How Peppermint propagates

How Peppermint propagates

Peppermint (Mentha × piperita) is a perennial herbaceous plant, stoloniferous, strongly aromatic, of the Labiate family and is a hybrid of Mentha aquatica and Mentha spicata.
This plant is native to Europe and the cultivation has spread all over the world.
Peppermint, like all peppermint, can be easily reproduced by tip cutting or by planting pieces of rooted stolons or division of tufts. It can also be grown in pots or in full ground.
In general, it is an easy to grow plant, provided that it finds a little shady and humid area.
For the details of the cultivation technique, however, refer to the following sheet.

Propagation by cuttings-
The multiplication takes place by cuttings to be performed by taking a terminal part of a mint branch about 8-10 cm long.
After having taken this portion of the branch, the lower leaves must be removed, leaving only a couple of pairs at the end. If the leaves are very large it is advisable to cut them in half to reduce transpiration in the first phase of rooting.
At this point you can implant this cutting either on small containers or in a seedbed with little depth, by making holes.
The mint stem should be planted so that its lower end reaches the bottom of the container.
At this point it is necessary to irrigate with a nebulizer in order to constantly humidify the soil while avoiding causing stagnation.
During the first two to three weeks it is advisable not to expose these cuttings to direct sunlight, only after the second week, when the first leaflets should already emerge, you can gradually increase the hours of sunshine and continuing to keep the soil moist.

Propagation by rhizomes or division of tufts –
In propagation by rhizomes or division of tufts it is necessary to take portions of a few cm of rhizome (stolons) or tufts with rhizomes and branches that can be planted directly in a soil by irrigating with the same methods seen above and taking care for the first two weeks not to expose excessively to direct sunlight.
Both for propagation by cuttings and by rhizomes or division of tufts, the optimal period is the end of September but you can also opt for the beginning of spring.
The transfer of the seedlings obtained by cuttings or division of tufts must be operated only when the new leaves begin to form, which corresponds to the rooting of the plant.
Remember that like other aromatic plants that, in the phase of full cultivation, if you want to obtain a greater aroma, you must not exceed with irrigations.