How do you maintain Vietnamese mint?
Vietnamese mint is very easy to start from stem cuttings and its purplish foliage makes the herb a highly ornamental choice for your garden.
- Full sun to part shade.
- Frequent watering.
- Well drained rich soil.
- All climatic zones.
- After 8 weeks.
- Sow anytime of the year.
Does Vietnamese mint like full sun?
Climate: all climates. Soil: prefers moist soil. Position: full sun to part shade.
How do I make my mint plant bushy?
Sprinkle the soil with a little time-release fertilizer if you wish. Water in the plants well. Finally, positioning your fingers like mine in the photo at left, pinch off the top two to four leaves on each plant. This will make the mint branch out and become bushy.
Can you dry Vietnamese mint?
To dry the mint, tie a few stalks with string and leave hanging upside down in a well-ventilated place. As it dries, you need to avoid it becoming moist or damp as harmful mould can form. Either store as dried branches, much as you would bayleaves, or take the leaves off and keep in an airtight container in the pantry.
Is Vietnamese mint the same as Thai basil?
Vietnamese mint smells similar to Thai basil but it is far more pungent with a hot bite and slight numbing character and a strong alkalinity. Also known as hot mint, it is the leaf to use in Malaysian laksa soups, and is often simply known as laksa leaf. It’s also used as a salad ingredient, and cooked dishes.