Mint plants start with a significant growth lead when grown on the windowsill. Find out here about the individual steps from tiny seeds to vital young plants for beds and balconies.
How to sow mint on the windowsill?
Sowing mint on the windowsill can be done by mixing fine seeds with bird sand, filling and moistening a seed container with sterilized substrate, scattering seeds, pressing them lightly without covering them, and finally covering them with a plastic bag or placing them in the indoor greenhouse.
Selection of seeds and preparatory work
Pure mint species are significantly more germinative than hybrids. The more different species and varieties contribute to a new breed, the more the germination rate of seeds tends towards zero. The following species have not let their mood be spoiled so far:
- Spearmint (Mentha viridis) – also known as spearmint
- Horsemint (Mentha rotundifolia) – not to be confused with horsemint (Monarda punctata)
- Field mint (Mentha arvensis) – also known as grain mint
- Water mint (Mentha aquatica) – also known as stream mint
To sow mint successfully, you can use multi-pot plates (€13.00 on Amazon) or seed trays. A lean peat-sand mixture or standard soil with the addition of sand can be considered as a substrate. Place the seed soil in an ovenproof pot in the oven at 150 degrees for 30 minutes to sterilize it. It's quicker in the microwave within 10 minutes at 800 watts.
Step-by-step instructions
The best time for growing behind glass begins in March. Here's how to do it:
- mix the very fine seeds with a little bird sand
- fill the seed container with the sterilized substrate and moisten it
- Spread seeds and press lightly without covering them
- Put a plastic bag over it or put it in the greenhouse
In a partially shaded window seat, germination begins within 14 days at a constant 20 degrees Celsius. During this time the seed soil must not dry out. Ventilating the cover or mini greenhouse daily prevents mold from forming.
How to properly prick mint seedlings
If the cotyledons break out of the seeds, growth progresses quickly. The cover has now completed its task. As soon as your pupils exceed a height of 5 centimeters, they are transplanted into individual pots. How to do it right:
- Fill pots halfway up with herb soil
- press a hollow in it with the pricking rod
- lifting a seedling out of the seed container with a spoon
- insert in the middle and plant just below the cotyledons
Then keep the substrate slightly moist until the young plants are planted in the bed in mid-May.
Tips & Tricks
The bushy growth of young mint plants is encouraged by regularly trimming young plants. To do this, simply snap off the shoot tips just above a leaf node with your fingers.