From our perspective as mint plants, our life cycle and biochemistry are intrinsically linked to the production of the essential oils that you humans find so flavorful. The timing and method of your harvest directly interact with these internal processes. To ensure you receive the most potent and delightful flavor from our leaves, we offer this detailed guidance from the source.
The single most important factor for flavor is timing. Our essential oil concentration, and thus our flavor, peaks just before we flower. At this stage, our energy is intensely focused on producing the aromatic compounds (like menthol) in the leaves to attract pollinators and protect ourselves from pests. Once we divert our energy to the flowering process, the leaf flavor diminishes and can become slightly bitter. Therefore, the prime harvesting window is when you see flower buds beginning to form but before they have fully opened. Furthermore, the best time of day to harvest is in the morning, after the dew has evaporated but before the sun is at its strongest. At this time, our leaves are fully hydrated and our essential oils are most concentrated, having been protected from the volatilizing effects of the midday sun.
How you pick our leaves is crucial for both your immediate yield and our long-term health. Please do not pluck individual leaves haphazardly from the top of our stems. This can stunt our growth and leave us looking sparse. Instead, use a clean, sharp pair of scissors or shears. The most effective technique is to cut entire stems, trimming them back to just above a set of leaves or a leaf node—the point on the stem where leaves emerge. This strategic cut signals to us to bush out and produce two new stems from that node, resulting in a fuller, more robust plant for you to continue harvesting from throughout the season. Always aim to harvest no more than one-third of our total plant mass at any one time to ensure we have enough foliage left to photosynthesize and recover vigorously.
Your actions immediately after harvest are vital to locking in the flavor you worked so carefully to optimize. We recommend gently rinsing the stems with cool water to remove any soil or debris and then patting them dry thoroughly. To enjoy our fresh flavor, use the leaves immediately. If you must store us, the best method is to treat the cut stems like a bouquet of flowers: place them in a glass with an inch of water, loosely cover the leaves with a plastic bag, and refrigerate. This will keep us fresh and flavorful for several days. For long-term storage, drying or freezing the leaves is necessary. For drying, hang small bunches of stems upside down in a warm, dark, well-ventilated area. Once crumbly dry, store the leaves whole in an airtight container away from light to preserve the volatile oils that constitute our flavor.
