Growing mint for a steady supply all season long is easy.
Here’s what you should probably know about mint plant care.
Mint has many different uses.
Credit: Scott Little
Its fresh green leaves add a tangy punch tofruit salads, ice cream, sherbet, and brewed tea.
It’s a flavorful addition to a simple glass of still or sparkling water.
And whoever heard of amint julepwithout the mint?
Credit: Bryan E. McCay
One plant is usually plenty to supply a summer’s worth of this refreshing herb.
Along with their culinary and aromatic properties, mint flowers attract pollinators.
When people typically think of mint, two types come to mind: peppermint and spearmint.
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
There are several other lesser-known species, all with a distinct taste.
Most commonly grown for their culinary appeal, many mint species are also attractive ornamental plants.
In summer, clusters of small blooms appear in shades of lavender, white, or pink.
Credit: Denny Schrock
Planting mint in a container is a great way to control its aggressive habit.
Prepare a garden bed by digging in compost to improve drainage.
Dig a hole the same depth and slightly larger than the nursery container.
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Water the plant well.
Mint is anherb that grows well in containers, which is a good way to keep it under control.
Plant it in a pot that is at least a 12 to 16 inches wide.
Credit: Denny Schrock
That way, the pot won’t show, but it will keep the herb under control.
Another option is to plant mint in a large pot and leave it outdoors year-round.
Don’t keep ceramic pots outdoors during winter.
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
They often crack during freeze-thaw cycles as temperatures fluctuate over the colder months.
Mint Care Tips
Mint is an undemanding herb that is easy to grow and care for.
Light
Plant mint infull sunor part shade.
Credit: Dean Schoeppner
Soil and Water
Mint enjoys rich soil but grows well in most soil types.
Keep the area around your mintfree of weeds.
Otherwise, it looks untidy, and the weeds may reduce yields and affect flavor.
Credit: Denny Schrock
Water to keep the soil slightly moist at all timesabout every two or three days.
Temperature and Humidity
The ideal temperature for growing mintindoors or outis 65F to 70F.
However, the plant is typically hardy to -20F and grows in Zones 2-10.
Credit: Denny Schrock
Mint grows well in average humidity of around 40 to 50 percent.
If your garden or home can’t accommodate that range, provide additional humidity bymisting the plantevery few days.
Mint does better in high humidity than in low humidity.
Credit: Denny Schrock
Fertilizer
Mint doesn’t require much fertilizer.
Fertilize in-ground mint once in the spring using a balanced, slow-release fertilizer, such as a16-16-16 formulation.
Pruning
Frequent cutting keeps mints looking attractive.
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After a hard frost withers the stems in fall, cut the plants to the ground.
Potting and Repotting Mint
Mintcan be grown indoorsin a pot.
After two years, repot the plant in a container twice the size with fresh potting soil.
Credit:Andy Lyons
Pests such as spider mites, flea beetles,aphids, and cutworms can also be a problem.
If you intend to eat your mint, it’s best to avoid any pesticides, even natural ones.
Mint spreads quickly by underground runners known as rhizomes.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
It quickly takes over a garden bed and outcompetes nearby plants.
How to Propagate Mint
Mint is propagated by stem cuttings, division, or seed.
Stem Cuttings:Fill a small pot with commercial potting soil.
Credit: Denny Schrock
Take 3- to 5-inchstem cuttingsfrom the tips of a mint plant’s stems.
Remove the leaves from the lower half of the cuttings.
Make a hole in the potting soil, insert the cutting, and firm the soil around it.
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you’re free to put several cuttings in the pot if their leaves don’t touch.
Use your hands to separate the clump into two or three sections, starting from the bottom up.
Use a sharp knife, if needed, to cut through the roots and rhizomes.
Credit: Denny Schrock
Each section must have healthy, intact rhizomes.
Don’t worry about breaking some of the roots, though.
They should recover quickly.
Credit: Illustration by Gary Palmer
Seeds:Fill a container with commercial seed-starting mix or a sterile growing medium.
The container needs a drainage hole.
Soaking the seeds for a couple of hours in warm water before planting them speeds up germination.
Credit: Illustration by Helen Smythe
Water them, and they will germinate in 10-15 days.
When the seedlings are a couple of inches tall, thin them if needed.
After the last frost in spring, move the container outdoors.
The seeds can also be sown directly in a prepared bed outdoors after the last frost in spring.
Do not cover the seeds and thin the seedlings as needed when they are several inches tall.
Use fresh leaves immediately, orfreeze them to retain their bright color.
Toair-dry mint, hang the stems upside down in small bundles or spread them loosely in a small tray.
When the stems and leaves are brittle, remove the leaves and flowers and store them in airtight containers.
Types of Mint
Not all mints taste the same.
Try growing several varieties to compare their flavors and find your favorites.
Applemint
Mentha suaveolenshas a delightful wintergreen flavor and fragrance.
The fresh leaves can be used to make apple-mint jelly or a stomach-soothing tea.
Like other mints, it is an aggressive grower.
Applemint grows 3 feet tall and spreads several feet wide.
It grows 3 feet tall and spreads indefinitely.
It has a gingery scent atop the common mint fragrance.
In summer, it bears ivory to white flowers.
It was named for former First Lady Hillary Clinton.
In summer, the plant produces an abundance of pinkish flowers, which dry well.
The plant bears white, pink, or lavender blooms in summer and grows 2-3 feet tall.
‘Mojito’ grows 2-3 feet tall and spreads at least as wide.
It also grows in moist garden soil.
In summer, water mint bears lavender-purple flowers.
The plant grows 2-3 feet tall and spreads unless contained.
This mint has a fruity flavor.
It grows 3 feet tall and several feet wide.
Zones 5-9
Spearmint
Mentha spicataoffers a mild flavor that gives the plant versatility in the kitchen.
Spearmint withstands higher soil moisture; tuck it beneath a downspout for a happy mint patch.
Zones 4-9
Peppermint
This selection ofMenthaxpiperitapacks the strongest mint flavor.
It grows 12-30 inches tall and 18 inches wide.
It has high essential oil content and is resistant to verticillium wilt.
It has numerous common names, including horsemint, Habek mint, brook mint, and buddleia mint.
It bears whorls of white, pale lavender, or pale pink flowers from mid to late summer.
You are most likely to find plants through native plant society plant sales.
Like most mints, it spreads aggressively.
It is a hardy perennial plant that is native to the eastern U.S. and Canada.
It has a minty scent, and the leaves are used to make tea.
What makes mountain mint really stand out is its qualities as a pollinator plant.
Zone 4-8
Catmint(Nepetaspp.)
Many types of catmint species are grown as ornamentals for their attractive blue-purple, white, or pink flowers.
Frequently Asked Questions
It takes about two months from starting mint seeds to the first harvest.
Frequent harvesting is the secret to keeping mint plants performing at their best.
