Mint leaves are undoubtedly a popular item on any food menu, provided they don't have brown spots.
There are many reasons why mint leaves can get brown spots, and you may wonder: “can I eat mint leaves with brown spots?” Well, that is what I will talk about in this article, so make sure you read it till the end.
Well, if the spots are on the bottom, with yellow splotches and dots on top of the leaves, chances are it's because of rust (a fungal infection). Mint rust is caused by Puccinia Methane and infects mainly spearmint and peppermint. Unfortunately, you can’t eat these kinds of mint leaves and must discard them from your garden immediately as they can infect the nearby plants.
If the top layer looks good, but the inner leaves have brown spots, it means it is a result of overwatering. But when you notice the brown spots only on the tip, it is because of overheating. You can eat mint leaves due to overwatering and overheating only after treating them.
First and foremost, get rid of all the infected leaves, and I would strongly recommend that you burn them or discard them somewhere far away from your garden.
Make sure that you free up some space between the plants if you feel they are too crowded. Also, plants in containers should be moved away from walls and corners. This will allow proper air circulation around the leaves and prevent them from getting those unpleasant brown spots.
Believe it or not, one of the main reasons for this fungal disease is water drops that accumulate on the leaves. Hence, water the bottom of the leaves more and make it a habit to water them during the day. This will ensure that the water evaporates and doesn’t linger on the plant.
Last but not least, you can use fungicides if the infection is severe, and none of the steps mentioned above work. I recommend using Azoxystrobin, as this fungicide can help reverse the chemical effects and allow you to harvest mint plants.
If you have an ornamental mint plant, use Chlorothalonil, which has a long-lasting effect, but that shouldn’t be a problem since the plant is ornamental.
That brings me to the end of my guide, and I hope it has answered your question about eating mint leaves with brown spots.
Before I leave, here’s my last piece of advice: other than these four steps, remember to disinfect the pot regularly to ensure there are no fungal attacks down the road. On that note, it’s a wrap, and take care!
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