Mentha piperita Romana Rossa

The Mentha piperata 'Romana Rossa' is a variety of peppermint whose leaves give off a spicy fragrance. This herbaceous, hardy, perennial plant can be grown in the ground or in a pot. It will reach a height of 40 to 60 cm (16 to 24in). Its leaves will flavor your raw vegetables, grilled meats, sauces, desserts, or infusions. Plant in spring or autumn, harvest from March to October.

Mint is an aromatic bushy plant with highly fragrant foliage. It belongs to the Lamiaceae family, like lemon balm. Preferably, plant it in a semi-shaded location, although mint can grow almost anywhere. It is a perennial plant that will be cultivated for two or three years because after that, it tends to exhaust itself and become less productive. Choose carefully where you want to plant it: mint spreads very quickly thanks to its trailing roots. You can also grow it in a pot, which allows you to control its spread. It is ideal to plant in the vegetable garden as mint is known to repel unwanted insects from the garden, such as aphids and ants, as well as some rodents. As for the leaf harvest, it can be done throughout the year, mainly from March to October.

There are many varieties of mint, the most well-known being green mint, peppermint, pennyroyal mint, and lemon mint. Depending on the variety, the leaves will offer you a whole range of fragrances. In the kitchen, use them from appetizers to desserts, to flavor salads and raw vegetables, summer grills, yogurt-based sauces, or fruits. The leaves are also delicious in infusion, in tea or hot chocolate.

Harvest: Harvest the leaves as you need them. Choose the largest leaves and cut the entire stem to encourage regrowth. Preferably harvest in the morning to make the most of the mint's aromatic qualities. If you want to dry the leaves, pick the stems before flowering.

Storage: Ideally, consume the freshly cut leaves. If you are not using fresh leaves, dry the stems and then store the leaves in a tightly closed jar, away from light.

Gardener's tip: If you want to plant mint in the vegetable garden while limiting its spread, plant it in a pot and bury the pot in the middle of your garden! Choose a large enough pot and regularly divide the clumps in autumn or spring.