How and when to sow mint for seedlings?
Spice lovers always have at least a few sweet mint bushes on their site. This herb is versatile, because it can be used not only for making tea or adding to dishes to give them an original taste. Peppermint is also widely used to treat various diseases, especially those associated with nervous disorders.
It will be useful for novice gardeners who are just planning to start growing mint to learn how to sow seeds correctly in order to get strong healthy seedlings.
Of all the varieties, the most medicinal is the Kuban peppermint - a small compact bush no more than 45 cm high.
What kind of soil can you use?
Mint is very fond of loose nutritious soil. Ready-made substrates for growing vegetable seedlings are also suitable for spicy grass. If you have the opportunity and desire, you can make the soil yourself by mixing in equal parts:
- humus;
- ordinary land from the garden;
- peat;
- sand.
For the purpose of disinfection, it is better to calcine the soil mixture in the oven.
If the soil is high in lime, the mint flavor will be weaker.
How to sow seeds correctly?
It is very convenient to sow seeds in transparent plastic containers with a lid. It turns out a kind of greenhouse in which the level of humidity and temperature necessary for germination of seeds is automatically maintained. In addition, it is so clearly visible in what condition the seedlings are.
In order not to open the lid, small holes can be made in the container for ventilation.
Sowing seeds should always be in damp ground. To do this, make shallow (no more than 5 mm) grooves and carefully place the seeds in them. Sprinkle a little earth on top. Since mint seeds are small, it is advisable to use a spray bottle for irrigation, otherwise they will be sucked into the depths by a stream of water and delicate sprouts simply cannot make their way up. The container with the sown seeds should be placed on a well-lit windowsill in a warm room.
Seedling care
When the seeds hatch (after 2-3 weeks), you can remove the lid. Seedlings should be provided with good lighting, otherwise they will quickly stretch out. If there is little natural light, the seedlings must be supplemented special lamps.
Mint loves moisture very much, therefore, in addition to ordinary watering, seedlings need to be sprayed periodically, especially in winter, when working heating batteries dry out the air in the room.
The grown seedlings can be transplanted into separate pots or planted in open ground in a permanent place in the spring.