Hi!
Sorry to keep bothering you with question but I have one more.
I am growing 12 varieties of mint and woul dlike to know what do I need to do for them to have strong fragrance. Is it true that if I plant them in rich soli they lose their smell? What si the best way to make them grow fast and keep them fragrant?
thank you
Anna
question about mints
I'm no expert but all my mints grow extremely fast and are always fragrant. They aren't real fussy on soil mine are in a sandy not so great soil and I have to keep them contained and they even jump their fence at times. this must be a first year for yours ? I haven't met a mint that ever needed any help growing.
Kim
hi Blue!
thank you for your message. I just got mine and they are so small. I think I will stop looking at them every 5 minutes to see how much they have grown. :o)
Spider, be careful what you wish for! LOL. Benign neglect seems to be my best "food" for mints. Intense heat (and I think SE Texas is pretty much on par with Georgia) won't help them. I've had them in containers on a patio, and it bakes them. (I'll have a yard in less than a week and I think they'll be fine there.) And if you want the smell, just brush up against them, or prune them a tiny bit. It just makes them bushier, and the smell is wonderful.
Hi Brigidlily,
thank you for your message. do you think they would do better in semi shade?
Hi Spider07... Try planting where they will get morning sun but shade in the hot part of the afternoon. I'm just a little north of Brigidlily. My mints become dormant in the heat of summer. They come back from the roots. The only one I lost was chocolate mint. The fragrance is stronger when they are dry. If it has rained recently or I have watered, the odor is muted. I got my first (smells like spearmint ) from a friend who mows his down. You shouldn't have any trouble and will learn what works best for you. Good luck, Pod
Thank you very much for your advice, Pod. I will move them so they just get morning sun.
I have 8 minys clusters together in individual in-ground containers. They get the full afternoon sun and look (and smell) wonderful!
Here's a pic from last summer...
That lokks so cute!
Spyder, Podster is on the money. I think they need air as much as sun. I've had mine under shade cloth and they do better when they get actual shade in the heat of the day. I'll find out if that holds true when I trade my patio for a yard in a few days. But my friend had spearmint that took over an open garden, and the summer down here killed it (no shade at all).
Thank you Liy. I have just moved them to an area with filtered sunshine, under some trees.
I have over 60 varieties out in the full sun in l00 degree ARKANSAS weather. They don't like it any other way, Mine will not spread fast or grow well in part shade.
I also keep the flower heads cut off so they don't cross pollenate.
I have a few in partial shade and they aren't doing worth a didly squat LOL
kathy
Kathy Ann, where did you find 60 varieties of mint???
LOL, mostly on line sources, I did a few trades, but not many. I acquired some from richters, where the westerfield mints came from and fragrant fields, a couple other places I can't remember, I've been collecting them for 5 years now. Some varieties may be just renamed ones that have been renamed from nurseries, not really possitive,
some came from washington, from a lady up there that had a nursery that sold mints, herbs scented geraniums, just my kind of plants LOL. I found her on ebay and we traded. She has just as many as me.
Iam serious about my mints not doing well in partial shade, their half the size as the ones in full sun, and we're talking scorching sun here, not much care to them, I do water frequently and I cut them down during the hot months of the summer when they get leggy, I don't let them flower which is a huge job. so most of the time their kept pretty short.
you know, Kathy Ann, I got my mints about two weeks ago. (I moved houses not long). I spray them with Messenger and they are growing soooo fast!
Have you tried it?
you have the same taste in plants as myself, mints, herbs and scented geraniums. I also like african violets, streptocarpus, the tender geraniums and brugs.
I'm so glad I found this thread. I have noticed that my mints don't seem to have the intense fragrance as when first purchased. I think maybe I don't cut them back enough? :) Kathy, I can't imagine having *that* many different types! LOL I'm in love with scented geraniums and mints. Actually ... any type of scented flower/shrub as long as it's not tooo fusssy. I don't have a lot of room for planting.
~Elaine~
Elaine, i read that, if you feed them too often, the scent diminishes. they also grow leggy.
Yes, I never feed the mints either, I have too many things in pots that I have to feed, and never seem to have the time to feed the things in the ground LOL. Their on their own.
You don't see too many people with the scented geraniums either, I think I have about 75 varieties of scented geraniums, and a few ivy geraniums, and am getting into the stellars and regal geraniums now LOL. I can't seem to ever find anybody to trade wtih because I already have what they have. LOL
kathy
Kathy Ann, when I lived in England i had about 150 varieties of tender geraniums. Most dwarfs and miniatures. I also had lots of scented ones.
I am getting some from Canada and soon will have some babies to trade.
Where at in Canada are you getting some from Spider?
are you getting them from holtgeraniums?
Iknow their in canada, but she ships from washington.
Kathy and Spider
Will you please keep me in mind when seeing specials, placing orders or dividing your scenteds? Critter has been generous in helping me get started, but it will be a bit before I have anything to trade. I'm afraid everything I have currently is quite common, but I'll be glad to send SASBE, share shipping cost or dance at your wedding! LOL
~Elaine~
Mint does better in shade for me....scent most intense early morning. Perhaps cooler (if you call 75-80 night time temps cool..lol) temps or a byproduct of photsynthesis? Mine are all in clay pots--shade in summer, sun in winter.
Debbie
Elaine, PLMK if those SG's don't do well for you. They were looking a little sad by winter's end, but I figured they'd bounce back and start growing soon enough.... however, mine are still just sitting there! I do have some new cuttings down and will be sticking more as the summer goes along, including some additional varieties, so hopefully I'll be able to put together another little goodie box for you!
Kathy Ann, unfortunately Holt geraniums seems to be "dead". The website needs updating badly and most of the varieties are sold out.
I got mine from Blue Fox Farm in canada. They are great peeps! I haven't received any yet. Waiting anxiously.
I ordered some scented from Possum Creek Herbs. I am also waiting but I think it will take long for them to be ready.
Critter, nothing on the herb book front. Borders did not have any so i got the Seed Exchange Inventory. Have you seen it?
Holt geraniums sells on ebay as pelar. she's a one lady show and has been very sick in the past, which is why she can't keep up the web site, I got to know her through ebay, unfortunatley, her sick ness has given her terrible feedback on garden watch dog. She's trying to regain her good reputation through ebay.
She's known as pelar on ebay.
I'm gonna have to check out blue fox farm, hope they have a web site. seems I've heard of possum creek herbs too.
Going to investigate now LOL
kathy
Kathy Ann What would you consider your soil? Maybe that is what makes a difference in our area... pod
I just checked out blue fox, their a little more expensive than some, but seem to have nice varieties, wonder how big they are, let us know when you get your order ok.
Possum creek, is just about out of everything, which is quite normal this time of year. I seem to have the majority of her geraniums.
I just ordered from papa genos, cause I was looking for the upright coconut for awhile now. I got it and knotted and a few others. I have about 30 new ones this year, that need to be potted up. Papa genos sent me an order a coupld weeks ago, and had 3/4 of the order wrong, sent the wrong plants, with wrong names, etc... I emailed them and they sent me the entire order over again and it was right this time, I have the old order to keep , fortunately I knew what most of them were already. I was pleased enough with the order that I ordered again from them, hobbs farm sends super nice sized plants most of the time, but they don't have a large selection for geraniums. If they had the selection as holtgeraniums does, wow, i'd go nuts. LOL
www.bluefoxfarm.com
www.bluefoxfarm.com
www.possumcreekherb.com
IVe been looking over possum creeks other herbs, they have some super nice herbs with great prices, OH dear, i'm going to have to place an order for sure. LOL
Kathy Ann, have you seen the holts baby birds eggs? They are my favourite. I had all of them in England.
That's a good question, i'm really not too sure what kind it is, it's got alot of pine mulch all over the place, that I constantly put everywhere. some sand, not much though. I live on a big hill, kind of like a mini mountain I guess.
I havent seen them, I haven't been on her web site, I've bought off ebay from her. I geuss I need to go check them out
kathy