The herb peppermint (Mentha × piperita) is a hybrid between spearmint (Mentha spicata) and watermint (Mentha aquatica). This amazingly aromatic herb is one of the oldest herbs used for ritual, culinary, and medicinal purposes.1 Plant Science at the Dinner Table: Peppermint. Michigan State University Extension. Peppermint will thrive in full sun and in almost any type of soil. This marvelous herb can be enjoyed for its refreshing fragrance and taste with little effort. How to Plant Peppermint When to Plant Peppermint can be planted in the early spring months. Wait until the final frost has passed. Spacing, Depth, and Support Plant peppermint at a depth of 1/4 inch. Space it about 24 inches apart from other plants if not planted in a container. If planting several peppermint plants in rows, allow for 18 to 24 inches between rows. Selecting a Planting Site Although you can grow peppermint in your garden, many choose to grow in containers due to it's invasiveness and the need to restrict its roots. You can also plant in a bottom less bucket and sink it down into the ground. This will make it look like it's growing from the ground but will aid in keeping the growth manageable. How to Care for Peppermint Caring for peppermint is fairly easy granted a few things are kept in mind. Light Peppermint can grow in full sun or partial shade. It can even tolerate some dappled shade, unlike most herbs. Full sun will promote the most robust flavor and fragrance to the herb because it aids in the production of oils. Soil The adaptability of peppermint is one of its best features; it is also one of its worst features, allowing it to grow almost anywhere, making it a nuisance. Peppermint’s ideal soil is rich, loamy, and moist, though it's known to grow along trailside ditches and craggy outcrops—it can and will grow anywhere. Water Consistently moist soil is the key to making sure your peppermint plant is happy and possesses tons of flavor. But be careful not to overdo it. Peppermint, like most mints, cannot tolerate standing water or soaking soil. Having soggy roots is a surefire way to kill or harm your plant. Temperature and Humidity Peppermint is unusually hardy and can survive light frosts but cannot endure extended cold snaps in cold climates, USDA Cold Hardiness Zones 5 and below. Its ideal growing conditions fall between 55 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit, but it can survive nicely above and below that range with little negative effect. If you expect temperatures to be on the warmer side, keep the soil moist while also watching for excess growth from humid conditions. Fertilizer Avoid fertilizing most herbs, especially plants in the genus Mentha. The flavor of herbs relies on the oils in their flowers and leaves. Accelerating their growth can lead to small profuse growth with many flowers and leaves and leggy stems rather than large, rich flowers and foliage with concentrated oils. You can often see this difference in the taste of homegrown compared to store-bought herbs. Types of Peppermint Mentha × piperita 'Chocolate Mint': bloomsopen from the bottom up; its flavor is reminiscent of mint chocolate chip ice cream Mentha × piperita 'Citrata': has a citrusy fragrance and is often called orange mint Mentha × piperita 'Crispa': a trailing habit with bright green crinkled leaves with tiny pale lavender blooms Mentha × piperita 'Lavender Mint': a fast-growing ground cover with reddish stems, dark green leaves, and profuse lavender blooms; it is ideal for use in savory meat and vegetable dishes Mentha × piperita 'Lime Mint': attractive bronze-green leaves with a fresh lime-scent Mentha × piperita 'Variegata': a ground cover that produces spikes of violet flowers; its green leaves have a creamy white variegation Peppermint vs. Mint Mint is the general name for all types of plant belonging to the genus Mentha, while peppermint is just one type, along with spearmint, orange mint, and about two dozen others. As a hybrid of spearmint and water mint, peppermint is a blend of two of these varieties. It has the strongest flavor and aroma and the highest concentration of menthol when compared to other mint varieties. Harvesting The ideal time to harvest peppermint is towards the middle of the growing season, just before flowers appear, but really, any time after the plant reaches 4 inches in height is ok. Harvest it in the morning for the highest concentration of the oil resulting in more intensity of the aroma and flavor. Cut stems back to about an inch above the soil or snip 2 to 3 inches from the very top. The stems will replenish and you will have more to harvest as the season goes. How to Grow Peppermint in Pots Because mint has the habit of spreading everywhere, growing peppermint in a pot is a wise choice. Choose a large pot with adequate draining holes that will accommodate vigorous root growth. Provide your plant with good drainage while also maintaining a moist environment with proper mulching. Potted mint tends to become leggy usually due to a lack of sun or too much fertilizer. Trim container-grown mint often to maintain a bushy, compact plant, and you will have a healthy plant for years to come. Pruning Left unpruned, the peppermint plant can grow too aggressively, even in containers. Young leaves will be more flavorful than old faded leaves, so pruning these off will promote the emergence of new ones quickly and direct the plant's energy there. The best place to trim is just above a leaf node. Keep in mind not to trim back more than a third of the plant. This could cause stress. Once your mint plant is mature, a weekly trimming to keep it neat and productive should be sufficient. Propagating Peppermint Mint might be one of the easiest plants to propagate from cuttings. Use sterile scissors or snips to cut a stem section four inches in length just below a leaf node. Remove the leaves below the node and submerse the cutting in distilled water and place it in a location bright light and good air circulation. Watch for root formation, which should occur within a few weeks. Let a good root system develop Transplant the cutting into a pot filled with quality potting soil. Trim the top two inches from the plant to allow most of the energy to go into the root system. In a few weeks, you will have a thriving peppermint plant ready to be transplanted into a larger pot or into its new place in your garden. How to Grow Peppermint From Seed Press the peppermint seeds on the surface of seed starting mix. The seeds will be tiny, so use care and do not press too hard. You do not need to bury the seeds with soil. Keep the soil moist and germination will occur in five to ten days and perhaps sooner if the soil is kept warm with a heat mat. If you are direct sowing into the garden or when you are ready to transplant seedlings, wait until the threat of frost is past. Space the peppermint seedlings 18 to 24 inches apart. Overwintering If your mint is growing in an outdoor garden, it may be wise to bring it indoors for the winter if able. Severe frost may damage the plant, although it is hardy enough to regenerate in spring. If growing indoors, you don't need to change a thing as you will have a growth cycle that goes year-round. Common Pests and Plant Diseases Depending on your region, peppermint can be afflicted with diseases such as verticillium wilt.3 The infection will manifest in the leaves at the top of the plant and spread downward. Leaves will curl, twist and yellow as the fungus takes hold. The best way to treat the plant is to replace as much of the soil as possible to eliminate the pathogen. Peppermint is also vulnerable to certain pests, such as spider mites and aphids.4 If infested, your plant will have yellow and dropping leaves. To prevent this, avoid letting your peppermint get too thirsty. Peppermint stressed for water has higher levels of amino acids, which spider mites crave. Use overhead watering to wash the mites off and increase humidity in the plant's immediate environment.

Black-eyed Susans are wonderful native plants that look beautiful and attract a multitude of pollinators. Among the many varieties, 'Cherokee Sunset' is one of the prettiest cultivars. Join gardening expert Melissa Strauss to grow this wonderful summer and fall flower. Black-eyed Susans are an excellent plant to have around, and ‘Cherokee Sunset’ is a particularly special cultivar. They are wonderfully adaptable and attract a wide range of pollinators. They make wonderful companions in the vegetable garden, and they self-sow freely, multiplying year after year. Growing this plant is easy and straightforward, and quite rewarding. They’re also native to most of North America, making them beneficial to the ecosystem and local wildlife. Of the many varieties, ‘Cherokee Sunset’ black-eyed Susans are one of the prettiest. What Is It? ‘Cherokee Sunset’ black-eyed Susan is an eye-catching, ornamental variety loved for its boldly hued blooms. This dramatically beautiful cultivar is an incredibly prolific bloomer and a pollinator’s dream. It’s wonderful for the cutting garden and is the recipient of a Fleuroselect Award. It also won an All-America Selections award in 2002. Characteristics When it comes to special varieties of classic flowers, ‘Cherokee Sunset’ is at the top of the list. This black-eyed Susan cultivar has the same velvety stems and foliage as the original. This characteristic protects its flowers from ants. It’s a medium-sized variety that’s typical in all respects except for its flowers. Where the standard for this species is a cheerful yellow single bloom with a dark eye, this one is bolder. The flowers are double-petaled and, rather than the run-of-the-mill, solid yellow, they come in a range of warm shades. This ideal autumn flower has excellent variation between blooms. Some are orange, some brown, some yellow, but most are a melange of colors. All have a signature, dark chocolate center where you’re likely to find a native bee or two. Native Area The species, Rudbeckia hirta, is native to a significant portion of North America. It spans from one coast to the other, and from Florida well north into Canada. When it comes to their environment, these are adaptable and tolerant. You will find black-eyed Susans in prairies, meadows, open woodlands, and on rocky slopes. They grow in both moist and dry soil types. They are commonly used in the restoration of disturbed areas. Planting The ideal planting times are in the fall, before the first frost, or in spring, after the last frost. In mild climates, fall planting is preferable, as it results in earlier flowering and better reseeding. In cooler climates, it’s wise to start your seeds about six weeks ahead of the last frost date for a better and longer bloom time. While you can grow these in a container, they tend to grow larger when planted in the ground. These plants require about one foot to 18 inches of space between them, in loose, well-drained soil.

Knowing how to propagate basil means always having a fresh supply for your kitchen all year long, no matter where you live. Basil is one of the easiest plants to propagate. Dozens of varieties of this highly aromatic and versatile culinary herb (Ocimum basilicum) exist, so it's not difficult to keep your favorite going even during the off-season. Now that you know how to grow this delicious plant, here's how to propagate basil. Ways to Propagate Basil There are three ways to propagate basil: from cuttings placed in water, soil, or grown from seed. Basil is a warm-season herb most often started from seed in early spring or planted directly into the garden once the soil has warmed to between 50°F and 70°F, but it can also be grown indoors. It grows from seed outdoors when the stems have gone to flower. But to keep a basil plant going throughout the cool season, you'll need to propagate with cuttings from your mature, summer-grown basil. Tip Propagating basil from seeds is common but not always the favored method. Basil seeds are problematic because they may not have high germination rates, grow slowly, and produce plants with inconsistent flavor. Propagation from cuttings is a much more reliable method.1 How to Propagate Basil in Water The best method to propagate basil from cuttings is in water. If you've ever kept freshly cut basil stems in water for use in cooking, as needed, you may have noticed that after a week or so, the stems begin to put out new roots. Essentially, this is propagating the basil cuttings in water. Propagating basil in water is easy and requires little more than refreshing and topping up the water regularly. To grow new basil plants this way, you need a sharp, sterile snipper, clean water, and a clear glass, vase, or container. Take several 4-inch cuttings from a mature basil plant, avoiding any stems with flowers at the top. Make your cuts below a set of leaves or leaf nodes. Remove all but the top two sets of leaves from the cutting. Fill a clear glass with water. Water that has not been chemically treated (i.e., distilled water or rainwater) works best. Submerge the stems, keeping the top leaves above water level. Place the glass on or close to a sunny windowsill where it receives plenty of bright, indirect light and warm temperatures. Change the water weekly or more often if it begins to get cloudy. You should see roots begin to form in 12 to 18 days. Tip Basil rooted in water will continue to grow out for extended periods of time. Eventually, though, the herbs need additional nutrients. Adding specialized fertilizers to the water is a practice called hydroponics. Alternatively, you can pot the rooted basil into a soil-based medium, and it can get nutrients that way. How to Propagate Basil in Soil Propagating basil cuttings in soil is similar to propagating in water. Both methods are simple and usually successful. Gather together a sharp, sterile snipper, deep pots with drainage holes, potting soil, and plastic covering. Growth or rooting hormone is optional. Fill a pot or pots with slightly moistened planting medium. High-quality potting soil works well. You can start several cuttings in a large 6-inch pot or plant individual cuttings in smaller 4-inch pots. Using the snipper, take 4-inch cuttings from a mature basil plant, avoiding any stems that have flowers on them. Make your cuts below a set of leaves or leaf nodes. Remove all but the top two sets of leaves. Dip the bottoms of the cuttings in growth hormone. This step is optional since most cuttings root easily without it. Use your index finger to poke narrow, deep holes in the potting soil. Insert a cutting into each hole, making sure to keep the top leaves well above the soil surface. Tamp soil down around each cutting to keep it upright. Water thoroughly. Cover the pot loosely with plastic and use a small stake or pencil to keep the plastic from touching the cutting. Place pot(s) in a location that receives plenty of bright, indirect light and warm temperatures. Keep soil moist but not soggy. Remove plastic for an hour or so daily to allow air circulation and prevent mold. As soon as new leaves emerge, remove the plastic and check to see if the cutting has rooted. If a gentle tug results in a little resistance, your basil cutting has roots. This usually occurs in two to four weeks.