This January – when i came back from jethu’s home (Karimganj – Assam) – i brought few plants with me. Jethu has the best garden i have ever seen … actually their weather is moist due to high humidity and cool through out the year – unlike our Delhi weather … unbearable hot in summer and extreme cold in winter. Not only the weather is good at Karimganj – but he looks after his plants very well.  For a matter of fact – i too have learned to be patient with my plants and try to take as good care as i can without being lazy. Off course i know i can’t keep fussy plants (exotic ones) – so i don’t long for them any more …. though i would love to have a rose in my garden. Actually 2 years ago – i did buy a rose plant from those plant vendors … but it died. Buying plants in Kolkata is not only cheap but they do not dry up easily – i guess they use fertilizer in moderate ratio …. so that it do good to the plant slowly and effectively.  Here in Delhi – they use these fertilizer in large quantity – making the plant grow in size quickly and flowers growing all over it … but very soon it will burn out  !!

This red or say dark pink eye vinca and another white eye vinca – i had bought these from the plant vendor in Delhi. When i bought them – they looked so lush green and full of flowers … but slowly in about 3 days – it started to dry out. i worked so hard to keep them alive till monsoon. Normally vinca are not fussy plants – they do get infected by insects and bugs but using minimal soap water keep they away … but those vinca gave me a very hard time. They did grow back in monsoon rain – actually these photos are taken during monsoon season.

Anyway during winter – they shade their leaves  -most of it – and in spring they grow back again – but that spring they didn’t grow back again and i too lost all my patience with them. They eventually died – but in generally vincas are hard to die – they may flower less or become leggy – but do not die in a year.

Well lets get back to plants that i brought from jethu’s home.

MINT herb ….. i had just brought a medium size twig (off course it did roots growing) – but by the time i reached home – it had dried up. Jethu had told me before hand that it might dry up but still i should plant it. i exactly did that – and in few days or about a week later small shots appeared through the cracking soil ….  and soon it grew all over the pot. i even plucked its leaves as more new leaves shots were growing from the older twigs . i had to make space for the newly growing twigs. It has grown bushy again. i have kept it in shed though it does get morning sunlight for few hours.

 Nearly two months ago – i hesitantly bought a bunch of mint leave from our local vegetable market …. they looked fresh and healthy green. i thought to make mint chutney – so started to pluck its leaves from its twig using my finger. After sometime i noticed dark purple stain on my fingers – i was little worried. The mint plant at home was too small to use its leaves for chutney … but still  next morning i plucked few leaves and crush them between my fingers but there were no color on my fingers. After seeing that i had no courage to eat the chutney made from that market bought mint. i actually threw it in the rubbish bin.

Now few weeks ago – i had plucked enough mint leaves from my garden and made a tasty chutney – which was no wonder tasty and chemical free too … Organic Mint.

It’s always a good idea to grow few essential herbs at home. Mint roots doesn’t go deep in the soil – so a shallow and wide mouth terracotta pot will do a perfect job. Mix half potting soil (consisting of clay and normal soil) and other half of cow dug manure  …. some finely crushed and some roughly so that there’re medium chunk of cow dug when you mix it with the potting soil. Take a small twig of mint with root growing on it and make a small hole with your finger and place the mint twig in it –  the rooting part inside the hole created by the finger. Fasten the twig with soil so that the hole is filled with soil again. Water it slowly but thoroughly – so that water will flow out from beneath the pot.

From where can you get the mint twig? Well now a days one can but it from a supermarket – potted mint herb. Or next time you buy those mint bunch from the local vegetable market – just check if there’s any root growing on any of its twig …. around 90%  of the time you’ll get rooted twig – so use that rooted twig and grow a pot full of healthy mint at home.

Health Benefits: Mint leaves are not only used to decorate sweet or spice dish but has many health benefits as well.

1. Mint is very good for stomach – it helps in cooling down heartburn caused by indigestion. i have read that mint is also a good appetizer and has anti- inflammatory benefits.

2. Effective in reducing respiratory disorder and cough.

3. Can be use in form of essential oil – as it is a good source of natural stimulant – so it works as a anti depression and anti fatigue agent.

4. Mint oil is good antiseptic. It helps cure infection and itchiness. Also helps reduce acne and pimples.

5. Mint has germicidal qualities and is quick at refreshing the breath.

So do try to grow mint at home and enjoy its benefits !!