Medicinal herbs: peppermint

Every person in his life drank peppermint tea, there is so much of it in our life, but what exactly is its benefit?

Today, about three hundred species of mint are known to man, but about 20-25 species of this plant are widespread.

The best known is peppermint, which is often used for medicinal purposes. This variety is a cultivated plant obtained from crossing garden and water mint.

Peppermint is a perennial plant from the Deafnettle family. The stem of peppermint is tetrahedral, hollow, about one meter high. The leaves are ovate, elongated, with denticles along the edges, and the root is horizontal and woody. Flowering in this plant begins in June and lasts until September. Most of all, the stem and leaves are valued in peppermint, which need to be collected before flowering, since it is at this time that the plant contains the most essential oil – menthol.

In the chemical composition of mint, the main element is menthol. About 2.5% of menthol is contained in the leaves, in inflorescences its amount reaches 4-6%. Mint has always been considered a medicinal plant. Decoctions and infusions of mint can be used both externally and internally.

Useful properties of peppermint

It is imperative to take into account the beneficial properties of mint in the treatment of diseases such as tonsillitis, bronchitis, pharyngitis and runny nose. It has an analgesic and vasodilating effect. It is used to eliminate nausea, improve digestion, flatulence, asthma, nervous disorders, inflammatory processes in the lungs and bronchi, gynecological, cardiovascular, colds, spasms, migraines, cholelithiasis

Menthol, which is found in sufficient quantities in mint, is used to make mint essence. It is added to colognes, toothpastes, elixirs for oral care. In addition, various mint drops, ointments, and stomach tablets are made from peppermint oil. Mint is an excellent remedy for the treatment of skin diseases, its decoction helps relieve irritation and itching.

Contraindications for the use of peppermint

It should not be used to treat infants, as menthol can cause respiratory depression or arrest. It is advisable to refrain from using mint in the treatment of children under 5 years of age. In addition, mint is contraindicated in allergy sufferers, pregnant and breastfeeding women, as well as people with low blood pressure and low tone of venous vessels, with low acidity of the stomach.

Propagation of peppermint seeds

You can grow mint from seeds. For further reproduction, cuttings and rhizomes obtained from an adult bush are more often used. It will take less time to care for them, and they will grow faster than seedlings. Seedlings are obtained from mint seeds, which are then planted in open ground. They are sown in mid-spring. Since they are very small, during the procedure it is more convenient to use a stick with a pointed end, which is periodically soaked in water. You can also take a special syringe for seeds. The seedling container should be wide and shallow. It is filled with a nutrient substrate. When sowing mint seeds, the seeds are not buried, but only slightly (maximum 5 mm) pressed into the soil. Then cling film is pulled over the planting container. You need to place it in the sun, you can even put it on an unglazed balcony if it’s warm outside. For mint seeds to germinate, it is necessary that the air be warmed up to 21-24 ° C. When the seedlings hatch, caring for them will include only regular watering. After they get stronger, they dive into separate pots and put in a cool place. Seedlings are planted in open ground towards the end of May, when 3-5 pairs of leaves grow on them. Growing mint at home is also widely practiced. Planting seeds can be carried out directly on the beds, but this is not very convenient due to their small size.

Other methods of reproduction

Peppermint is propagated by cuttings or parts of the rhizome. Both methods allow young bushes to retain all the properties of the mother plant. Mint cuttings can be cut when they have 5 leaves and a renewal bud forms. Their length should be 7 cm. You need to plant them in a prepared bed, mint cuttings are sprinkled with soil and watered abundantly. Their rooting will not take much time. Another way is also popular. The cut cuttings are placed in a container of water and kept in it until roots appear. They do not need any care at this time. You will only need to add water from time to time as it evaporates. Then the cuttings are planted in the beds at intervals of 20-30 cm. If you need to get pieces of mint rhizome, it is removed from the ground and slightly dried. The division is carried out so that each part consists of 10-12 nodes. The resulting rhizomes are placed in shallow (8-10 cm) holes. They are made at a distance of 30-40 cm from each other. When planting a plant, a handful of humus is thrown into the hole.

How and when to harvest mint, and how to properly store mint?

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