Have you ever grown mint?  If you have you know what an aggressive little bugger it can become.  Even when grown in a planter, on your deck, come July, it will take off like a hot bottle rocket.  There is no stopping it.  Last year, that little $2.49 plant busted my favorite planter.  The only plant that ever survived in it, but still…..

So if you did plant mint and it took off, you’re probably wondering why you planted it… Especially if you made the mistake of planting it directly in the ground.  Egads, let’s hope not!  I know it’s a perennial, and all that jazz, but I prefer to treat it as an annual and keep it contained in a planter.  It’s enough that it’s runners run right off the deck and between the planks to try to find soil way down there, anywhere, somewhere….  Scar-y!

So we have been planting mint, in planters, for the last 8 or 9 years.  Ever since Amanda picked out a concrete planter, at the garden center, and wanted to plant an herb garden. Our first herb garden was contained in one planter, if I remember correctly.  Little did we know how large that one little plant would become.  It’s a fun plant, just the same.  Kids can eat off it, it smells good and it is a never fail plant.  Besides that, there really are health benefits from eating mint.  It’s high in Vitamins A, C and B2.  It’s high in the essential minerals manganese, copper, iron, potassium and calcium.  So even though you take it in in small amounts you can still see significant benefits.

It soothes heartburn, indigestion and irritable bowel syndrome (whatever that catch all phrase means…).  It’s great for bad breath and cools the skin when used as a compress for sunburns or hot flashes.  Mint, when used as a tea, can cleanse the blood, rid you of acne, and act as a mild calming sedative.

It really is an attractive plant that needs little attention.  Bonus!

So, if your mint took off anything like ours did and you’re scratching your head trying to figure out what in the world to do with all this mint…..

I believe today I’ll start with a tall, refreshing glass of mint iced tea.

Put several mint leaves in the bottom of a pint mason jar, add a tea bag of your choice, add near boiling water until about half full.  Let steep for 5 minutes of so and fill with ice. Top off with more mint leaves.  Sit back and breathe in the refreshing scent as you chillax.

Growing mint is hard work.

Cheers!