Mint Seed Prices and a Detailed Guide to Planting Methods

Mint is an aromatic crop with special economic value, also known as wild mint, night-blooming fragrance, silver dan grass, and so on. It is a perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Mentha in the Lamiaceae family, widely distributed in the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, and cultivated in many parts of China, with Jiangsu and Anhui being traditional authentic production areas, but the cultivated area is increasingly shrinking. Now let us take a look at mint seed prices and planting methods!

How much do mint seeds cost?

The market price of mint seeds is about 200 yuan per jin. Mint has a strong ability to adapt to temperature; its rhizomes overwinter and can withstand low temperatures of -15°C, and the most suitable temperature for growth is 25-30°C. It likes sunlight, and long sunshine hours can promote mint flowering and help the accumulation of mint oil and menthol. It is not very strict about soil requirements. Except for soil that is too sandy, too clayey, too extreme in acidity or alkalinity, or low-lying and poorly drained, general soil can be used for planting, with sandy loam and alluvial soil being better, and a pH value of 6-7.5 being suitable.

What types of mint are there?

1. Purple stem and purple vein: The stems of purple stem and purple vein mint are purple at the seedling stage, and in the middle and later stages the lower and middle parts of the stem are purple or light purple, while the upper stem is green. Most varieties have a low seed-setting rate, weak branching ability and stress resistance, and unstable volatile oil yield, but the oil has a high menthol content.

2. Green stem mint: The base of the stem of green stem mint is purple at the seedling stage and green in the upper part; in the middle and later stages the stem base is light purple and the middle and upper parts are green. Most varieties have a high seed-setting rate, strong branching ability and stress resistance, and relatively stable volatile oil yield, but the oil quality is not as good as that of the purple stem type.

Mint Planting Methods

1. Site selection and land preparation: Mint is not strict about soil and can be cultivated in any soil except that which is too acidic or too alkaline. Choose scattered land with irrigation and drainage conditions and sufficient sunlight, such as beside ponds, houses, and water channels, preferably with fertile soil and flat terrain. Sandy soil, land with insufficient sunlight, and land that is dry and prone to water accumulation are not easy to plant. Land where mint has been grown must rest for about 3 years before it can be planted again. Deeply plow the land, apply decomposed compost, farmyard manure, superphosphate, bone meal, and so on as base fertilizer at 37,500-45,000 kg per hectare, harrow finely, hoe shallowly once, turn the fertilizer into the soil, break up the soil, rake it level, and make beds 200 cm wide.

2. Seedling raising and propagation

① Rhizome propagation: Cultivate seed roots in late April or late August. 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 15 cm tall, thin and fill in the seedlings. At this time, the thinned seedlings can be used for division and transplanting.

③ Cutting propagation: In May-June, cut the aboveground stems and branches into 10 cm long cuttings for cutting propagation. After rooting and sprouting, transplant them to the field for cultivation.

3. Transplanting method: Transplant mint in early spring of the second year before it has sprouted. Early planting leads to early sprouting, a long growth period, and high yield. When planting, dig up the rhizomes, select thick, short-internode, disease-free rhizomes as seed roots, cut them into 7-10 cm long sections, and then open furrows 10 cm deep on the prepared bed surface at a row spacing of 25 cm. Place the seed roots diagonally in the furrows at a plant spacing of 10 cm, cover with fine soil, press firmly, and water.

4. Field management

① Checking seedlings and replanting: 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 Intertillage and weeding: After full seedlings, carry out intertillage and weeding between rows and manual weeding between plants to preserve soil moisture, increase (soil) temperature, eliminate weeds, and promote seedling growth. Carry out intertillage and weeding 2-3 times before the rows close. Before harvesting, pull out all weeds in the field to prevent the odor of other weeds from affecting the quality of mint oil.

③ Pinching and topping: In May, when the plants are growing vigorously, promptly remove the terminal buds to promote the growth of side branches, stems, and leaves, which helps increase yield.

④ Timely topdressing: When the seedlings are 10-15 cm tall, open furrows and apply topdressing at 10 kg of urea per mu. After the rows close, spray twice per mu with 5 ml of Pen Shi Bao + 150 g of potassium dihydrogen phosphate + 150 g of urea.

⑤ 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 once about every 15 days, and water 4-5 times from emergence to harvest. After the rows close, water lightly in appropriate amounts to avoid excessive growth of stems and leaves, lodging, and shedding of lower leaves, which reduces yield. Stop watering 20-25 days before harvest.

5. Pest and disease control

① Black shank: Occurs at the seedling stage. During the disease period, spray per mu with 100-150 g of 70% chlorothalonil or 40% carbendazim mixed with water.

② Mint rust: Prone to occur from May to July. Spray leaves with a 1000-1500 times dilution of 25% triadimefon.

③ Leaf spot: Occurs from May to October. In the early stage of the disease, spray with a 500 times dilution of 65% zineb once a week to control it.

④ Cotton semilooper: The damage period is around mid-June and late August. Generally, when the insect density reaches 10 per square meter, use 15-20 ml of Decis per mu and spray 1-2 times, or spray with a 1000 times dilution of 80% dichlorvos.