Backyard
Gardener
l a t n i M g Goin ealth h l a t n e m r u o y r o f – T MIN ing Writer Kat Long / Contribut Story and Photos by
I am a mint lover: I love the fact that it wanders all over the yard, that you cannot contain it no matter what you do and that it grows even in the dead of winter here in Oklahoma. Mainly, because dead of winter is all relative. February and 50 degrees? Let’s go find some mint. But the real love of mint comes from its many culinary uses. From drinks to desserts, let us celebrate and go a little MINTal. From the plant family Lamaiceae, mint is known and can be identified by the unique square stem and opposite leaves. Yup, it is actually square. There are always a few exceptions to any rule, but most square stems are mint. And the mint family is mighty. Think basil, chia, lavender, oregano, thyme, savory, sage and on and on, including all those lovely flavored mints like mojito and spearmint. Planting Mint Let’s address the wandering problem first. Don’t plant mint if you want a controlled environment. Put it in a pot and put that potted mint on a stand, on the balcony, in the yard, by the patio or anywhere. Just remember to water it occasionally and you will have a mighty mint plant. However, if you would like to embrace the chaos and wander that is mint, pick a little-used corner of the yard; might I suggest a corner that is occasionally mowed or weed-eaten. Trimming your mints a couple of times of year will have it putting more energy into the leaves than into the rooting system. And freshly mowed mints smell heavenly.
What Mint To Plant The short answer is: it depends. Do you want a medicinal mint? Oregano, rosemary and basil are a great medicine cabinet. Oregano is a natural antibiotic; rosemary can be used for soothing any body ache (great for headaches) and basil is a great tummy soother. All are excellent kitchen herbs and grow well together at various heights. I love the true mints and have an abundance of lemonbalm, mojito and spearmint all over the yard. We mow all of them at the end of June and then let them go to flower for fall. Lemonbalm, like its name, is an excellent balm for anxiety when steeped for tea, either fresh or dried. Also a great sleepytime tea. Mojito is of course for the mojito drink or what we have at my house, No-mos. Recipe is on Page 79. And spearmint. You can just chop up spearmint and mix into salads, add to strawberries, make tea, distill with 100% vodka to make mint extract for cookies and candies. Basically, what can’t you do with mint?
See GARDENER Continued on Page 79
76 JULY 2022
