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Janet · 29-05-2012, 08:01 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening

In article ,
says...

I have ordinary mint in the garden but want to establish a bed for growing
mint to dry and use for mixing with animal feed. Does anyone know which
variety I should be looking for, or as the subject says -any mint will do
:-)

kate

There's a huge patch of apple mint in the adjacent sheep field (escape
from neighbours garden) and the sheep won't touch it. Nor do the hares,
pheasants and chickens.

If you want herbivores to eat mint you may have to dry and powder it and
mix it into somethng palatable.

Janet

I have a pony mare who has been on a strict diet for some time and I want to
liven up her rather boring feed, I have used mint before to give digestive
support and the horses generally like it, I do the same with nettles. I just
thought that as I had the room I may as well grow it myself rather than buy
it ready done. There are many different sorts of mint, I think herb
gardening is rather interesting.

OK. Well, IME applemint and spearmint are the fastest increasers and
both completely hardy in the UK (unlike some mints).They are also the two
most commonly used UK culinary mints (strong mint flavour from mint oils).
Applemint has roundish slightly furry leaves, spearmint leaves are
pointed, bright green.

Do you dry the nettles too or just let them wilt until they don't sting?
I wonder if you had thought of making a liquid draught and if horses would
accept that.

Janet