Mint is a herb that grows easily and does not need much care. With the right care, mint will provide you with leaves to harvest for a long time. In this article, we will explain how to harvest mint without killing the plant, so you will grow and harvest mint all year round.
You will be able to harvest mint without killing the plant by following our advice and using the tools correctly. It is very easy to harvest mint, do not worry!!! Like many other easy-to-grow herbs indoors, we can also enjoy having some fresh mint on hand in the kitchen, growing mint indoors during the winter, and giving our cocktails, desserts, teas, and dishes a gourmet touch with a few mint leaves. So let’s move on to explain how to harvest mint without killing the plant all year round at home.
Table of Contents
When to Harvest Mint
When to Harvest Mint? The best time to harvest mint is during spring and in the morning. Most herbs are harvested in the morning because their flavor and aroma are more intense.
Harvesting mint will help the plant continue to grow and encourage the development of the mint plant. It is best to harvest mint before flowering.
During the winter, you should also be able to harvest mint, but you will have to keep it indoors if the winter is very strong. In the winter, you will be able to harvest less mint because it will grow more slowly.
How to Harvest Mint Without Killing the Plant
How to Harvest Mint Without Killing the Plant? Mint is a plant that grows easily and recovers easily, but you must follow a series of steps to be able to harvest mint without killing the plant.
The spring and summer will be the time when you should be able to harvest the most mint without damaging or killing the plant. You should harvest less mint in the fall and winter because it will not recover as easily as in the summer.
It is also important to know that if you bought a new mint plant and transplanted it, you should wait at least 2 weeks to start harvesting mint. Plants need a period of adaptation when transplanting.
Always use scissors to harvest mint to avoid damaging the plant. Pulling off the mint leaves can damage the plant and will reduce the plant’s strength for growth. You should also not pull the stems of the mint to harvest it because you could damage the whole plant or even the roots.
Damage to the roots of the mint plant will result in the plant not being able to nourish well and not growing properly.
The first time you harvest mint, you should not gather more than 1/3 of the plant, then the plant will support a harvest of 2/3 of the plant. Remember always to use sharp scissors to harvest mint without killing the plant.
How To Harvest Mint Without Killing the Plant When Growing Mint in Water
Having a mint plant in water in the kitchen is very practical. This way you will quickly have mint for your tea or to prepare delicious mojitos. When growing mint in water, let’s see how to harvest mint without killing the plant.
Mint in water will develop more slowly than if it is grown in a substrate, to harvest it without killing the mint plant you should not remove more than 1/3 of the mint plant. Change the water in your mint every week so that it has fresh water and develops properly.
How To Harvest Mint Without Killing the Plant When Growing Mint in Pot
Having mint in a pot is also very practical, for example in winter you should be able to move the mint plant to a warmer place so that it can continue to develop. You will also have plenty of mints to prepare desserts, tea, mojito, and much more.
To harvest mint without killing the plant, when you have mint in a pot, you should harvest no more than 1/3 of the plant the first time. Then you should be able to harvest more, but make sure it is in spring or summer when the mint develops better. Always use sharp and disinfected scissors.
Harvest the Right Amount of Mint
It is important to harvest the right amount of mint, over-harvesting could kill the plant. For example, if you have mint in a pot, you should make sure to harvest a little less in the first crop.
Never harvest more than 2/3 of the mint plant so that it can recover quickly. Of course, it will be important after the harvest to water it properly and to give it the right amount of sun.
In our house, we have mint in pots and directly in the ground. When we harvest mint from the ground, it recovers more quickly than mint planted in pots.
You should also be able to grow mint hydroponically, the mint plant will recover quickly if you grow it hydroponically. You should be able to grow mint by stolons, just as strawberries grow by stolons.
Does Mint Grow Back After Harvesting?
Does Mint Grow Back After Harvesting? Mint will grow back after harvesting, you just need to make sure of the following:
As mentioned above, if this is the first harvest of your mint plant, only harvest 1/3 of it and let it recover for at least 15 days. Then you should be able to harvest up to 2/3 of the mint plant, always using sharp and disinfected scissors.
It is important to remember that during spring and summer, mint will grow stronger and faster. During autumn and winter, you will have to wait more days to harvest mint after a harvest.
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How Long Does Mint Take to Grow Back?
How Long Does Mint Take to Grow Back? If you harvest the mint correctly, you should be able to harvest it again after 15/20 days if it is during spring and summer. In autumn and winter, when mint grows less vigorously, you should wait a month and a half to harvest mint again.
