Content
The genus Mint, which includes field mint, or meadow mint, has about two dozen independent species and about the same number of hybrids. Because of their pronounced pleasant aroma, many of these plants are used as spices. However, their range of applications is not limited to cooking. Due to its many useful properties, many types of mint, including meadow mint, are widely used in folk medicine, as well as in cosmetology.
Description of field mint
Field mint, or meadow mint (pictured below) is a perennial herb of the Yasnotkov family, or Lipocytes.
Here are its main characteristics:
- Root. Treelike, creeping, superficial, with a small lobe of adventitious roots.
- Stem. Spread, branched, straight. It is usually light green, sometimes reddish in color. It is completely covered with fine hairs facing downwards, therefore it looks like a velvety one. The stem length of an adult plant is usually 0.5-1 m.
- Leaves. Oval-elongated or ovate-elongated, with a sharp tip and an uneven serrated edge. Light green, with a short petiole and clearly readable veins, up to 7 cm long and up to 3.5 cm wide. On the leaves in the upper part of the plant, the petiole may be absent altogether.
- Flowers. Small, lilac, sometimes with a pinkish tinge, calyx 2-4 mm, bell-shaped. Flowers are collected in whorl inflorescences on pubescent pedicels.
Meadow mint bloom (pictured below) begins in June and lasts until October.
In place of inflorescences, from August to October, coenobia ripen - fractional nut-like fruits.
Where does meadow mint grow
Wild-growing field mint has a large distribution area, covering the European part of Russia, as well as Western and Eastern Siberia. This plant is found in Europe, the Caucasus, as well as in Central and Western Asia. The main habitats are river floodplains, meadows, the coastal zone of lakes, ponds, and channels. Occurs in wetlands.
The use of field mint in cooking
The culinary use of field mint is due to its strong specific aroma, as well as the refreshing effect that occurs in the mouth after its use. In cooking, they use both fresh mint greens and dried herbs, both independently and in a mixture with other spices.
What is the scent of meadow mint
Field mint has a pronounced aroma due to the large amount of essential oils that make up it. It contains the following aromatic substances:
- Menthol.
- Citral.
- Carvon.
The aroma of field mint is a delicate smell of freshness and greenery, it is pleasant and unobtrusive.
Where to add field mint
There are many recipes for various dishes that include mint in one form or another. Most often it is used for the following culinary purposes:
- As a spice in the preparation of various fish and meat dishes.
- Fresh herbs are used to decorate the portions.
- As an ingredient in fruit or vegetable salad.
- For the preparation of soft drinks.
- For home canning of berries and fruits, sometimes vegetables or mushrooms.
- When preparing compotes, mousses, jellies or fruit drinks.
- As an ingredient in winemaking, as well as for decorating alcoholic cocktails.
Medicinal properties of field mint
Field mint tea is not only a delicious drink with excellent aroma. The substances contained in the plant have a lot of useful properties. A photo and description of field mint, as well as methods for its preparation, can be found in many books on traditional medicine.
Application of meadow mint
Most often, a decoction or infusion of field mint is used for medicinal purposes, less often fresh herbs are used. In the perfumery and cosmetic industry, an extract from the essential oil of mint - menthol is used. It is used for the production of medicines and hygiene products.
In folk medicine
Since ancient times, people have noticed that mint tea has a sedative effect. In folk medicine, it is used for the following purposes:
- Relief of the state of nervous excitement, as a sedative, relaxing and hypnotic agent.
- Mint broth is an antiseptic, it can be used to wash wounds, make lotions.
- Field mint is brewed for inhalation in the treatment of colds.
- The decoction can be used as a blood pressure lowering agent and also as a pain reliever.
- Mint is also used as a choleretic agent for liver diseases.
- A decoction of mint normalizes the work of the gastrointestinal tract.
- The wild mint flower, when chewed and applied to the gum, will soothe a sore tooth.
In cosmetology
The antiseptic properties of the field mint decoction are widely used in cosmetology. It is an excellent hygiene product. A decoction of this herb is used as a mouthwash to improve overall gum health and reduce inflammation. They rub the skin of the face to cleanse and treat acne. Rinsing hair with mint infusion normalizes its condition, improves its appearance, and reduces fragility.
In pharmacology
Menthol, contained in field mint, is a part of many medicines, for example, a drop of Zelenin, Validol, Valocordin, etc. The concentration of this substance in the green part of the plant can reach 2%.
According to this indicator, field mint is far from a record holder; in peppermint or menthol, the content of this substance is even higher.
Limitations and contraindications
Despite the numerous medicinal properties of field mint, it also has contraindications, so it is not recommended for certain categories of people to use it. The calming and relaxing effect of this plant negatively affects male libido, reducing desire and weakening potency. Low blood pressure is a serious contraindication to the use of field mint. A decrease in the tone of the venous vessels, which occurs when using an infusion or decoction, leads to an exacerbation of another disease - varicose veins.
Meadow mint, despite all its useful properties, is contraindicated in women of reproductive age, suffering from infertility or having problems with conceiving a child. It is not recommended to use it also in case of increased drowsiness. For small children, decoctions of meadow mint should be taken with caution, and up to 3 years old it is better to exclude its use completely.
Landing rules
It is quite easy to plant field mint on the site. To do this, you need to purchase seeds or dig up a part of a wild plant. Any well-lit area with loose, breathable soil is suitable for growing.To prevent the plant from spreading through the garden and turning into a weed, its roots must be kept from creeping. To do this, you need to enclose the field mint bed, for example, with iron strips, digging them to a depth of 15-20 cm.You can use old pots, buckets, any other containers to grow this plant, digging them into the ground at the same level as the garden bed.
You can plant or propagate field mint in your personal plot in the following ways:
- Seeds. They can be harvested in September-October from wilted field mint bushes in the wild. In spring, they can be germinated at home, and with the onset of heat, they can be planted in open ground.
- Cuttings. For this, the top of the young shoot is cut off at a height of 10-12 cm and placed in water. After about 2 weeks, the cuttings will form their own root system. When the roots grow up to 2-3 cm, they are planted in the beds.
- Root layers. The climbing, strong roots of the field mint contain a large number of dormant buds. Root cuttings 10-12 cm long with several dormant buds are harvested in late summer or early autumn. For the winter, they can be planted in pots, and with the onset of heat, transplanted into the beds.
- Division of the bush. In the wild, the mint bush can be dug up entirely and transplanted into the site, but in this case it will be difficult to determine its age. With each subsequent year, the quality of the mint deteriorates, the greens become coarser. Therefore, it is better to divide the bush into several parts, so that each division contains both the roots and shoots of the plant.
Growing features
The first time after planting, the bushes need to be watered regularly, but after rooting, the frequency of watering should be reduced and guided in this matter solely by the weather. Excessive moisture is more likely to harm the plants. The soil must be regularly cleared of weeds and loosened to a shallow depth so as not to damage the creeping surface roots. Field mint is undemanding for feeding, but a small amount of fertilizer still does not hurt. In spring and summer, you can use complex mineral compositions, and organic manure can be used.
Field mint is a perennial plant with good frost resistance, therefore, no special measures are taken to shelter it before winter. It will be enough to cut off the bushes at a height of 8-10 cm and cover them with fallen leaves.
Pests and diseases
The greatest danger to field mint is represented by fungal diseases that develop under conditions of sharp fluctuations in temperature and high humidity. To avoid this, gardeners recommend that all harvesting activities be completed before the cold morning dew begins to fall. Here are the most common diseases of this plant:
- Powdery mildew. A white spore bloom appears on the leaves, which is rapidly blacker. The plant rots and dies.
- Rust. Identified by the reddish-brown pads of the spores ripening on the underside of the leaves. The affected parts of the plant wither. The reason for the appearance of rust is often an excess of nitrogen-containing fertilizers, as well as a large amount of fresh organic matter applied.
- Verticillary wilting. Caused by soil fungi. The affected plant begins to dry out and die off from the top due to the ingress of the fungus through the root system.
- Septoria. It manifests itself in the form of rounded dark spots on the leaves, which grow and lead to decay of the entire plant.
As a prevention of the occurrence of fungal diseases, it is recommended to deep plow the area before planting field mint, and also treat it with a 1% solution of Bordeaux liquid.
Planting mint can be subject to pest infestation. Here are the main ones.
- Wireworm. The larva of a click beetle living in the ground. The wireworm looks like a tough white caterpillar with a brown head. Moving in the soil, the insect eats the roots of plants.
- Medvedka. A fairly large insect that lives in the ground and feeds on plant roots.
- Aphid. Microscopic insect that feeds on plant juices. Large colonies of aphids are capable of killing plantings.
- Mint flea. A bug that feeds on leaves and young shoots of the plant.
- Cicadas. Small sucking insects that feed on juices.
It is undesirable to use chemicals for pest control. In extreme cases, this can be done, but only with large populations of insects and no later than 1 month before the breeding harvest. It is much safer to use folk remedies - infusions of garlic, celandine or hot pepper.
When and how to harvest field mint
Before flowering, the concentration of aromatic substances in mint leaves reaches a maximum. It is this time that is optimal for harvesting. In many regions, this time falls around mid-July. You can harvest field mint as whole bushes, cutting and tying them in bunches, or as separate leaves.
A video about harvesting mint can be viewed at the link below:
How to dry field mint properly
The harvested plant materials for drying must be laid out in a dry room with good air exchange. This can be the attic of a house or a terrace, a shed or a gazebo. At the same time, the direct rays of the sun should not fall on the leaves, in this case they will turn black and become unusable.
Cut leaves are laid out in a thin layer on sheets of plywood or cardboard. Periodically, it is necessary to control their moisture content, if the layer thickness is significant, it is necessary to stir up, avoiding caking, otherwise there is a great risk of mold development.
Dried leaves of field mint easily break off from the stem and have a characteristic rustling. To prevent the plant from losing its unique aroma, it must be stored in a sealed glass container with tightly ground corks. You can also use pottery or stoneware with secure lids. In such conditions, dried field mint does not lose its properties for up to six months.
Conclusion
Field mint is quite common in the wild, so few gardeners grow it artificially. However, it is quite easy to do it if necessary. Field mint is unpretentious, grows well even with minimal care. However, it must be remembered that the bushes grow strongly over time, capturing all new territories, therefore, without proper care, field mint can become a real weed.
