainage in the rainy season. Deep plow in early spring to a depth of no less than 25 cm. Before plowing, apply per mu 50-75 kg of potassium sulfate compound fertilizer (15-15-15), 100 kg of 12% superphosphate, 4000-5000 kg of farmyard manure fully decomposed and sun-dried for more than 7 days, and 150-200 kg of lignin bacterial fertilizer (where conditions permit, mix the farmyard manure and lignin bacterial fertilizer evenly and ferment them for 30 days in an environment without direct light before applying). All the above fertilizers are applied by broadcasting. Spray 45-50 kg, or spray 38% rare earth nitrate diluted in 50 kg of water. In the early stage of gourd enlargement, 75 ml of rare earth plant and animal treasure can be sprayed per mu, diluted in 60 kg of water.
4 Seedling selection
Mint seedlings are generally propagated in 3 ways: rhizome, division and cuttings; for large-scale planting, the cutting propagation method is mostly used. In Shandong, cutting propagation is generally carried out in May-June. The nursery bed is set up in a sandy loam plot with convenient transportation and easy irrigation and drainage. Apply per mu 30-35 kg of ternary compound fertilizer (15-15-15) and 100 kg of lignin bacterial fertilizer as base fertilizer. After fine plowing and leveling, make flat beds 1.2 m wide, with bed ridges no less than 8 cm wide and 12 cm high. Cut robust, pest-free aboveground stems and branches into 10 cm cuttings, and insert them for seedling raising at a row spacing of 7 cm × 3 cm, keeping the soil moist. In late June, when the mint seedlings are 10-15 cm tall, pull out wild and mixed mint plants together with their roots, and thin and fill in the seedlings at a plant spacing of 10-15 cm.
5 Planting
In southwestern Shandong, mint is generally planted from early October to early November. Before planting, harrow the planting field level and fine, make beds 2-3 m wide with bed ridges 15-20 cm high, and adopt the furrow planting method, digging furrows at a row spacing of 30-40 cm, with a furrow depth of 6-10 cm and a planting spacing of 15-20 cm. Place the mint seedling roots evenly in the planting furrows, then cover with soil and press lightly. Generally about 200 kg of seed roots are needed per mu.
6 Management after planting
6.1 Cultivation and weeding
To ensure the product quality and growth vigor of mint, the use of any herbicide is not advocated throughout the growth and development period. From March onward, adopt shallow cultivation to control weeds, and carry out shallow cultivation once more after the first harvest. Generally, cultivation is carried out 2-3 times in total from planting to harvest.
6.2 Watering and topdressing
Apply topdressing reasonably to ensure the plants are strong but not excessive. Before the first harvest of mint, excessive nitrogen fertilizer should not be applied, otherwise the plants will grow too vigorously, the stems will be thin and weak, and lodging is likely to occur in the middle and late stages of growth. When the seedlings are 10-15 cm tall, open furrows and apply topdressing, generally per mu 8-10 kg of urea with a nitrogen content of 46%, and 40 kg of Chinese herbal lignin bacterial fertilizer. After the plants close the rows, spray the leaves with 150-fold bio-fermented bacterial liquid, once every 10 days, for 2-3 consecutive sprays.
Mint has a relatively high water demand in the early and middle stages of growth and development. If the weather is dry after planting, water once every 15 days. After the plants close the rows, water lightly and appropriately to prevent excessive vegetative growth of stems and leaves, lodging and shedding of lower leaves, which reduce yield. Stop watering 20-25 days before harvest.
6.3 Plant adjustment
In May, mint plants enter a period of vigorous growth. Remove the terminal buds in time to promote the growth of side branches, stems and leaves (this can increase yield by more than 10%); remove dead lower leaves in time and destroy them at a distance or bury them deeply on the spot.
7 Integrated pest and disease control
7.1 Common diseases
① Rust
It mainly harms the leaves and stems of mint. In the early stage of the disease, round to spindle-shaped yellow spots form on the leaf surface, and the spots gradually expand, containing rust-like rust spores. When the damage is severe, the affected parts become thickened and deformed.
② Septoria leaf spot
Also known as white star disease, it is a fungal disease that mainly harms mint leaves. In the early stage of the disease, round to irregular dark green spots 2-3 mm in size appear on the leaf surface, later turning brown, with the center fading to gray and a faded margin around it. Black small granules, namely the pathogen's pycnidia, form on the spots. In severe cases, the leaf tissue around the spots turns yellow, causing early defoliation or local death of the leaves.
③ Black shank
It mainly occurs at the seedling stage, causing the base of the mint stem to contract and become sunken, turn black and rot, and the plants to lodge and wilt, seriously affecting the growth of mint.
④ Integrated control measures
Strengthen field management. During the growth period of mint, pull out diseased plants in time and take them away from the planting field; plant at a reasonable density to maintain ventilation and light penetration in the field; drain water in time after heavy rain; after harvesting the previous mint crop, remove diseased and residual matter in time and destroy it at a distance or bury it deeply nearby. Chemical control: for rust, use 25% triadimefon 1000-1500-fold solution for leaf spraying. For septoria leaf spot, the commonly used control agent is 70% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder 1000-1500-fold solution, sprayed on the leaves, once every 7-10 days, for 2-3 consecutive sprays. Use 65% zineb wettable powder 500-fold solution, sprayed once every 7 days for 3 consecutive sprays, to control the harm of black shank to mint. When using chemical control, stop applying the chemicals 20 days before harvest.
7.2 Common insect pests
① Cutworm
Also known as soil silkworm and root-cutting worm. It mainly harms mint at the seedling stage, biting off the young roots, causing plant death and resulting in missing seedlings and broken rows in the field.
② Cotton geometrid
This insect mainly harms mint leaves, flowers, buds, fruits and tender branches, seriously affecting plant growth.
③ Control measures
In conjunction with land preparation and bed making, use 10-15 g of 3% phoxim granules per sq m, or apply Beauveria bassiana in furrows at planting, at 20-25 kg per sq m, to control the harm of cutworm to mint roots. For cotton geometrid, physical control measures are mainly used: from Start of Summer to Grain in Ear, use black light traps to kill adults, generally with the light source positioned 30-40 cm above the mint plants; use the adults' attraction to sugar-vinegar to trap and kill them, setting up 1 sugar-vinegar liquid box per mu, placed higher than the mint plants, covered during the day and uncovered in the evening; at the peak of egg hatching, spray with 100-fold Bacillus thuringiensis emulsion, or with 10 billion viable spores/g Bacillus thuringiensis wettable powder 500-1000-fold solution.
8 Harvest
In the southwestern Shandong area, mint is harvested twice a year, the first time from late June to early July, no later than mid-July; the second harvest is in early October. Where conditions permit, mechanical harvesting is used. After harvesting, spread the mint on the ground away from direct light to dry in the shade until 70-80% dry, then tie it into small bundles and place them in a cool, ventilated place to continue drying.
The above is the mint growing experience in the southwestern Shandong area. Interested farmers are welcome to refer to and learn more on Huinong.com!
High-yield Mint Planting and Cultivation Techniques
[Common Questions] High-yield Mint Planting and Cultivation Techniques
[Expert Answer]
Image: Mint cultivation
I. Seedling raising
1. Rhizome propagation. Cultivate seed roots in late April or late August. In the field, select robust, pest-free plants as mother plants and plant them at a row and plant spacing of 20×10cm. After harvesting the aboveground stems and leaves in early winter, leave the rhizomes in place as seed plants.
2. Division propagation. When mint seedlings are about 15cm tall, thin and fill in the seedlings. Use the thinned seedlings for division and transplanting.
3. Cutting propagation. In May-June, cut the aboveground stems and branches into 10cm cuttings and insert them for seedling raising in the prepared nursery bed at a row and plant spacing of 7×3cm; after rooting and sprouting, transplant them to the field for cultivation.
II. Transplanting
1. Transplant mint in early spring of the second year before it has sprouted; early planting means early sprouting, a longer growth period and higher yield. When planting, dig up the rhizomes, select thick, short-internode, disease-free rhizomes as seed roots, cut them into 7-10cm segments, then open 10cm-deep furrows on the prepared bed surface at a row spacing of 25cm. Place the seed roots diagonally in the furrows at a plant spacing of 10cm, cover with fine soil, press firmly and water.
2. Pinching and topping: in May, when the plants are growing vigorously, remove the terminal buds in time to promote the growth of side branches, stems and leaves, which is beneficial for increasing yield.
III. Management during the first-cut period (from emergence to the first harvest)
1. Check and replant seedlings. After the field has basically full seedlings, check the seedlings in time, and replant the spots and patches where seedlings are missing or sparse.
2. Cultivation and weeding. After full emergence, cultivate and weed between rows and weed by hand between plants to preserve soil moisture, increase (soil) temperature, eliminate weeds and promote seedling growth. Carry out cultivation and weeding 2-3 times before the rows close. Before harvest, pull out all weeds in the field to prevent the odor of other weeds from affecting the quality of mint oil.
3. Timely topdressing. When the seedlings are 10-15cm tall, open furrows and apply topdressing, applying 10kg of urea per mu; after the rows close, spray per mu 5ml of Spraying Treasure + 150g of potassium dihydrogen phosphate + 150g of urea twice.
4. Scientific watering. Mint needs more water in the early and middle stages, especially in the early growth stage when the root system has not yet formed; generally water about once every 15 days, and water 4-5 times from emergence to harvest. After the rows close, water lightly and appropriately to avoid excessive growth of stems and leaves, lodging, and shedding of lower leaves, which reduce yield. Stop watering 20-25 days before harvest. At harvest time, it is best if the ground surface is “whitish”.
5. Disease control. The main disease of mint is black shank, which occurs at the seedling stage, with symptoms of the stem base contracting and becoming sunken, turning black and rotting, and the plants lodging and wilting. For control, during the disease period use per mu 100-150g of 70% chlorothalonil or 40% carbendazim, diluted with water and sprayed.
① Mint rust, which occurs easily from May to July, use 25% triadimefon 1000-1500-fold solution for leaf spraying.
② Septoria leaf spot, which occurs from May to October, spray 65% zineb 500-fold solution in the early stage of the disease, once a week, to bring it under control.
6. Pest control. The main pest of mint is the “cotton geometrid”, with damage periods around mid-June and late August. Generally, when the insect population density reaches 10 insects/m2, use per mu 15-20ml of Decis, spraying 1-2 times, or spray 80% dichlorvos 1000-fold.
7. Timely harvesting. In early July, when 10-30% of the flower buds on the main stems of mint are in full bloom, begin harvesting. When harvesting, cut off the upper stems and leaves level with the ground. The cut mint should be spread out immediately to dry and must not be piled up, to avoid fermentation. Harvesting mint too early will reduce the oil yield, while harvesting too late will increase the furan content in the mint and affect the oil quality. Tie the wilted mint into bundles in time for distillation to refine the oil.
IV. Management during the second-cut period (from after the first harvest to before the second harvest)
1. The growth period of mint in the second-cut period is relatively short. After the first cut, promptly and quickly sweep up fallen leaves for distillation to refine oil. Remove the stubble, weeds and stolons from the ground as soon as possible (generally to a depth of 2-3cm) to encourage the young buds of the seedlings to emerge from the rhizomes.
2. After removing the stubble, water immediately to encourage the second-cut seedlings to sprout early and grow quickly, extend the growth time and increase yield. Water 3-4 times during the second-cut period. When the seedlings are 10-15cm tall, broadcast (in furrows) 10kg of urea per mu, apply foliar topdressing 1-2 times, and pull large weeds 1-2 times before harvest, so that there are no weeds in the field before harvest.
V. Harvest
1. The harvest time is from mid-September to mid-October.
2. When dried to 70-80% dry, tie into small bundles and continue drying until fully dry. The best quality is dry, full-leaved, with dark green leaf color, purple-brown or light green stems, and a rich aroma.
[Editor's Summary]
Mint is a common aromatic crop, often growing beside mountain wildlands and wetlands. Besides being dried for consumption and medicinal use, it can also be picked fresh and eaten as a fresh vegetable. The editor of First Farm Economics introduces the high-yield mint planting and cultivation techniques in this article, hoping it will be helpful to you.
How to manage mint planting? Field management techniques for mint planting
Mint has both medicinal and edible functions. The young stem tips can be eaten as a vegetable, and the whole plant can also be used as medicine, so it has high planting value. In the process of mint planting, doing a good job in field management is the key to achieving stable and high yields, and farmers should pay attention to it. So, how to manage mint planting? The field management techniques for mint planting are introduced as follows.
Image: Mint planting
I. Checking and filling in seedlings
After transplanting in early April, when the seedlings are 10 cm tall, check and fill in the seedlings in time, maintaining a plant spacing of about 15 cm, that is, leaving 20,000-30,000 plants per mu.
II. Cultivation and weeding
Carry out cultivation and weeding 2-3 times between March and April. Because the mint root system is concentrated at 15 cm in the soil layer, and the underground rhizomes are concentrated at 10 cm in the soil layer, cultivation should be shallow rather than deep. After the first harvest, carry out shallow cultivation once more.
III. Topdressing
Generally 4 times. The first time is at emergence in February, apply 1000-1500 kg of manure water per mu to promote seedling growth. The second time, when the seedlings are 20-25 cm tall, apply 40-50 kg of ternary compound fertilizer per mu, applied deeply in furrows between rows, and cover with soil after application. The third time, after the first harvest of mint, apply 70-75 kg of ternary compound fertilizer per mu, preferably watering with 1500-2000 kg of concentrated manure water, to encourage early regrowth after cutting and increase yield. The fourth time is in early September, when the seedlings are 25-30 cm tall, apply 20-25 kg of ternary compound fertilizer per mu to meet the needs of the plants.
Image: Mint planting
IV. Irrigation and drainage
Water promptly after each fertilization. When high temperature and dry weather as well as summer drought occur from July to August, irrigate in time to resist drought. In the rainy season, drain accumulated water from the field in time.
V. Removing impurities
After several years of planting improved mint varieties, degeneration and mixing will occur, mainly shown as uneven plant height, abnormal leaf color and leaf shape, inconsistent maturity, weakened stress resistance, and decreased crude oil yield and quality. When wild or mixed mint is found, remove it in time, the earlier the better, and at the latest before the aboveground stems grow to 8 pairs of leaves, because at that time the underground stems have not yet sprouted and it can be pulled out cleanly and thoroughly. It is best to remove impurities after rain when the soil is soft, which saves effort and reduces the impact on the surrounding mint. When removing impurities, if it is temporarily difficult to distinguish, pick a fully formed leaf, rub it with your hand and smell it; if it has an off odor, it is wild or mixed mint. The work of removing impurities must be carried out repeatedly, and second-cut mint should also have impurities removed 2-3 times. After removing impurities from the first cut, if the basic seedlings are insufficient, seedlings should also be transplanted to fill the gaps.
[Editor's Conclusion]Doing a good job in field management of mint is the key to achieving yield and benefits in mint planting. The above has introduced the field management techniques for mint planting, hoping it can be helpful to everyone!