How to grow mint on a windowsill in an apartment

Mint is a very useful and aromatic plant. It is added to tea to calm the nerves, improve mood and tune in to a sweet dream. And if you just touch the mint leaves, the space will be filled with a wonderful aroma. Therefore, many people want to know if it is possible to grow mint on a windowsill (especially in winter), and how to do it. Naturally, for this you need to have information about the basic rules for planting and caring for a plant at home.

You will learn more about how to plant and grow mint at home on the windowsill.

Features of growing mint on the windowsill and methods of reproduction

Growing mint at home on a windowsill is no longer considered some kind of exotic occupation. However, in order to grow a fragrant green plant at home, you need to take into account some features of planting and care, and most importantly, create suitable conditions (light and temperature).

There are several ways to grow homemade mint on the windowsill:

• If carried out sowing by seeds, then you need to be prepared for the fact that the seedlings sprout poorly and slowly.
• It is best to grow mint on a windowsill from cuttings, they take root faster and immediately begin to grow.

By the way! For grafting and growing at home, even the mint that you buy in the supermarket or in the market is suitable. The main thing is that it is fresh (be sure to look at the production date - cuttings and its appearance).

You can also just take and transplant mint from open ground into a pot.

Important! However, many people face such a problem: after transplanting from the soil into a pot, the mint begins to dry, despite a sufficient amount of light, normal watering ...

Interesting! At home, mint can grow for a very long time (10-20 years), and it will be the same plant. Naturally, it will grow over time, and when it becomes cramped in the pot, you can simply divide the ball into several parts. Extra bushes can be given to someone or simply thrown away.

Thus, growing mint on a windowsill is not too different from growing other plants indoors. The main ingredients for success are enough light, a comfortable temperature, and moderate watering.

What varieties of mint seeds are suitable for growing at home

You can grow the same varieties of mint on the windowsill in the apartment as in the open field. For example, for these purposes the following varieties are suitable for you:

• Fun;
• Pearl;
• Kuban;
• Menthol;
• Muscovite;
• Penniroyal;
• Ceremony;
• A clear note.

And many others.

How to plant and grow mint on a windowsill - features, conditions and step-by-step instructions

To grow mint on the windowsill at home, you need to know how to germinate and plant cuttings, how deep the seeds should be (you should immediately say that you need to sow superficially), in what container and soil, and also the most important thing - under what conditions the mint will grow well.

What should be the place for growing: required illumination (daylight hours), temperature and humidity

Naturally, to grow mint in an apartment on a windowsill, you need a lot of light. Therefore, it is optimal to place the pot on the southern or southwestern (southeastern) windowsill.

But it should be borne in mind that the summer midday sun rays can burn tender young leaves. Therefore, it is recommended to rearrange the pots to the west or east windows after lunch. If this is not possible, then the plant should be shaded or moved to the back of the room for a while.

PayAttention! If the mint on the window does not have enough light, the shoots will begin to stretch excessively, and the leaves will acquire a light shade and decrease in size.

Naturally, in late autumn, winter and early spring, mint grown indoors will have to be illuminated. To do this, you need special phytolamps or full-spectrum LED lamps.

The optimal temperature regime at which mint develops well is +20 .. + 25 degrees.

However, if you cannot give the plant a full daylight hours (12-16 hours), then the mint will begin to stretch. This can be compensated for by lowering the temperature to +15 .. + 18 degrees. This is especially true for the winter season.

Planting capacity

You should be aware that mint grows in breadth, and does not go deep into the depths, so a wide container or pot would be an ideal planting capacity option.

Naturally, you must organize drainage: either there must be holes in the pot for draining, or a layer of expanded clay (2-3 cm) should be laid on the bottom.

The soil

Mint is quite unpretentious in relation to the soil substrate, but for its more active growth, it is optimal to choose a loose and fertile soil. Buy the most common peat, add river sand to it, and your substrate is ready.

Seed preparation

As the main pre-sowing event, it is worth germinating the seeds, namely, soaking them for a day or two in a damp cloth or in 2 cotton pads, putting them in a container and covering them with a lid (to reduce moisture loss).

However! Remember, mint seeds are very small ...

Preparation cuttings for planting: their germination

First, you need to cut the cuttings about 10 centimeters long, while making sure to remove the lower leaves.

Important! If you are using cuttings purchased from a store or market, be sure to trim (freshen) the ends.

Next, they need to be put in water until the stalk starts up the roots (this takes from 3 to 7 days).

By the way! For better root formation, you can add Potassium humate.

Note! As soon as the first roots begin to appear, the sprouted cuttings should be immediately planted in the ground.

Video: how to grow mint at home on a windowsill from green cuttings

Although, in principle, you can immediately stick the mint cuttings into the ground.

Direct planting (sowing seeds and rooting cuttings)

Step-by-step instructions for sowing mint seeds for growing on the window:

• Moisten the soil with a spray bottle (warm water).
• Sow seeds over the soil surface.

Wherein they do not need to be covered with earth!

• Spray lightly with warm water again.
• Cover with glass or film (the same food grade) until shoots appear!

This is necessary forcreation of greenhouse conditions and rapid germination.

Video: how to grow mint at home - growing from seeds on a windowsill

The cuttings are also planted in moist soil: just stick and press with the earth, water again. From above, it is advisable to cover the pots with plastic bags (to create the same greenhouse effect), making sure to make holes on top so that there is normal air exchange.

Further growth will depend only on quality care and the creation of suitable conditions.

How to care for mint on the windowsill after planting and before harvest

To successfully grow mint on the windowsill in an apartment, you need to take proper care of it: maintain the temperature regime, supplement lighting as needed, and water and spray.

Important! Mint does not tolerate drafts!

Daylight hours and temperature

This has already been written about earlier, but let's repeat:

• In winter (as well as in late autumn and early spring), when there is a short daylight hours, it is imperative to supplement plantings in the morning and evening. The rest of the time, it is optimal to place the containers with mint on the south, southwest or southeast windows.
• The temperature should be about + 20 ... + 25 degrees.
• If you cannot give the plant a full daylight hours (12-16 hours), then the mint will begin to stretch. This can be compensated for by lowering the temperature to +15 .. + 18 degrees, especially in the winter season.

Watering

Mint loves moisture, but the plant should not be poured, otherwise it will rot. In addition, it tolerates short-term droughts well.

More frequent watering is required in the summer, but frequent irrigation should be avoided during the winter months. However, in the heating season, when the air is dried by batteries, you need to spray the leaves daily with warm room water ...

In this case, the water for irrigation should be separated and at room temperature.

Idea! To simplify the care of mint on the windowsill, you can introduce a small amount of hydrogel into the soil.It accumulates moisture and evaporates it for a long period, which reduces the frequency of watering.

Top dressing

Mint is a rather unpretentious crop, therefore it does without fertilizers. The main thing is not to flood and give more light (be sure to supplement it when the daylight hours are short).

Thus, by performing proper care of the mint, you can achieve great results, and then the plant will delight you with its appearance and, of course, an unusual aroma.

Terms of germination and harvest of homemade mint

The first shoots of mint appear in about 14-21 days.

And the beginning of economic suitability (suitability for food - for tea) occurs only 80-90 days after full germination (depending on the variety).

Naturally, when grown from cuttings, the process is much faster.

Once you plant a mint, you will pick mint leaves all year round, and new ones will gradually grow.

Attention! If foliage is needed for making tea, it is better to wait until there are more essential oils in the leaf plate. As a rule, this moment occurs simultaneously with the beginning of the formation of peduncles.

Thus, growing mint on a windowsill in winter (or any other season) at home is a snap. The main thing is to properly root the cuttings (or sow seeds), create all the necessary conditions for the plant for its successful growth (light, temperature), do not forget to care for (water), and then you will have homemade mint all year round.

Remember! Tea with home-grown mint in winter is something!