Hi!
I would like to root some mint but i am finding it too difficult at the moment. I tried water with aspirin but, after more than one month, nothing rooted. Is it better to root it in soiless mix?
thank you.
the best way to root mint???
With either mint or basil cutting, I poke a hole in the dirt in a pot(any dirt!), sut a piece of the plant off and stick it in the hole. Keep watered for a few days and it grows. It's more a matter of controling mint in my life.
thank you Grammy!
Have rooted mints in plain water and in potting soil mixture.
Both are reliable.
I've rooted loads of mint in just plain water in a glass on the counter. Not very exotic, but... It works :-) Then I'm just planted the new rooted sections straight out in the garden and keep it regularly watered for about two weeks, then commence with the neglect. I haven't lost one yet!
Best way I've done it is layering. Put a pot of soil next to it, hold a long stem at dirt level with a hairpin or something, and keep it watered. It will send down roots, and you cut it from the parent plant when it's ready.
thank you peeps!
OH you'll be sorry spider, you'll have mint everywhere, I have 60 varieties, I mow some of it down with the mower talk abou t heavenly LOL. warning though, bermuda will kill mint, ha ha. bet youdidn't know that. nothing kills mint but bermuda will, I had a 5 foot patch of lime mint and bermuda finally killed it all, good thing I moved some before it bit the dust.
I let my son wack the tops off with the weed eater so they don't cross pollinate.
i'd have a real mess on my hands.
I stick the cuttings in rooting hormone, bu tyou don't hav to, keep the soil moist , they'll wilt at first but pick up in a week, be rooted in a few weeks maybe less. Don't let them flower if your raising diff varieties, close together, they willcross.
thank you Kathy Ann.
I always do mine in a glass of water, but one thing I did find was to put it in good light. I was frustrated last year when I couldn't get it to root so I put it under a lamp and made sure I had it on enough so it was getting a good amount of light and I had tons of roots in a short amount of time. Also good to use for Basil.
yes. I am going to put mine under lights. Good idea!
Seems kind of like a waste of electricity right now, you could just put the cuttings in half shade/half sun outside and keep them within the reach of the water hose, My cuttings stay in the greenhouse till their rooted, thenthey go outside, never had them under lights before. Greenhouse is shaded but not completely, it's indirect light that comes in.
I root mint by throwing a bunch of it into the compost, or into another bed by mistake, and then stepping on it and forgetting about it entirely.
Love it, but man, not everywhere.
LOL!
Lol Zeppy, very nice.
I don't use a special light, just whatever lamp I have on in the house I place them under in cups. We don't get good light through the our windows.
I didn't know basil was about as easy to root as mint. I may try wintering over some cuttings and get a jump start on next year. I haven't been brave enough to try "rampant mints", yet...
kmom, we grew lots of peppermint at Tahoe. They don't get as big in the subalpine climate, but they pack a punch in that environment.
When you are rooting mint be sure to use a clear glass or jar. It needs sunlight to grow roots, I understand. Put the class or jar in a window that gets a lot of sun. Mine usually roots in about 5 days.
Don't put asprin in the water. I saw a test that showed that asprin makes flowers die much more quickly than if you just put them in plain water.
I have been known to wet my finger tip, then touch it to some Miracle Grow, then touch that blue finger tip to the rooting water. A tiny bit of fertilizer seems to start it a little faster.
Betty
pajaritomt, it si just what I did but they did not root.
Good idea about the finger trick!
Zeppy, I cracked UP when I read what you posted about rooting mint...DH thought I'd gone slaphappy!
~Sunny