Doing battle with Chocolate Peppermint
Last year I came across an amazing place – The National herb Centre near Banbury. They stocked more varieties of herbs than I even knew existed. I had to be physically restrained from buying a car load of herbs. I felt like a child in a sweet shop, albeit with less sugary tastes and more spicy and tangy flavours. Amongst my purchases was a wonderfully scented Chocolate Peppermint.
I had read that mint could be invasive and I had fond memories of my Dad’s back-garden and the gigantic patch of spreading mint. So I followed the advice in the books and planted it in a pot that I submerged into my herb bed on the allotment.
It has turned into a monster! It sprouted over the pot and laid roots into nearby soil. In the winter I ripped these questing shoots off and thought i had got it in time. Not a chance! These shoots must have spread roots under the soil and I have found it caught up in all the other herbs. This weekend I noticed that it had spread across the grass outside of the bed about 1.5m away. Arrrrggghhh!