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Apple mint belongs to the Lamiaceae family. It combines herbs that are often used as seasonings (rosemary, basil, sage). All of them are famous for their excellent aroma and delicate taste. To always have natural mint on hand, you should plant it in your summer cottage.
Description of apple mint
This plant was bred by crossing two species: long-leaved mint and fragrant mint. These are low bushes (no more than 40 cm) with straight densely overgrown stems. The leaves of apple mint are rounded, velvety to the touch, with a thin whitish coating. The flowering period falls on May, the flowers themselves are small, painted in white or purple. The fruits are quite small (weighing less than 1 g), in shape they resemble a nut. Apple mint has been successfully grown as a garden and houseplant. Such a corner on the plot will become a favorite place for the whole family to relax. This is confirmed by the photo and description of apple mint below.
The use of apple mint in cooking
Due to the pleasant aroma and unique properties of essential oils, the leaves of this plant are added to fruit sauces, jellies, tea, kvass and other drinks. Apple (golden) mint is used in baking, pickling, and so on.
What is the flavor of apple mint
The leaves have a pleasant menthol smell with subtle notes of fresh green apple. This type of mint differs from the usual peppermint in its aroma. It is believed that it helps fight stress and gives a lot of positive emotions. Apple mint is definitely worth a try for lovers of interesting new products.
Where Can You Add Apple Mint?
Beautifully shaped spicy leaves are actively used as a seasoning and for decorating various dishes. Vegetable and fruit salads will become more interesting and spicy. Apple mint can be used in the preparation of dressing. It will bring bright accents not only to the color of the sauce, but also to its taste. The combination of meat with mint will be quite unusual. In Eastern cuisine, the leaves of this plant are added to stewed or fried lamb.
Apple mint is widely used in the preparation of various desserts. It is added to pastries, cream, jellies and jams. The top of cakes and pastries can be decorated with these cute leaves. On hot days, it’s nice to treat yourself to a refreshing drink: your favorite cocktail, lemonade or iced tea, to which mint leaves or sprigs have been added.
Useful properties of apple mint
Apple mint is rich in valuable essential oils from which menthol is obtained. It helps to relax and promotes sound sleep; It also freshens breath and relieves sore throats. The plant contains a large amount of resins, flavonoids, acids, vitamins, minerals, as well as rutin and carotene. Such a rich composition makes apple mint indispensable in the treatment of various diseases. Mint also has mystical properties. It is believed that this plant attracts money to the house.
The use of apple mint in folk medicine
For problems with gums and sore throats, it is recommended to rinse the mouth with mint tea. It will help relieve inflammation and reduce pain. A decoction of apple mint is effective for colds (facilitates breathing with a runny nose, soothes coughs, is a diaphoretic and antipyretic). As an auxiliary treatment, it is actively used for inflammation of the lungs. Oil is also obtained from mint. If you rub it little by little into your temples, you can cope with the symptoms of a severe migraine.
As a therapy, mint teas have proven themselves well for insomnia, chronic fatigue and neurosis. Due to its unique properties, apple mint helps to relax, has a sedative and mild hypnotic effect, eliminates muscle spasms. Aromatic tea will lower blood pressure without the use of harmful chemicals.
Contra-indications and limitations
Apple mint has not only useful properties, but also contraindications. Therefore, allergy sufferers should use it with caution. With individual intolerance, the components of apple mint can provoke swelling, rash, and vomiting. Some people can’t even stand the smell of the plant.
Also, the use of apple mint should be avoided by pregnant and lactating women, children under 12 years of age and people suffering from varicose veins or hypotension.
Rules of landing
The process of planting apple mint includes several stages:
- Choice of location. For mint, areas with loose and light soil, in which there are many organic components, are ideal. In this case, the amount of sunlight does not play a decisive role. Apple mint feels equally comfortable both in partial shade and in the sun. You can sow seeds near trees and bushes.
- Soil preparation. The ground is prepared about 14 days before planting (it can be autumn or spring). For every 1 m2 soils contribute potassium salt (80 g) and wood ash (400 g). After that, the earth with fertilizers is dug up to a sufficiently large depth and leveled. 2 days before sowing the seeds, the plot is watered abundantly.
- Planting material preparation. Applemint seeds are usually harvested in late summer. Until next spring, they are stored in the refrigerator so that the material is preserved and stratified. Immediately before planting, they are kept in potassium permanganate to destroy the harmful microflora. Then lay out on a paper towel and allow to dry completely naturally. Apple mint is rarely planted on seedlings.
- landing technique. It is necessary to wait for stable heat (air and soil temperatures should be the same, + 10 ° C). In the garden, every 15 cm, furrows are made about 3 cm deep. In a separate container, fine planting material is mixed with clean sand (in equal proportions) and transferred to the finished grooves. From above, gently sprinkle with earth, slightly compacting, and watered.
Until the first sprouts of apple mint appear, you need to carefully monitor the soil: regularly moisten, loosen so that a hard crust does not form on the surface, and remove weeds. If the temperature changes dramatically (wind, rain, sudden cooling), it is recommended to cover the planting with a film. So young sprouts of apple mint will not freeze and dry. Subject to all the basic rules, the first shoots will appear in 14 days. If the plantings of apple mint are too dense, they should be carefully thinned out so as not to damage the roots of neighboring plants.
Features of cultivation and care
As soon as the mint stalks are strong enough, they are transferred to a permanent place in the garden or vegetable garden. 30 cm are left between the bushes, but the aisles are made larger – 0,5 m wide.
Aftercare includes the following activities:
- Watering. Young plants need frequent, but not too abundant watering. It will help to quickly increase the green mass.
- Loosening. Be sure to carry out after each watering (the next day or every other day), otherwise moisture and oxygen will not flow to the roots.
- Top dressing. Apple mint needs nitrogen, but manure or urea is applied only a few times throughout the season, at the very beginning of spring and summer. It is most effective and safest to fertilize only after watering.
- Shelter. In the cold season, mint needs protection from wind and low temperatures. For this, any covering material is suitable. Gardeners often use agrofiber, dry leaves, spruce branches or ordinary garden soil.
Pests and diseases
Most often, apple mint is affected by rust or powdery mildew. It is impossible to cure these diseases. If the leaves are sprayed with fungicides, they become unsuitable for treatment and food. The affected bushes are carefully dug up along with the roots and burned. To protect plants, they must be frequently transplanted to a new place and the beds should be cleaned of weeds in a timely manner.
The stems and tender leaves are easy prey for mint fleas, whiteflies, aphids and spider mites. Pest control can only be done by natural means. To do this, use an aqueous solution of laundry soap with ash, as well as water tinctures with garlic or tobacco. Preventive treatment is done three times a year.
When and how to harvest apple mint
Mint begins to be harvested when it begins to bloom. Right now, in different parts of the plant there will be a maximum content of nutrients. If you rush and pick mint before flowering, it will be too dry and poor in essential oils. After drying, it will turn into dust and lose its unique flavor. The same fate will befall the mint, which has already perked up. Pick a dry day for picking. It is best to do this early in the morning or late in the evening. The stems are carefully cut with a sharp knife or scissors, without pulling the roots out of the ground.
How to dry apple mint
The stems are laid out in an even layer on clean and dry sheets of paper. Dry mint in rooms with good air circulation and without contact with the sun. Periodically, the raw material is turned over so that it dries evenly. It is strictly forbidden to use the oven, otherwise the plant will lose all its useful properties.
Dried mint is laid out in any convenient container: glass jars with airtight lids, bags made of natural breathable fabric or clean cardboard boxes.
Conclusion
Apple mint is highly valued by amateur herbalists and many housewives. With the help of this plant, you can give an unusual taste and aroma to familiar dishes. A hot tea with mint will help warm up on winter evenings and get the necessary vitamins.
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