If you want to up your gardening game, grow this magical herb! Here are the top Reasons to Grow Mint in the Garden!
Who doesn’t love the fragrance and exquisite taste of fresh mint sprigs in dishes and drinks? This multi-purpose herb is not only great for culinary purposes but also packs a ton of medicinal and gardening benefits. But that’s not all. Read on, and you’ll find out exactly why you need to grow it in your garden.
Reasons To Grow Mint in the Garden
1. Super Easy to Grow
Mint tends to spread quite a bit, left untamed. But isn’t that great? Who wouldn’t want an abundant supply of this fantastic herb? It thrives in both full sun and partial shade, so you can grow it practically anywhere with this one trick.
And don’t worry about mint being invasive; we have solutions for that, too. It grows well in containers or raised beds alongside other hardy perennial herbs like thyme, oregano, rosemary, and sage. Once established, these accompanying plants can tolerate the mint’s aggressive growth habit.
2. Mint Tolerates Neglect
Another reason to grow mint in your garden is that it is so forgiving of neglect. It just needs moderate watering during hot summer months, fertile soil, and dappled sunshine. You won’t even need to pinch back if you harvest it regularly.
Perfect for the forgetful gardener, just pay attention to these do’s and don’ts of growing the best mint ever!
3. Repels Pesky Insects
You may love mint’s fresh fragrance, but pesky insects surely don’t! Mint is a natural bug repellent, deterring ants, mosquitoes, and flies. Planting mint around your home also helps you move around bite-free and without chemical repellants and creams!
Mint’s bug-repelling scent comes from the essential oils naturally present in the herb. Companion planting mint with other aromatic herbs like parlsey and basil can also create a natural pest-repelling barrier in your garden. Remember to pinch back to promote new growth and maintain a strong scent.
4. Attracts Beneficial Pollinators
While mint is adept at repelling bad insects, it also lures in the good guys—butterflies, moths, and bees when it flowers that pollinate and help plants grow and produce better fruits and blooms. Mint also attracts insects like hoverflies that feed on pests like aphids, ultimately leading to a thriving ecosystem in your garden.
5. Ingredient in Unlimited Recipes
Enough can’t be said about the culinary wonders of this awesome herb! From refreshing drinks like mojitos to making a soothing, warm herbal tea, the possibilities of mint are endless. If you love to use mint in pretty much everything, this is your cue to grow it.
With mint right at your fingertips, you can also get more creative in the kitchen, using it in surprising recipes like chocolate chip cookies or dark chocolate mint cake, or even brew a delicious raspberry mint-infused wine!
6. Mint is a Medicinal Powerhouse
As more people look for natural alternatives to cure common ailments, you can reap the medicinal benefits of mint growing in your garden. Rich in antioxidants and essential oils, mint has been traditionally used to soothe digestive issues, relieve headaches, and freshen your breath.
Mint contains menthone, menthol, and menthyl acetate, which contributes to its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and analgesic effects.
7. Pet-friendly Herb
If your furry companions get a little curious and nibble on the mint growing in your garden, it may help them, but surely won’t cause any harm. Mint helps aid their digestion and freshens their breath as well. Since mint contains vitamins A and C, it can improve your pets’ bones, skin, and vision.
Caution: Mint might be good for your pets, but its oil extracts (like peppermint oil) are not. These oils are too strong and are toxic to cats and dogs.
8. Never Ending Harvest Once Planted
The best part about growing a fast-growing plant like mint is that you don’t have to be very careful when harvesting it, and it keeps growing. You can literally cut handfuls of mint at a time without worrying about damaging the plant or it becoming unavailable for some time.
To harvest mint, use clean scissors to cut stems a few inches above the soil. For a small amount, snip individual stems. For a larger harvest, cut multiple stems together. Mint grows back quickly, so don’t be afraid to cut generously.
9. Easy to Store
After harvesting mint, if you have handfuls that you won’t immediately use, you can hang them or lay them in a cool place to dry to store and use later. Its fast-growing habit actually makes it a great herb to preserve, either by drying or freezing.
Pro tip: Freshly dried mint makes an excellent tea! You can also add it to casseroles and use it as a dry rub for lamb. One thing is for sure—mint grown at home just tastes better!
10. Becomes a Vigorous Groundcover
Another reason to grow mint in your garden is its efficiency as a groundcover. If you want lush green on the ground but not weeds, go with mint! Its dense root system and rapid growth through runners help carpet the surface with its aromatic foliage and prevent soil erosion as well.
It also helps promote better water absorption, reducing runoff by retaining moisture, especially in areas that get a lot of rainfall. Here’s everything about planting mint as a ground cover.
11. Mint is a Natural Air Freshener
Another lovely benefit of growing aromatic herbs in the garden is the aroma! Strategically plant mint in hanging baskets, near your entrance, sit-outs, patios, and other spots you frequent. And relish the minty freshness that wafts through with a gentle breeze!
While the fragrance is prominent throughout, it is particularly impressive in the late morning and early afternoon, during the hottest hours of the day, when the sun’s heat triggers essential oils to release from its leaves.
12. Nature’s Gift for Good Skin Care
Packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, mint leaves work wonders for various skin concerns. Its cooling freshness soothes irritated skin, while astringency helps tighten pores and reduce oiliness.
For a deep cleansing and purifying face mask, combine fresh mint leaves with Fuller’s Earth (Bleaching Clay). This potent combination helps unclog pores, reduces acne breakouts, and leaves your skin feeling revitalized and refreshed. Simply grind fresh mint leaves into a paste, mix it with Fuller’s Earth to form a smooth consistency, apply it to your face, and let it dry before rinsing off with lukewarm water.
