Growing Mint
Growing Mint is probably the easiest and most satisfying. It rarely gets attacked by pests and the deer/rabbit population won't touch it and it comes back year after year. I started a little bit in a pot and it grew and grew and it spread to the ground and I am glad it did because it the pretty much the only plant the deer have not fooled around with. One of my friends remarked "you can make a briyani every day" and infact I cook Briyani a lot. Mint is used in a variety of food items and who can resist the yummy mint chutney. I have also heard that dried mint in the pantry or food cupboard will keep away food loving insects/pests atleast the creepy crawly kind. I have given up on planting any flowering plants in the front, Mint and corriander keep the front yard looking minty green. Aroung mid summer I start collecting the mint leaves, wash and freeze them so I have a supply all through winter.
How to start a Mint Plant?
Starting a mint plant is very easy. Have a pot of dirt handy. When you buy a bunch of mint, save the thick stems(remove the leaves) and bury them in the dirt. They form root in a week or so and there you go, fresh mint at your finger tips. Mint plants need a lot of sunshine, so if you are growing them indoors find a warm sunny spot.
The Mighty Fence
To protect my vegetable garden in the back yard we had to erect a fence. Other temporary arrangement like draping deer netting around did not help because the deer jumped in anyway. After much arguing back and forth we put up the fence 2 summers ago. I was jumping up and down with joy. But as it turns out the deer were not the only ones eyeing my tomato and pepper plants there was someone else waiting for them. Just as the tomatoes were turning and red and I was all pumped up to collect them they disappeared, sleuthing like a Green Sherlock Holmes figured out it was the ground hog who was enjoying them. So back to attack mode, we had to drape some deer netting on the lower part of the fence to keep them out. Anyway now that these problems are resolved I am back to spending my energies growing plants(touch wood). But we still try to enjoy the myriad wild life that roam the area, deer and once we saw an albino deer (all white), fox, groundhogs, turtle.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteWOW LOOKS BEAUTIFUL.In India I also planted mint in the pot .I like the way you are presenting your blog.
Vineela
Your yard looks beautiful. I have heard people complaining that the mint is too invasive and it will take over the whole garden so they wouldn't plant it on the ground. I wouldn't care if my yard is full of mint. So what are you growing this year? Please keep us posted.
ReplyDeleteRP, it is true - mint is an invasive species but it the only plant that the deer won't touch.
ReplyDeleteBut I would not put mint near other plants or vegetables it would completely take over.
The mint plants look beautiful and healthy. Whenever i go to the indian store i never find them , they are always out of stock. In american grocery stores they are 2.99 for about 2 stems and thats hardly 15 - 20 mint leaves. And there is nothing like growing them in your own home. Thank you for the tips.
ReplyDeleteI dont know how i missed you blog. The tomato chutney looks super yummy and so are the tomato
rice and peerkangai kuzhambu. All my kinda of food. Iam gonna try all of them. Thanka for sharing such lovely recipes.
Very neat tips, ISG.
ReplyDeleteYour garden patch (below)looks all ready for summer.
Last year, I planted mint in my frontyard, to cover the space between hedges.
But this year, the place where we are renting changed hands and the new management sent letters not to disturb their garden styling. Crazy folks these people are.:)
Just last week, I've planted mint in two containers, one for the patio and one for my kitchen window. Like you, I love anything mint. The smell and the taste is really unique and I do add it as garnish to almost everything that I cook.
Hi
ReplyDeleteI would like to grow coriander leaves as i love and use it practically in every dish. Is it easy to grow indoors as i live in wisconsin - very cold weather almost 7/8 months. What is ur suggestion ? Any info will be highly appreciated..
thanks in advance
Jasmine
Jasmine, thanks for visting my blog. In my opinion mint is easiest to grow but it is difficult to grow indoors because they need sunlight.
ReplyDeleteCorriander is the same but you can always try. If you have a sunny spot with atleast 4-6 hours of sunglight you can try in a small pot with porus soil(seed starter soil which is lighter than the regular potting soil). Good Luck! and let me know how it goes.