Organic Mint Hilary's Sweet Lemon, also known as Mentha spp., is a hybrid of apple and lime mints developed by Jim Westerfield. This unique mint variety offers a strong lemon scent and flavor. This organic perennial herb has silver-green foliage and blooms in summer with lavender flowers. This plant is more compact than most mint varieties, with a trellising habit that reaches just 12" tall and wide. Mint Hilarys Sweet Lemon is hardy in zones 5-9, offering attractive foliage that is effortless to grow. It flourishes in full sun with plenty of water and excels in containers. Hilary's Sweet Lemon brings a unique flavor to summer teas and lemonades. Cultivate a well-rounded selection of mint by planting Organic Mint Inguano and Organic Mint X Piperita alongside Hilary's Sweet Lemon.
This Variety Also Available as Non-Organic
Mint Hilarys Sweet Lemon Selling Tips
Sell Mint Hilarys Sweet Lemon to customers who want an attractive, compact mint plant for a container or this highly aromatic variety for culinary use. Hilary's Sweet Lemon offers many benefits to your customer and requires nothing more than regular water to flourish. Hardy to zone 5, this plant offers a compact trellising habit of 12"x12" and blooms with light purple flowers from June-August. The powerful lemon fragrance and flavor are a delight to the senses from the garden to the kitchen.
Coach Your Customer
1. Plant mint in well-drained soil in full sun or part shade.
2. If you choose to plant mint in the garden or landscape, prevent it from spreading by planting it in a container first and then burying the container. Mint spreads aggressively underground via rhizomes.
3. Mint foliage offers the best fragrance and flavor prior to the plant blooming. Dry or freeze leaves to preserve them for later use.
General Growing Tips For Your Rooted Cutting Liner
For best results with Mint Hilarys Sweet Lemon, use well-drained soil with a constant feed program of 150-200 ppm N on well-rooted plants and a pH of 5.8-6.2. We recommend an additional iron supplement to deepen the foliage color. Pinch once 5-10 days after transplant. You may see whiteflies, aphids, and mealybugs.
Flowering
Light purple flowers bloom from June-August.
Pinching
Pinch once, 5-10 days after transplanting.
Spacing
Space 4-inch, 6-inch, and gallon pots as needed to allow airflow and penetration of light between plants. Mint Hilarys Sweet Lemon can grow to a 12" spread. We do not recommend planting rooted plugs in 1801 or other traditional market trays as they tend to get leggy and can develop fungus when they have insufficient space.
Height Control
We do not recommend using chemical growth regulators on herbs or organic plants.
Pests
You may see whiteflies, aphids, and mealybugs.
Disease
Mint Hilarys Sweet Lemon isn't prone to disease. Don't oversaturate the soil. If the plant sits in moist soil at length, you could end up with root rot or botrytis. Botrytis grey rot tends to occur in wet or humid conditions. Take these steps to prevent botrytis: water in the morning and allow the plant to dry out between waterings; provide good airflow in your greenhouse; space plants so the sun can penetrate to the soil level. To best fight root rot in herbs, use an organic or garden-safe fungicide, like Neem Oil.
Planting Mint Hilarys Sweet Lemon Liners
We recommend planting one rooted liner per 4-inch, 6-inch, or gallon container. Use well-drained soil and completely bury the ellepot in the center of the container.
Rooted Cuttings
Cuttings vary in size between different plant families. These rooted starter plants will arrive ready to be transplanted in to your final container. If they are to be used in a landscape application, you will need to establish them in a 4 inch pot or an 1801 before planting outside.
Organic Herbs Mint Hilarys Sweet Lemon Quick Reference Guide
| 4 Inch crop time | 6 Weeks |
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| Bloom Period | Summer |
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| Color | Light Purple |
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| Habit | Vining |
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| Height | 12 inches |
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| Light | Full Sun |
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| Minimum Temp | 54 |
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| Perennial Zone | Zones 5-9 |
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| Water Needs | Heavy |
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| Patented Plant | No |
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