Content
Mint Chill is one of the varieties of peppermint, the family Lamiaceae or Lamiaceae. Contains substances that have a medicinal effect, due to which it is widely used in medicine. Its pronounced taste and aroma have made this spice indispensable in the preparation of culinary dishes, as well as in the field of perfumery.
Description of mint Chill
A perennial herbaceous plant resembling nettles, reaches a height of 50-70 cm. Branched flexible stems are densely covered with bright green foliage with jagged edges. Small flowers with lilac-violet or dark red corollas are collected in inflorescences.
Mint Chill is unpretentious and quickly adapts to various natural conditions. Grows equally well in sun and shade, preferring soils with moderate moisture.
The creeping roots of the Kholodok mint variety can grow considerable distances from the main bush, and therefore it is recommended to fence the planting area with a sheet of roofing material, plastic or slate.
The flowering period is long and lasts all summer, from June to August.Chill mint foliage can be collected already in the first year of the plant’s life, starting from the first summer month. But the Chill mint reaches its highest content of essential oils in the green part towards the end of flowering.
Application of mint Chill
Chill mint leaves can be added to fruit drinks, cocktails and other soft drinks. They are used as a decoration for various dessert dishes and as a basis for creating syrups, marinades and tinctures.
Take relaxing baths with Chill mint. She is an excellent assistant in carrying out procedures that help maintain beauty and health.
What is the flavor of mint Chill?
Mint Chill has a pronounced menthol smell. This aroma of the leaves of the plant is obtained due to the content of essential oil, which is a mixture of menthol and its derivatives.
Where can you add mint Chill
In cosmetology, Chill mint is included in ointments and creams intended for skin and hair care, relaxation and anti-aging procedures. The presence of menthol gives Chill mint bactericidal properties. Lotions from its infusion will relieve irritation from any skin, even sensitive skin. Applying cold mint green leaves to abscesses and burns will reduce pain and speed up the healing process. Peppermint baths relieve fatigue, irritation and calm the nervous system.
Peppermint oil Chill is a component of mint drops, ointments for the common cold and stomach tablets. Such well-known drugs as Corvalol, Validol and Valocordin, containing mint, have an effective effect on the functioning of the heart.The characteristic minty taste of toothpaste and chewing gum, which freshens breath, is also the merit of this plant.
Adding mint chill to food stimulates appetite and improves digestion. Fruit drinks and juices that include this aromatic ingredient are better than other means and can bring a feeling of coolness to a hot summer day.
Useful properties of mint Chill
Mint Chill is an excellent sedative for the nervous system. This variety has choleretic and diuretic effects. The use of mint as part of medicines rids the body of excess fluid and helps maintain water-salt metabolism. Herbal tea with the addition of mint Chill tones and gives strength.
Mint Chill has analgesic, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. It is recommended to take it for infectious and colds, to get rid of headaches and nausea. Mint decoction will help with asthma, bronchitis, flatulence, heartburn, colic and stomach pain. Chill mint leaves and petioles have an antiseptic, antispasmodic and vasodilating effect. An infusion of the green parts of the plant is used to disinfect the oral cavity for diseases of the upper respiratory tract.
Medicines with the addition of Chill mint help treat migraines and insomnia.
Landing rules
Depending on the region, Chill mint is planted in April-May or August. It can be grown both on the balcony and on the plot, using seeds or seedlings.
When choosing soil, you should take into account its compliance with several basic conditions:
- maintaining a sufficient level of moisture;
- loamy or sandy loam structure;
- ease;
- porosity, allowing air and moisture to pass freely to the roots;
- saturation with humus.
An increased content of lime in the area will cause Chill mint leaves to lose their rich aroma.
Before planting, the soil is cleared of weeds, dug up, and enriched with organic and mineral fertilizers. Depending on the type of soil, the height of future beds is determined. If water stagnates on the site and the soil is damp, the planting level is made high to protect the roots of the Chill mint from rotting. If the soil dries out quickly, make the beds low, which will help retain moisture in the ground longer.
The distance between the beds should be at least 40 cm. The interval between mint bushes is maintained in the range of 30-50 cm. The seedlings are placed in holes to a depth of 5 cm. The procedure is completed with abundant watering.
If the planting of Chill mint was carried out using seeds, the furrow prepared for them is first well watered, and after sowing it is sprinkled with dry soil for the purpose of mulching.
In order for Chill mint to grow green and aromatic, it is necessary to plant it away from vegetables such as beets, cabbage and cucumbers. This proximity negatively affects the appearance of its leaves, the surface of which may become covered with dark spots.
Features of cultivation
Caring for mint Chill is quite simple and includes the following basic procedures:
- Timely watering. The soil under young seedlings is moistened more often. The frequency of watering adult bushes during the dry period is once every 1.5-2 weeks. During the rainy season, the natural level of soil moisture will be optimal for a plant such as Chill mint.
- Fertilizing is carried out in the spring 1 time for the entire season.To do this, the area is covered with a layer of mulch prepared from a mixture of peat or compost with wood ash.
- Weeding is very important for Chill mint because its roots are located close to the surface of the soil and weeds interfere with their growth.
- Loosening the surface of the site enriches the soil with oxygen. Experienced gardeners recommend digging the soil deeper in the fall, adding half-rotted manure at the rate of 2 kg per 1 sq. m. m.
- Trimming. Chill mint bushes should not be allowed to thicken, as this can lead to the appearance of such an unpleasant disease as powdery mildew.
Pests and diseases
Mint Chill is very attractive to many insects. A large number of different pests settle on its green plant part:
- Meadow moth. It can even destroy an entire plant alone.
- Cicada. Carries various viral diseases and damages young shoots of Chill mint by laying eggs.
- Peppermint flea. During warm, dry weather in spring, small round holes may appear on the leaves of the plant. They are made by small yellow beetles, the length of which does not exceed 1.5 mm.
- Aphid. Settles in entire colonies on the reverse side of the leaf surface of the Chill mint. In such bushes, the process of growth and development slows down.
- Weevils. The larvae of the pests gnaw the roots of the Chill mint, and the adults gnaw the edges of the leaves.
- Green shieldweed. It gnaws the edges of leaf plates and makes holes in them.
- Green mint leaf beetle. The pest beetle eats the entire foliage.
- Slobbery pennies. Insects deform the stems of Chill mint, leaving behind foamy lumps.
- Wireworm. It can undermine shoots if mint is planted in an area where potatoes were previously grown.
To prevent insect pests from settling on Chilodok mint bushes, experienced gardeners recommend carrying out preventive treatment of the area. To do this, change the place where mint is planted once every 2 years. After each harvest, the soil is subjected to deep digging. All plant residues must be destroyed.
Insect pests and fungi are the cause of various diseases of the Kholodok mint variety:
- Rust. It affects the underside of leaf blades, forming dark red tubercles on them.
- Verticella wilt. Fungal infection causes the upper pairs of leaves to turn black. After a short time, the entire plant dies.
- Septoria (spotting). The leaf blades are covered with black spots less than 1 cm in size with dark rims.
- Powdery mildew covers the plant with a white coating.
- Anthracnose. Leads to the appearance of dark spots on the entire surface of the leaf plates.
Affected bushes stop developing and acquire an unusual leaf color. The root system stops growing. Diseased bushes are dug up and burned, the rest must be transplanted to another area.
When and how to collect Chill mint
The yield of the variety is 1.5-2 kg per 1 sq. m. You can collect mint in various ways:
- cut off;
- cut with scissors;
- pinch.
If you remove some of the shoots, new ones will begin to appear intensively on the Kholodok mint bushes. Leaf cutting is carried out in the morning or evening hours. There should be no traces of dew or raindrops on the leaves.
No more than 2 hours should pass between the time of cutting and the start of drying, otherwise the plant will lose its green color. The harvest will have healing properties only if the mint has not been treated with chemicals and the area where it grows is located away from busy highways and industrial enterprises.
How to properly dry mint Chill
The collected mint is sorted, removing dried parts, washed and dried.
There are several basic methods:
- Dry twigs are divided into small bunches. The tops are placed in large paper bags, which are tied at the base and hung in a dry, ventilated area away from sunlight.
This method will protect the mint from dust, wind, exposure to ultraviolet rays and insects. If the room is humid, Chill mint should be moved to another place, as mold may appear on it. - At home, you can dry mint by spreading it in an even layer on trays or white sheets of paper.
- You can dry mint in the microwave. Leaves laid out in 1 layer will dry within 15-45 seconds. If the plant is dried properly, its color will remain green.
- When using the oven, turn it on to the minimum temperature in fan mode. To prevent the mint from drying out, the process should take no more than 20 minutes. If overheated, the leaves begin to deform, the edges rise, changing color and losing aroma.
- A household dehydrator can also only be used on the lowest temperature setting. If you do not fill all the trays at the same time, the mint will dry out in 5 minutes.
- Electric dryers will help you quickly prepare mint for the winter, but the preservation of its beneficial properties can only be ensured by using the most gentle mode.
Fresh mint herbs quickly lose moisture. It is not recommended to expose plants to high temperatures. The optimal level is 20-35 °C.
Dried greens are chopped or left whole, placed in containers, closed and put in a cool, dark place.
You can use ceramic or glass dishes with tight lids that do not allow moisture, foreign odors and pests to penetrate. This method will preserve the aroma and taste of mint for 2 years.
Conclusion
Mint Chill is a universal plant. Due to its aroma and beneficial properties, it is widely used in medicine, perfumery, cosmetology, and cooking. The culture is undemanding in terms of breeding conditions, and caring for seedlings will not take much time even for novice gardeners.
