Mint

[familyfarm1]

Hello everyone,

I'm trying to grow different types of mint from seeds. I was curious if anyone has been very successful with starting from seeds. Also I really want to plant it outside and let is have rule over the backyard ( I have 10 acres). The soil is clay so I'm not sure how well it would take. I would love to hear from the more experienced gardeners out there

Thank You!

 

[Kikiriki]

I did mint in a container in Florida. Winter sun, summer part shade. Key seems to be be a nice wet area. In NYS, mint grew wild on forested roadsides in the shade, where water collected. It also grew in a wet area on my sis's farm. I would put down a good thick layer of nice compost if you have heavy clay.

Never started from seeds. I always got the 3" pot from a nursery.

 

[mymilliefleur]

I've never started mint from seed, I've always rooted it. Just break a piece off and stick it in water. I LOVE mint so I have tons of it growing all over the place, and it does fine in very clayee soil. It just doesn't do well in really dry places. Hope this helps!

 

[lazy gardener]

The way mint grows, I'd just find a friend with some. All mint is not created equal in the fragrance department. Even when buying potted herbs (mint and others) I sniff before I buy. It's amazing how 2 pots side by side can vary so much in smell. I always take my nose for a test drive before buying.

Regarding the 6 packs for the fund raiser, I think that I'll start a bunch of 6 packs this weekend. We'll do the perennial sale on 5/9 as planned, and I'll do a sign up for the 6 packs to be provided around the end of May. I'll keep it simple, offering 4 choices: Salsa, pickle, herb, and companion flower packs. If I push it out to the end of the month, and can use my green house options, there should be some decent sized plants available.

 

[One Chick Two]

We grow lots of mint in clay soil and they come back every year. We had only started plants, then cut them for starting.

Some mints do better than others, we currently have (I believe) 6 varieties. Spearmint and chocolate mint do well here for instance, but pineapple mint- not so much, always looks runty and thin. We have hot, dry summers. Found some prefer being shaded with almost swampy conditions, and others do better in full sun (with plenty of water available.) The chickens love it, and will eat it and roll in it.

Even with their abuse, it comes back every year.

 

[lazy gardener]

We grow lots of mint in clay soil and they come back every year. We had only started plants, then cut them for starting.

Some mints do better than others, we currently have (I believe) 6 varieties. Spearmint and chocolate mint do well here for instance, but pineapple mint- not so much, always looks runty and thin. We have hot, dry summers. Found some prefer being shaded with almost swampy conditions, and others do better in full sun (with plenty of water available.) The chickens love it, and will eat it and roll in it.

Even with their abuse, it comes back every year.

Love your Avatar roo!!! Got Lemon Balm? Bee Balm?

 

[One Chick Two]

Love your Avatar roo!!! Got Lemon Balm? Bee Balm?

Thank you! That's Sir Banty, he's a brown black OEGB with quail chest (project color I guess.). He's like, a 100 years old in chicken years, but still likes the ladies!

He's been such a good roo, this year we are making sure we have some chicks- as who knows how much longer he will continue to be fertile.



I do try lemon balm occasionally, but have never had much luck growing it- seems thin and weedy, but love the smell. Bee balm has never done much either, but our bees seem to like it, so I move it around every year to try to find a spot it seems to thrive in. The summers are consistently hot, and temps in the 110+ are common.

 

[familyfarm1]

Thank you all for your help

I am going to try and get some plants and plant them around the pen. Thanks again!

 

[dschoey]

Just wondering, is the mint safe for the chickens to eat? Will it give their eggs an off flavor? I want to plant a bunch of mint around the chicken coop to help keep mice at bay.
Thanks all!

 

[lazy gardener]

I can't imagine that it would make the eggs taste bad.