Last Updated on July 13, 2024

Spearmint, a sibling of genus Mentha is an aromatic herb. It is botanically known as Mentha Spicata. It is also named as Pudina in many South Asian countries. It is most common variety found in gardens. The plant is native to Europe and South West Asia. They are dark green in color with spear shaped leaves that grow via rhizomes. The herb is invasive in nature and can be grown accompanied by cabbage, tomatoes, and various other plants.

How To Differentiate Spearmint From Other Mint Family?

To differentiate spearmint from other members of mint family is its sweet smell. It contains less than one percent of Menthol. You can easily identify it from its square shaped stems and leaves that are fuzzy in texture, and are growing opposite to each other on the stems. Another main factor that helps in its recognition is the white flowers that bloom when the plants become mature enough. Unlike pepper mint and wild mint whose flowers are purplish in color.

How To Grow Spearmint

Below are the conditions that are needed in order to help your spearmint plant bloom.

Light

Spearmint bloom well in medium to full light. It can endure the maximum heat of 6 hours. The plant never minds the basking heat of warm places and even shows similar growth if placed under grow lights.

In winters it shows stunted growth due to lack of enough sunlight. So it is better to place your spearmint plant near the east facing window so it can get the energy it is required. Or you can place it under artificial grow lights to provide them an artificial habitat to survive.

Soil

Spearmint can sustain its life in any type of soil. It loves to reside in moist soil with neutral to slightly acidic pH. But make sure that the planter allows extra water to drain out easily.

pH

The pH of the soil containing spearmint plant must ranges in between 6.0 to 7.5.

Water

Spearmint needs plenty of water for its growth. On the other hand overwatering may leads to root rot. You need to follow the watering regime according to the weather of your place. In scorching summer days, this plants needs to be fed twice a day in order to prevent slouching and sunburn.

Tip: Never let the soil dry out completely.

While in freezing winters, water it only when top layer of the soil gets dry. To make it more easy do knuckle test before watering your plant.

Temperature And Humidity

The ideal temperature required for spearmint to bloom lies is in between 20 degree Celsius to 30 degree Celsius. It can resist as low as -30 degree Celsius, while ample watering is needed in order to prevent the plant from sunburn when the temperature rises above 35 degree Celsius.

On the other hand 40-50 percent of humidity in the air is more than enough for spearmint plant. But winters offers lowers the level of humidity in the air. And if you have placed your plant indoor to protect it from harsh climate situations, then all you need to do is to artificially provide essential amount of humidity. For this purpose you can use humidifier, or place the plant in a tray filled with water and pebbles. This will increase evaporation, ensuring the process of misting.

Fertilizer

The plant needs to be fed with fertilizer occasionally. It depends on certain factors like season, temperature, and growth rate. In winters the growth is almost dormant, and addition of any fertilizer can lead to decay of the existing roots.

However in Summer, as an indicator that your spearmint is in dire need of fertilizer is its green leaves turning into yellow. Other than that adding fertilizer will also help your spearmint plant to boost its growth by strengthening its roots.

What Type Of Fertilizers Works Well For Spearmint?

Usually Nitrogen based diluted fertilizers are recommended for spearmint plant.

If the soil is already fertile and has all the essential nutrients, you need not to add any supplemental fertilizer.

Ideal Time To Propagate Spearmint Plant

Spearmint is grown well in the start of spring. It is the time when frost season has ended. It is widely spreading plant so it must not be planted in containers to restrict its growth. Otherwise it will consume all the nutrients from the soil and create deficiency for other plants.

Before planting keep track of the average last date of frost in your area.

Zone 5 to Zone 9 are the best regions to grow spearmint.

Propagation Through Roots

You should firmly uproot the stems along with their roots to regrow a new plant.

Plant it around 2 inches deep in a well drained soil.

Place the pot in a full or partially brightened area.

Water the soil when the moisture is lost.

Propagation Through Seeds

Even though it takes longer from the seeds to germinate a spearmint plant. However the method is still used by many gardeners. Roughly it takes 15 to 20 days when the seeds are used to grow a baby spearmint plant.

Sow the seeds an inch below the surface soil, and water them frequently until you see the plant germinating from it.

If your pot is placed indoors, then you can sow the seeds around 7 to 8 weeks before the last date of frosting.

But if you are planting it out doors you need an extra care of sowing the seeds until the frost season is completely over.

Propagation Through Stems

Cut a freshly grown stem of 4 inches in length.

Remove the leaves from the lower part of the stem and dip it in a container half the height of the stem.

Make sure that the stem should not be full dipped in the water.

Add rooting hormone powder to speed up the roots germinating process.

You will notice that within 13-14 days the roots will start germinating.

Change the water when you see a slight change in its color.

When you see tiny roots arising from the stem.

Dig the soil two inches deep and place those roots in the soil and and cover them with soil.

Place it where it can have maximum Sunlight.

Water the plant when the soil lose its moisture.

This process can take more time to grow a new plant as compared to the propagation via roots of already existing plant.

Repotting

Repot only when you find your spearmint root bound . As it becomes difficult for the plant’s roots to circulate air in between them and can easily leads to root rot.

This plant never minds if you repot it and there are no hard and fast rules for it. Use the pot which is around twice the size of previous planter to give its root enough space for regrowth.

Water it frequently to retain the moisture.

Make sure that drainage holes are present at the bottom of the planter to remove excessive water.

How to make nitrogen based home made fertilizers?

You can use vegetables and fruits to make your ow home made nitrogen based fertilizers. green leafy vegetables are rich in nitrogen content. You can soak their peels in water and later on use this solution as a nitrogen fertilizer.

Lentil water

lentils are also rich source of nitrogen. soak the lentils in water and leave it for at least an hour. Strain the lentils and feed your plant with this water.

Banana peel fertilizer

Similarly bananas and sweet lime have enough amount of Nitrogen and Potassium in their peels. To use them as a liquid fertilizer.

Cut the banana peels of around 15 to 20 bananas.

Add 1.5 liters of water and soak the peels in it .

Let them dipped for 24 hours in winter season, but not more than 12 hours in summers.

Later on strain the water and eight times more water in this tonic.

You can use this tonic once a week when your spearmint is in growth phase.

In dormant phase of the plant use this tonic once a month.

This home made fertilizer best suits the flowering plants by stimulating their growth.

Onion peel fertilizer

Onion peels are rich in anti oxidants and flavonoids. It has enough amount of Potassium, Magnesium and other micro nutrients. To boost your spearmint growth adding onion peel extract in your fertilizer list will give you considerable results.

Use dry peels of 15 to 20 Onions.

Dip them in one liter of water for 24 hours.

You will notice a slight change in its color. When the color becomes darker strain the peels and add 3 times more water in this extract.

Feed your plant with this tonic before and after which you have not fed your plant with any other fertilizer. You can use it once a month.

If your plant is in seedling stage this extract can do wonders for your plants growth.

You can also spray this extract to prevent your spearmint from pests.

Diseases That Your Spearmint Might Catch

There are two common diseases that your spearmint plant can catch. Mostly due to fungal attack rusty leaves and leaf spot can occur.

Leaf Spot

Usually humid soil, warm temperatures and over watering provides ideal breeding ground for fungi. Black spots are formed on the lower part of the spearmint leaves. If untreated it can leads to decay of the plant by affecting its stems and later on roots.

How To Cure Leaf Spot In Spearmint?

In order to treat leaf spot try to change watering regime so that further fungi could not culture. Besides, spray fungicides that can contains thiophanate methyl, chlorothalonil, ferbam, and mancozeb to restrict pests infestation.

Mint Rust

Mint rust is a disease that targets mint family especially spearmint. Overwatering is the root cause of this calamity to happen. Water stands for longer period of time on plants foliage that invites the fungi and other pests to attack.

In this condition light yellow spots are formed on upper side of the leaves. After that the entire leaves of the plant starts wilting.

It targets the newly born shoots of spearmint as they are weak in immunity and spread to the older parts. Eventually the plant will either lose its leaves or gradually leads towards decay.

How To Control Leaf Rust?

It is better to prune the effected leaves to prevent the spread of the disease to healthy parts.

Always water the plant from the base. As rust fungus sets on the wet leaves. So try to water the plants from the bottom or by using drip irrigation method.

Secondly, you need to improve the air circulation of your plant . For this purpose all you need to shed or thin the over crowded mint stems.

Timing is also important when you are trying to safe your plant from leaf rust. Do not use overhead watering technique, and water it in between 5 to 10 am. It will allow enough time for your leaves to dry.

Health Benefits Of Spearmint

Spearmint tea is helpful in stabilizing hormonal issues.

Spearmint tea helps in fixing menstrual cramps. In a boiled cup of water add few leaves of spearmint and cover it with a lid. Use this lukewarm extract to cure the worse cramps of your periods.

It can help in improving digestion and targets various other problems of gastro intestinal tract.

The researches have shown that it has helped in curing PCOS in women by targeting androgen and testosterone.

Spearmint oil has anti fungal, anti oxidant properties and can also be used as an insecticide. You can get one from AMAZON.com using the link below

It helps to relief Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Spearmint tea can be helpful in controlling blood pressure and blood sugar levels. It is also helpful in treating hirsutism in women.

It is also used in tooth paste that can solve the problem of bad breath.

Anti oxidants present in spearmint aids to reduce the level of stress and anxiety.

Spearmint essential oil helps in relieving joint pains.

How to store spearmint leaves?

Prune the fresh leaves from the plant.

Use a clean air tight plastic bag and put the leaves inside it . They will remain fresh for one week in refrigerator.

Can We Preserve Spearmint Leaves?

Yes, Spearmint leaves can be preserved in an air tight plastic bag or container. Put this container in a refrigerator. The leaves will remain fresh for a week.

Or you can also prune the leaves and dry them in a cold place. These dry leaves will have similar benefits as those of the fresh ones.

Keep in mind that foliage has no excess water on it. Strain the leaves before refrigerating it or letting them dry. Else they will develop fungus.

Difference Between Peppermint And Spearmint

Spearmint has low content of Menthol so it tastes and smells sweet as compared too Peppermint which is bitter with a slightly pungent smell. Both the herbs are used for cooking and medicinal purposes, but spearmint is recommended for culinary purposes due to its tolerable content of menthol.

On the other hand, Peppermint due to its strong aroma is used by pharmaceuticals and cosmetics industries.

Is Spearmint Toxic To Animals

Yes it is proven that spearmint with its endless benefits for us humans can be harmful for animals. Be careful if you have pets in your homes as it may leads to diarrhea and nausea in cats and dogs.

The plant contains several elements that are not digestible by animals. Ingestion of spearmint in enough quantity by animals can be so harmful that it can cause liver failure in severe cases.

Conclusion

Spearmint comes up with sweet flavor with its numerous benefits for health. It is a low maintenance plant that has capability to grow on its own even under harsh conditions. In this article we have comprehensively discussed Spearmint shedding light on its every aspect. We hope that this guide has answered all the puzzles that come in your mind when you think about Spearmint Plant Care.