The Green Witch Diaries

Mint

Latin name: 

Mentha

Know it:

Common and easy to grow, mint, especially peppermint, is a restorative herb. Inhaling the fragrance of tea or fresh leave replenishes energy and courage. Medicinally, mint is great for digestive issues and headaches. It works hard to banish bad energy.

Keeping bundles in the house to dry acts as a natural air freshener, a luck charm, and a ward against illness. 

Grow it:

There are many different varieties of mint including peppermint, spearmint, lemon mint, apple mint, and mojito mint. Each has its own scent and taste. Mentha naturally hybrids itself; plant a combination of varieties to see what happens.

Plant one or many, but do yourself a favor and only grow mint in containers. It grows aggressively with little maintenance, sort of like a weed, and can take over a yard quickly.

An immensely hardy plant, mint likes cool, moist soil and morning sun. It tolerates shade. Too much sun or cold weather can kill the plant above ground, but as long as the root system is intact it will come back with a little love.

Could be used as a fragrant ground cover, but will require frequent and enthusiastic pruning. Harvesting leaves regularly is necessary to keep the plant in check. Trim flower buds to extend harvest season as you don't want to harvest after the flowers open. Use entire aerial parts fresh or dried.

Mint can be easily started from both seeds and from cuttings. Seeds should be planted before the last frost, or cold treated in the fridge before planting. Cuttings are easy to take and can be used to start a plant from kitchen scraps or turn one plant into ten!

Take a single stem and strip the leaves, leaving the top four. Place the stem in a container of water and make sure the leaves stay dry. Leave the container in a sunny spot and in a few days you should see little white tendrils of the new roots beginning to grow. In a week or so, these roots will be a couple inches long and ready for planting!

Use it:

Mint is one of my favorites to use in cleaning spells. Add a few drops to a vinegar rinse (1 part vinegar and 4 parts water) to clean floors or the tub. Or just dabble on a damp cloth when dusting.

Mint tea is wonderful for stomach aches, while chamomile and mint work together calm anxiety. Use with mugwort to aids in divination. My favorite teas are a blend of a couple types of mint. I always include my favorite, spearmint, but tend to switch the others around based on what I have available. It's amazing the variety you can get when you experiment.

Steep mint and add to a ritual bath for luck. Or try lemongrass and mint for stress relief and boosting energy. While lavender and mint baths can have an aphrodisiac effect (some people don't respond this way to the scent of lavender).

For courage and luck (and if you're over 21) try this Mint Julep Potion: Take a dozen or so sprigs of mint and use your fingers or a mortar and pestle to gently crush the leaves and release the oils. Let the sprigs of mint soak in the bourbon overnight. The next day fill a pitcher with ice. Pour the whiskey over top until ¾ full and top off with seltzer water. Add sugar to taste; for me, this is quite a bit.

To harness the money drawing aspects of mint, place a spring in a change jar or a few leaves in your wallet. Mint's money-drawing aspects can be amplified by using it with thyme, alfalfa, sage, or other money drawing herbs; especially during a waxing moon. 

How do you use mint? Know any fun lore I have come across? Leave me a comment and let me know! I love to learn!

Check out themoonmanual.com for digital downloads of art, my book, and more!