Mints and the things I have learned about them

Organic Gardening had a great article this winter/early spring about using different herbs in drinks.  I have grown peppermint for years in my garden.  When it came to making mojitos, I used what I had not knowing any differently.  According to this article, the old saying goes "Using peppermint in a mojito is like putting a scorpion in a baby's bed".  Spearmint is the preferred mint for this Southern specialty.
This Sunday I learned another thing about mints.  If you have more than one type of mint in your garden, they should be separated to prevent cross-pollination.  Over time, the mint flavors become muddled together with repeated cross-pollination and you need to start over with fresh plants.  That sealed the deal for me.  The peppermint, which has lost it's flavor (I thought it was a weather thing) is going into the trash.  The catmint has been pulled up and will be moved to another part of the yard entirely.  The brand new spearmint has been given a larger pot and gets to stay in the herb garden.  
I keep my mint in pots to keep them from traveling. The pots are sunk in the ground with a good 3" out of the soil to keep them confined to their small area.  I also remove any flower/seed heads to keep them from self-sowing.  This is a big problem with mint plants.  I have been in enough unkept properties where mint has run over everything in its path.  One yard was solid lemon balm from rear to side yard.  I convinced the owner that mowing it down was the best option to regain space for a lawn chair again.  She kept a small patch and hope to eventually kill the rest with constant mower action.  There is sometimes too much of a good thing.
If you have never had a mojito, give this recipe a try:

Ingredients for a "Mojito"

• Light Rum
• Lime
• Sugar
• Mint
• Soda Water

Quantities for one drink:

• 2-3 oz Light Rum
• Juice of 1 Lime (1 oz)
• 2 tsp Sugar
• 2-4 Mint Sprigs
• Soda Water

Blending Instructions:

• Lightly muddle the mint and sugar with a splash of soda water in a mixing glass until the sugar dissolve and you smell the mint
• Squeeze the lime into the glass, add rum and shake with ice
• Strain over cracked ice in a highball glass
• Top with soda water, garnish with mint sprig and serve

http://supercocktails.com/recipe/mojito

There is a video clip on the site on making a mojito if you aren't familiar with "muddling" and mixing.
Cheers!