Applemint

Leaves have a delicate, fruity, and sweet scent layered over a light mintiness that makes a delightful combination to smell. It has large, downy, oval leaves with more of an ornamental appeal than other mints.  Late-season pinkish-white flower spikes are attractive to pollinators. Use like other mints for herbal and culinary purposes. Spreading habit; grow in a container if you don’t want a large patch in a few years. Grows to 36”.        

100 seeds

PLANTING

Mentha spicata

Perennial, Zones 4-10

Germination: 10-21 days

Germination Temperature: Optimum soil temperatures 60-70ºF

Seed Planting Depth: Sow on the surface; seeds need light to germinate

Starting Indoors:  Start indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost. Provide 60-70ºF soil temperature for germination. Transplant 12-18” apart after the last frost. 

Sowing Outdoors: Direct sow 2 weeks before the last frost or in autumn. Sow seeds close together in a row, and when thinning out the seedlings, transplant them to other places in the garden or containers. 

Growth Habit: Upright branching

Height and Width: 36” x 24-36”  

Spacing: 12-18” apart

Light Needs: Full sun, part shade in hot climates

Soil Needs: Rich, moist, and well-drained

Approximate days to harvest: 65-75 days or earlier, when the plant has grown large enough; harvest individual leaves or branches frequently, or the entire plant before it blooms. 

Uses: Medicinal, culinary, ornamental, deer resistant, ideal for containers, attracts bees and beneficals

Tips: Grow in a container to discourage spreading. Prune back tips in spring to encourage more branching. To prolong the growth of leaves, remove the flowers. Drying the leaves or branches: place them out of direct sunlight, in a warm, well-ventilated area.