Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Dill is used not only in pickling, but also in soups, potato dishes, stews, and other dishes. Many
fish recipes call for dill. Dill can be used fresh, dried, or frozen so it's easy to preserve extra harvest
for use during the winter months.
Mint (
Mentha
)
One of the most recognized of all fragrances is the humble mint plant. A hardy perennial herb,
mint will survive winters through zone 5 but will need to be brought indoors in colder zones.
Mints grow quickly and form a low-growing mat of aromatic foliage not usually more than 2 feet
tall at the most.
Mint produces flowers on little spikes in the summer, and depending on the cultivar the blooms
could be pink, white, purple, or mauve. If you live in an area where mint grows naturally, you
might want to plant your mint in containers to prevent it from spreading throughout the garden.
Provide your mint fertile soil in well-drained but well-watered conditions.
If planting mint from seed, you'll want to broadcast seed directly in the garden area at the time of
the last frost. Press them into the soil so they are no more than
1
⁄
4
inch deep and water gently. Start
seeds indoors four to six weeks before the last frost. Seeds take a little over a week to germinate, so
don't give up on them if they don't appear right away.
Not every mint can grow true from seed, so take cuttings of those cultivars and root them. Mints
are easily divided so you can take clones of the species you want. To reinvigorate older plants, you
can dig them up, divide, and replant the healthiest sections.
Mint is used in so many herbal preparations—both medicinal and culinary. A given in mint teas
and juleps, mint is also used in sweets, jellies, and other herbal preparations.
Apple Mint.
A fruity fragrance and flavor is the undertone in this mint plant and makes it a nice
choice for jams, juleps, and other sweet minty treats.
Chocolate Mint.
Not a strong chocolate flavor, but the chocolaty hint is more than enough
for most people to fall in love. Use this mint in any recipe where a hint of chocolate would be
welcome.
Lavender Mint.
This variety has red stems and contrasting green leaves. The lavender overtones
are best enjoyed when this mint is dried.
Lemon Bergamot.
This mint variety has a milder, lemon-infused fragrance and flavor. It's a lovely
addition to tea.
Spearmint.
Spearmint has a milder flavor than peppermint and is the most common mint used in
sauces and fresh preparations.
Variegated Peppermint.
Grown like regular peppermint, the variegated form has large white
splotches on the leaves.
