How to Germinate Mint Seeds

Mint is one of the easiest herbs to grow. In fact, it grows so easily that it can become invasive if not kept under control. There are many types of mint plants you can grow. Some are simple and well-known varieties such as spearmint or peppermint, and others more exotic such as apple, orange, Swiss, Japanese or Corsican mint. Once you begin growing your mint, you can use it to brew fresh tea, bake desserts or cook Middle Eastern dishes. Mint plants help to stimulate digestion, making them an excellent dinner addition whatever way they are served.

Instructions

1.Choose an area to plant your mint in early spring after the last frost. Mint grows best in full sun, but does well in partial shade, too. Mint also tends to spread easily into other areas of your garden, so use a 6-inch pot to grow your mint if you want to prevent it from spreading. Mint seeds germinate best indoors at 65 to 70 degrees. A sunny window will work just fine since they only need four to six hours of either direct or indirect sunlight.

2.Mix compost evenly through the soil. The compost will be sufficient to fertilize your plants through the growing season.

3.Scatter the mint seeds evenly over the soil surface to germinate. Leave the seeds exposed to the sunlight on the surface of the soil. If you are planting your mint in a pot, cover the pot with a plastic bag and set it in a sunny location for three weeks until the mint germinates.

4.Keep different types of mint such as spearmint, peppermint or Japanese mint in separate areas of your garden or in separate pots so that you can identify each.

5.Water your seeds immediately. Continue to water two to three times a week with a fine mist of water so that the soil doesn't become too soggy. Your mint seeds will germinate within 12 days.