Easy solutions for growing Mentha Spicata on a window sill in Winter

Question

I am a super-crazy fan of Moroccon tea, Maghrebi. However, getting fresh spearmint (Mentha Spicata) is not easy during winter. As I am not so fond of growing plants, I’m looking for an as-easy-as-possible, but working, solution for its growing on my window sill.

During winter, there isn’t much sun that Mentha Spicata likes. Weather is mostly cloudy here during winter. I also know, at least in summer, Mentha spicata likes quite much of watering. Thus, I checked self-watering systems without extra lighting. Self-watering seems quite comfortable. May such system work for my plan?

Asking for expert advice

Before making any investments, could you please have a comment on my plan. Is it too naive or still worth trying? Are there better solutions for its easy growing?

Big thanks in advance!

Answer 1

There are a few parameters that you may want to consider, but apart from that, you are probably good to go.

First, growth rate and pungency of your plants will be limited as sunlight is important for them. In short, the plants won’t go dormant, but their metabolism will be slower.

• If you are low on light, there’s a good chance that you will see etiolation, but as you plan to cut your plants, it’s no big deal. Keeping an eye out in case you get some pests is recommended, as they will be more susceptible, so if necessary, treat them as early as possible.

• Your plants also will need less water than when they are basking in full summer sun, so don’t water blindly.

• Mint has no qualms sending roots everywhere (although M. spicata is usually better manageable than other kinds), so depending on the design of the self-watering pots you may find the roots outside the inner pot or clogging some gaps. If you are planning to repot them again in spring, no biggie, otherwise it’s a good idea to check a few times a year.

As long as you are not expecting a sensational harvest, you should be fine. Perhaps consider the windowsill plantation as a method to bridge the cold months instead of a year-round establishment. (But you may want to use the warm season to propagate enough plants to get you through the winter?) Whether you are using a regular pot or a self-watering model is more about convenience than feasibility.