Description of the variegata pineapple mint variety, planting and care features
Pineapple mint Variegata is considered a unique plant that has a pleasant and strong aromatic smell. Pineapple leaves are added to dishes to give them an unusual aroma and are used in medicine in the treatment of certain diseases.
Description
A distinctive feature of the Variegata variety is the low growth of bushes, which grow up to 40-50 cm in height. All ripe seedlings are covered with small leaves downward with a white frame around the edges. Variegata mint leaves are very tasty, with a slight tart aftertaste. Because of this, many housewives add them to sauces, salads and even fruit drinks.
In addition to leaves, flowers are formed on adult bushes, painted in lilac color with a reddish tint. They are located at the top of the shoots, forming large and fragrant inflorescences there.
Uses of pineapple mint
Pineapple mint is most commonly used in cooking as a dietary supplement. It is used to spice up meat or fish dishes. It is also used in the summer to create refreshing fruit drinks. Some housewives add mint leaves to canning to extend their shelf life.
The second most popular area of application of such a plant is medicine. Pineapple mint decoctions have a diuretic effect, thanks to which you can clear the gallbladder of stones. Mint leaves are used to create remedies to relieve pain in girls during menstruation and to treat liver disease.
Conditions for the growth of culture
To grow healthy Variegata bushes, you need to provide optimal conditions for their growth. This variety loves high levels of moisture and therefore will have to take care of watering during cultivation. The soil should never dry out, as this will slow down the growth of the seedlings. It is recommended to moisten the soil daily, especially in summer.
If the seedlings are grown in a greenhouse, you will have to independently control the humidity level in it. To do this, spray the greenhouse with a spray bottle and moisten the mint leaves every day.
When to plant pineapple mint
You can get a good harvest of mint only if you plant it on time. It is not recommended to engage in sowing Variegata seeds in the fall, since the seedlings will freeze and die in winter. In the summer, sowing is also impossible, since by the first frost the root system will not have time to get stronger, and the plant will also die.Therefore, the best solution would be to plant pineapple mint in the middle of spring, after the night temperature rises to 5-10 degrees.
Preparation of planting material
Seed preparation begins with the selection of seeds for planting. It is recommended to select only large seeds, as they will germinate better. All selected planting material is pre-disinfected. For this, a weak manganese liquid is prepared. To create it, about a gram of the substance is added to 100 ml of water. Then seeds are poured into a container with manganese for 25 minutes. The disinfected seed is washed with water, dried and planted in the ground.
Soil preparation
Pineapple mint, like all other varieties, grows best in fertile soils with micronutrients. To increase the fertility of the soil, you will have to add top dressing in advance to it. For this, the earth is mixed with compost, ash and humus.
When fertilizing, you can use ready-made commercial mixtures, which include lime.
Experts recommend disinfecting the soil before planting. To do this, it is poured several times with hot water and manganese solution. This will protect the seedlings from pest and disease attacks.
Planting mint
To plant pineapple variegata, all seeds are laid out on the surface of the harvested soil. The seed is then gently pressed into the soil and covered with polyethylene. After the first shoots appear, the plastic film is removed, and all the seedlings are watered for the first time.
If the temperature is too high outside, it is not necessary to cover the area with the planted mint..
Plant care
Every person who plans to start growing mint bushes should familiarize themselves with the peculiarities of caring for them.
Watering rules
All planted mint bushes must be watered with warm water. Watering cannot be carried out in bright sunlight, so the procedure is carried out in the evening. In cloudy weather, it is not necessary to moisten the soil daily.
Loosening and weeding
It is recommended that you regularly weed the mint area to remove weeds. If not weeding, the grown weeds will consume a lot of nutrients from the soil, which will impair mint growth.
Plant diseases
Verticillium wilt is considered a dangerous disease, due to which the leaves of the plant begin to gradually darken and dry. To save pineapple mint from this disease, you must:
- follow the rules of crop rotation;
- timely clean the area of weeds and plant residues.
Pests
Among pests, the following are most common:
- Mint mite. The insect hibernates in the soil and appears on bushes in spring. The pest feeds on leaves and stems of mint, which leads to death.
- Meadow moth. It appears on mint in spring, after the air temperature rises to 10 degrees Celsius. The insect feeds on the sap of the leaves, and therefore they dry out after the appearance of the meadow moth.
Harvesting and storage
Ripe mint is best harvested in mid-July, since by this time its leaves will be filled with useful ingredients and oils. All collected stems are collected in bunches and hung under a canopy on the street or in a room with good ventilation. It is very important that the sun's rays do not fall on the leaves, as this will negatively affect their aroma.
Conclusion
Every gardener who wants to grow variegat pineapple mint should prepare for this in advance. To do this, you should familiarize yourself with the nuances of planting this variety and the rules of caring for it.
