Allotments 4 All

Produce => Pests & Diseases => Topic started by: tonybloke on May 26, 2009, 19:51:44

Title: twisted mint stems
Post by: tonybloke on May 26, 2009, 19:51:44
'Bowles' mint, growing in the cracks in the path, next to one of my east-facing sheds at home
whilst gathering some mint on sunday for the 'Pimms No1', along with the borage, I noticed one of the mint stems had an unusual growth pattern, any one got any ideas why?
[attachment=1][attachment=2][attachment=3][attachment=4][attachment=5]
Title: Re: twisted mint stems
Post by: betula on May 26, 2009, 20:03:22
I have never seen that before,a kind of fascination in reverse. :)
Title: Re: twisted mint stems
Post by: Eristic on May 27, 2009, 14:29:26
Do you have any bindweed growing nearby?
Title: Re: twisted mint stems
Post by: tonybloke on May 27, 2009, 16:19:19
no, david !! nothing else growing nearby, and only this one stem. most unusual for mint.
I'll send the photo's to John Innes Institute (nr here) to see if they have any ideas.
Title: Re: twisted mint stems
Post by: Kea on May 27, 2009, 17:02:32
Have you used any weedkiller in that area or could someone else have used any e.g. neighbour?
Title: Re: twisted mint stems
Post by: tonybloke on May 27, 2009, 23:02:21
no to the weedkiller question, it's in my back garden, and only the one stem from amongst many normal ones?
Title: Re: twisted mint stems
Post by: wolfie on May 28, 2009, 00:04:55
hi tony you didnt get it from our old helterskelter did you mate lol  ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: twisted mint stems
Post by: 1066 on May 28, 2009, 08:14:47
Can't remember but did you have any of the contaminated manure? If so could that be a possibility?
Title: Re: twisted mint stems
Post by: oliveoyl_25 on May 28, 2009, 08:51:57
Try to propagate it to get a whole plant that does that  ;D
Title: Re: twisted mint stems
Post by: cjb02 on May 28, 2009, 09:19:40
I would go with try to propagate it to. If you could get the whole plant to do that, you would have a new variety of mint. Could be a name sake ;-)
Title: Re: twisted mint stems
Post by: tonybloke on May 28, 2009, 10:04:32
it's in water, just awaiting for some roots!!!
Title: Re: twisted mint stems
Post by: ceres on May 28, 2009, 10:15:25
If it's been growing between paving stones, I'd say it's twisted itself trying to push through the stone.
Title: Re: twisted mint stems
Post by: tonybloke on May 28, 2009, 10:25:36
this developed about 6 inches up the stem? the mint has been growing there for about 4 years, this is the first timei noticed anything strange on any of it.
I'll take and post a photo of the clump of mint from whence it came
Title: Re: twisted mint stems
Post by: tonybloke on May 28, 2009, 10:34:15
[attachment=1]