How to cultivate mint indoors and outdoors
A brief guide to introduce how to grow mint indoors and outdoors, and detailed explanations of mint care methods during spring indoors and outdoors, please see the introduction below.
Mint is a green aromatic herb loved by everyone. Growing mint on the balcony or in the yard not only serves to decorate the space and beautify the living environment, but also has health benefits when using its leaves to make tea, stew meat, or soups. Because of the difference in indoor and outdoor environments in spring, the care methods vary greatly. Today, I will share different methods of growing mint indoors and outdoors.
Growth habits of mint
Mint, also known as night-blooming incense or silver丹草, belongs to the Mentha genus of the Labiatae family, and is a perennial rhizomatous herb. There are many varieties, and different mints emit slightly different fragrances, making it a widely cultivated aromatic plant worldwide.
Mint is robust and highly adaptable to the environment, able to be grown outdoors in most parts of China. It prefers warm, sunny growing conditions, with the optimal growth temperature between 20-30 degrees Celsius. It is heat and cold resistant, with roots that can withstand temperatures as low as minus 15 degrees. Mint grows rapidly and requires continuous pruning. It does not have high soil requirements and prefers loose, fertile, humus-rich sandy soil. Potted mint needs to be repotted every year, preferably in spring.
Key points for indoor care
Simply put, growing mint outdoors is more suitable. Indoor conditions may present some issues, but with a little attention, mint can still be grown well indoors.
Mint loves sunlight, and indoor environments usually have poor lighting. Be sure to place the pot in a sunny阳台 or windowsill. Dark places in the home are not suitable for growing mint, as excessive darkness can cause the plant to grow tall and weak with dull, lifeless leaves and stagnant growth.
How to grow mint indoors and outdoors
The most common problem when growing mint indoors is root rot due to excessive watering. Many mints that thrive outdoors die soon after being moved indoors due to poor ventilation and slow water circulation in the pot. If you cannot control watering properly and allow too much water to accumulate, it can lead to root rot over time. When caring for mint indoors, be especially careful with watering, checking the moisture level of the potting soil before watering. Only water when the surface of the soil is dry. It's better to keep the soil slightly dry than to let it become soggy and waterlogged.
Mint grown indoors, especially during hot summer days, often shows signs of yellowing, blackening, and wilting of older leaves. This is because the indoor environment is not well-ventilated, and the hot weather can cause bacteria to multiply, leading to leaf infections. To prevent disease, keep the windows open for better ventilation and trim dense branches to maintain good air circulation within the plant.
Key points for outdoor care
Compared to growing mint indoors, outdoor care is simpler and more worry-free. With better lighting and ventilation, potted mint grows more vigorously outdoors. However, be aware that during hot summer days with continuous rainy weather, it's a good idea to shield the plant from the rain. High temperatures combined with continuous rain can cause some branches and leaves to rot. Of course, not sheltering from the rain is not a problem either, as the plant can quickly regrow lost branches and leaves after the rain clears.
If planting mint outdoors, remember to plant it in a sunny location. Although mint can survive in shady areas, its growth will be significantly reduced. Many gardeners have poor-quality soil, such as heavy loam. While mint can grow in loamy soil, it's best to add some well-rotted organic fertilizer, such as decomposed cow or sheep manure, fruit peel fertilizer, or rice washing water, to the soil every 1-2 months. Organic fertilizers are acidic and rich in humus, which can gradually improve the loamy soil to better suit mint growth.
The above is a comprehensive explanation of how to grow mint indoors and outdoors and detailed care methods for mint during spring indoors and outdoors. I hope it helps you.