Minty Fresh

I may have mentioned previously a side bed I have that is situated directly under next doors large Eucalypts.  Whilst I have successfully grown silverbeet in the bed there is little else that does well so I made the decision to plant it up with mints.  Into this bed I’ve put: Chocolate mint,

Basil mint,

Mint,

Vietnamese mint,

and Lemon Balm.

The bed also has some rogue potatoes coming up here or there which I look upon as a welcome addition (and I do enjoy a bit of mint in my potato salad so I think they are appropriate bed fellows.

Aside from my side bed I also grow mint in pots.  I recently bought a Spearmint

and a Peppermint

which I intend to grow in pots for the time being until see how much my side bed mints grow.  Of all my mints though I am most pleased with this one;

I think my fire experiment worked.  This plant had mint rust and one of the recommended treatments was fire.  I was a little concerned that I had killed the plant, but no, it is clearly reshooting.  I think its probably a little too early to know if I killed all the rust spores but so far so good.

As you have probably guessed I love mint, I use it in salads, rice paper rolls and in tea.  I have to say I use Vietnamese mint and normal culinary mint most frequently and so I would love some inspiring ways to use the other varieties.  I plan to have a play around with them as the weather warms and I eat more salads.  But I would love to hear from you – How do you use mint?