You Can't Kill Mint
More than a month ago we harvested our mint. I freeze it for making tea with. I've dried it in the past, too, but I like the frozen leaves better. It faster, just as easy, and I think the flavor retention is better. Mint is probably Matt's favorite tea. We grow three varieties, but freeze them all mixed together.
As we were pulling the leaves off the stems and packing them into ice cube trays for freezing I noticed that one of the stems had a flowering head on it with tiny, delicate, purple blooms. I thought they were quite pretty. I slipped them into my "dandelion vase" with a bit of water so I could enjoy them for a day. I was quite certain the tiny flowering head would be dried up by the day's end.
But, oh, I was wrong. It was quite the opposite, in fact. Instead of shriveling up the flowering head sprouted a new mint plant. The growing mint has a long skinny root and is on its fifth set of leaves. I'm just going to leave it and see what happens--for curiosity's sake. The tiny little green shoot on the coffee table makes me smile. We'll see how long it lasts in such a tiny little vase with only water for nutriment.
I've always heard that you can't kill mint--that it will spread and take over the garden if you let it. I guess this is a good demonstration of that resilience.
But, oh, I was wrong. It was quite the opposite, in fact. Instead of shriveling up the flowering head sprouted a new mint plant. The growing mint has a long skinny root and is on its fifth set of leaves. I'm just going to leave it and see what happens--for curiosity's sake. The tiny little green shoot on the coffee table makes me smile. We'll see how long it lasts in such a tiny little vase with only water for nutriment.
One time I visited my sister and took a brown paper sack of cuttings of mint. I forgot it in the trunk when we returned home. About two weeks later I remembered it, and planted it and guess what? It grew like wildfire!
ReplyDeleteI make a mint mouthwash by taking dried/fresh mint and filling a pint jar packed full. Then I fill with 80 proof Vodka and let sit for a month or two shaking ever couple of days. I keep it in a dark pantry. When ready and it smells like mint instead of vodka...strain the liquid and it is ready. My husband thinks that this is the best mouthwash he has ever used.
Jennifer
That is a great mint story. Yeah, you really can't kill it, can you?!
DeleteThanks for the tip on mouthwash. I stopped using it years ago--unable to find one that wasn't fully of freaky chemicals that didn't cost an arm and a leg. Matt and I've been talking about trying a few other vodka infusions. I will have to give it a go....if I ever remember to go out and get some vodka....something a bit out of the ordinary!