If you wish to have fresh herbs throughout the year, indoor growing of mint is a convenient option. Mint is a robust plant and requires minimal maintenance, making it ideal for indoor gardening. With the right conditions and a few simple steps, you can cultivate mint on your kitchen counter or windowsill. The following are some tips to enable you to grow mint indoors without being a gardening professional.
Selecting the proper container
Selecting the proper container is essential for indoor mint cultivation. Select a pot with holes for drainage purposes so that the plant should not become waterlogged, harming the roots. A pot with a minimum diameter of six inches provides the roots with sufficient space to expand. Clay or ceramic pots can also be used since they provide good aeration and retention of moisture.
Keeping it well-lit
Mint thrives in bright, indirect sunlight. Place your plant near a window that gets a few hours of light every day. If natural light is limited, consider using fluorescent or LED grow lights to supplement your plant’s lighting needs. Make sure the plant gets around six hours of light daily for optimal growth.
Watering and humidity needs
Mint prefers consistently moist soil but not soggy. Water the plant when the top inch of soil is dry to the touch. It is essential to use room-temperature water at all times to prevent shocking the roots. Maintaining humidity at 40% to 50% keeps the leaves healthy; occasional misting may get that.
Pruning routines maintained regularly
Pruning regularly will keep the plant bushy and stop the mint plant from becoming leggy. Pinch the stems back every few weeks by removing the leaves just above the leaf nodes. This is where new shoots will appear. Pruning like this will not only encourage fuller leaves, but it will also ensure there’s a continuous flow of fresh leaves for culinary use, infusing your cooking with home-produced freshness.
