![]() ![]() Containing Mint: To control the spreading nature of mint, consider planting it in containers or using barriers like buried pots or root guards in the ground.Enjoy fresh mint leaves in beverages, salads, desserts, or use them for culinary purposes. Regular harvesting will encourage new growth and keep the plant bushy and healthy. Harvest by snipping off individual leaves or cutting stems just above a set of leaves. Harvesting Mint: You can start harvesting mint leaves once the plants have become established.Prune back any leggy or overgrown stems to encourage bushier growth. Monitor the plants for any signs of infestation or damage, such as aphids or leaf discoloration, and take appropriate action if needed. Maintenance: Regularly check for pests and diseases.Use mulch around the base of the plants to help retain moisture and suppress weed growth. Avoid letting the soil dry out completely between waterings. Water the plants regularly, keeping the soil evenly moist but not waterlogged. Watering and Soil: Mint prefers consistently moist soil.Space multiple plants about 12 to 18 inches apart to allow for their spreading habit. ![]() Fill the hole with soil and gently firm it around the plant. Place the plant in the hole, ensuring it is at the same depth as it was in the container. Planting Mint: Dig a hole slightly larger than the root ball of your mint plant.Mint can also be grown from seeds, but it’s generally easier and faster to start with established plants. Obtaining Mint Plants: Purchase mint plants from a nursery or garden center, or propagate them from cuttings.Mint can tolerate some shade but prefers sunlight for optimal growth. Choosing a Location: Select a location that receives partial to full sun.Hope you’ve enjoyed my little diversion from kitchen to garden and do let me know how you get on with your own chocolate mint plant. As with most herbal teas, it’s best drank without milk. Drink as it is or add a square of plain chocolate to develop the chocolate flavour even further. The easiest way to make chocolate mint tea is to gather few fresh leaves, put them in a tea cup and pour over boiling water. Many people add chocolate mint to other varieties of tea and even coffee, as well as making herbal tea. You can also add it to any drinks that have a chocolate or minty flavour, such as hot chocolate. For example, chocolate mint ice sorbet or cream, chocolate mousse, chocolate brownies or chocolate mint slices. Of course, chocolate mint it is particularly useful for garnishing desserts and for supplementing the ingredients in chocolate desserts. This mint adds an interesting flavour to breads and other creative bakes. It may be used to garnish meat, stews, sauces, soups and other meals. The flavour is mostly of peppermint, with subtle chocolate undertones. Once dry, just keep them in a paper bag and store out of the direct light in a dry cupboard.Ĭhocolate mint, like other mints can help with minor ailments and digestive disorders.Ĭhocolate mint is of course perfect to use in kitchen – both for baking or cooking. To dry your chocolate mint leaves, just leave them on a clean paper sheet somewhere dry and warm, but not on direct sunlight. ![]() But you can easily cut hard the plant several times a year and harvest the leaves by drying. I prefer to keep mine chocolate mint herb growing in the garden all year round and just pinch a few leaves when I need to. Because of that chocolate mint is very easy to propagate, which is easily done by dividing large plant into several smaller ones. Like many of the mints it can easily take over the garden, if not kept contained or cut back regularly. It is best kept contained within large containers or secure garden beds. I grow mine in a raised herb garden, which is mainly sunny and the plan seems to be doing just fine.Ĭhocolate Mint is quite fast growing plant and spreads by sending roots out underground and on the soils surface. It is happy in most soil types and likes moist areas in the garden. How to grow chocolate mintĬhocolate mint develops its best colour growing in a full sun, but can take part shade. Not sure whether my palet is more sensitive or whether after years of working with chocolate I can taste chocolate in everything. I can detect the mint with a hint of chocolate, but my husband can only taste the mint. It is called chocolate mint, but the aroma and flavour are not always recognisable. The large ovate leaves are a bronze – dark green, with deep reddish-purple stems. I love growing my own herbs, so when I saw a chocolate mint in my local garden centre, I though I would give it a go! It was very easy to plant and look after – it practically doesn’t need any help.Ĭhocolate Mint is a medium growing mint reaching up to 60cm tall, but it can spread quite a bit. ![]()
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