Organic Mentha arvensis Banana

The Banana Mint is a variety whose oval and pointed leaves give off a fragrance with notes of ripe banana. This hardy and perennial herbaceous plant can be grown in open ground or in a pot. It will reach a height of 40 to 60 cm (16 to 24in). Its leaves are delicious in infusion, in tea or hot chocolate. They also flavor desserts. 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 melissa. Preferably plant it in a semi-shaded spot, although Mint can practically settle anywhere. 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 the place 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 install in the vegetable garden because Mint is known to repel unwanted insects from the garden, such as aphids and ants, as well as some rodents. As for harvesting leaves, 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 varieties, the leaves will offer you a whole range of fragrances. In cooking, 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 complete 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 freshly cut leaves. If you do not use fresh leaves, dry the stems and then store the leaves in a tightly closed jar, protected from light.

The gardener's tip: If you want to grow 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.