Mentha piperita Swiss

The Swiss Mint is a variety of peppermint with light green leaves that emit a powerful fragrance. This hardy, perennial herbaceous plant can be grown in the ground or in a pot, reaching a height of 40 to 60 cm (16 to 24in). Its leaves will flavor your salads, grilled dishes, 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 area, although Mint can adapt to almost any location. It is a perennial plant that will be cultivated for two or three years because beyond 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 because Mint is reputed to repel unwanted insects from the garden, such as aphids and ants, as well as certain rodents. As for leaf harvesting, 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 infusions, in tea or hot chocolate.

Harvest: Harvest the leaves as needed. Choose the largest leaves and cut the entire stem to encourage regrowth. Preferably harvest in the morning to fully enjoy the aromatic qualities of mint. If you want to dry the leaves, pick the stems before flowering.

Storage: Ideally, consume the freshly cut leaves. If you don't use the fresh leaves, dry the stems and store the leaves in a tightly closed jar, protected 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 divide the clumps regularly, in autumn or spring.