Spearmint - Mentha spicata in organic plant cultivation

Spearmint - Mentha spicata is a variety with pointed, light green leaves that give off a fresh scent. This hardy, perennial herbaceous plant can be grown in the ground or in a pot. It will reach a height of 40 to 60 cm (16 to 24in). Its leaves will flavour your salads, grilled dishes, sauces, desserts, or infusions. Plant in spring or autumn, harvest from March to October.

This plant is organic: it comes from Organic Agriculture and carries the AB certification.

This organic spearmint is an aromatic bushy plant with highly fragrant foliage. It belongs to the Lamiaceae family, like lemon balm. It prefers to be planted in a semi-shaded location, although Mint can grow almost anywhere. It is a perennial plant that can be kept for two or three years, beyond that it tends to exhaust itself and become less productive. Choose carefully where you want to plant it because mint spreads very quickly thanks to its trailing roots. You can also grow it in a pot, which allows you to control its spread. It is ideal for planting in the vegetable garden as mint is known to repel unwanted garden insects such as aphids, ants, and some rodents. Its leaves can be harvested throughout the year, mainly from March to October.

There are many varieties of mint, the most well-known being spearmint, peppermint, pennyroyal mint, and lemon mint. Depending on the varieties, the leaves will offer you a whole range of fragrances. In cooking, use them in everything from starters to desserts, to flavour salads and raw vegetables, summer grills, yogurt-based sauces, or fruits. The leaves are also delicious in infusions, tea or hot chocolate.

Harvest: Harvest the leaves as you need them. Choose the largest leaves and cut the entire stem to encourage regrowth. Harvest in the morning to make the most of the mint's aromatic qualities. If you want to dry the leaves, pick the stems before flowering.

Storage: Ideally, use freshly cut leaves. If you don't use the fresh leaves, dry the stems and then store the leaves in a tightly closed jar, away from light.

The gardener's tip: If you want to plant mint in the vegetable garden while limiting its spread, plant it in a pot and bury the pot in the middle of your garden! Choose a large enough pot and regularly divide the clumps, in autumn or spring.