Mentha pulegium

The Pennyroyal Mint - Mentha pulegium is a variety with creeping foliage, emitting a strong fragrance. It is a honey plant known for repelling fleas. This hardy and perennial herbaceous plant can be grown in open ground or in a pot. It will reach a height of 10 to 20 cm (4 to 8in). Plant in spring or autumn, harvest from March to October.

Mint is an aromatic bushy plant with highly fragrant leaves. It belongs to the Lamiaceae family, like melissa. Preferably install it in a semi-shaded location, although Mint can practically grow anywhere. It is a perennial plant that will be cultivated for two or three years, as beyond that, it tends to become less productive. Carefully choose the location where you want to plant it: Mint spreads very quickly thanks to its creeping roots. You can also grow it in a pot, which allows you to control its spread. It is ideal to install in the vegetable garden as Mint is known to repel unwanted insects from the garden, such as aphids and ants, as well as certain rodents. As for leaf harvesting, it can be done throughout the year, mainly from March to October.

There are many varieties of mint, the most well-known being green mint, peppermint, pennyroyal mint, and lemon mint. Depending on the varieties, the leaves will offer you a whole range of fragrances. In the kitchen, use them from appetizers to desserts, to flavor salads and raw vegetables, summer grills, yogurt-based sauces, or fruits. The leaves are also delicious in infusions, in tea or hot chocolate.

Harvest: Harvest the leaves as you need them. Choose the largest leaves and cut the entire stem to encourage regrowth. Preferably harvest in the morning to make the most of the mint's aromatic qualities. If you want to dry the leaves, pick the stems before flowering.

Storage: Ideally, consume the freshly cut leaves. If you don't use the fresh leaves, dry the stems and store the leaves in a tightly closed jar, away from light.

Gardener's tip: If you want to plant mint in the vegetable garden while limiting its spread, plant it in a pot and bury the pot in the middle of your garden! Choose a large enough pot and regularly divide the clumps, in autumn or spring.