How to Grow Mint
In this article, we share a comprehensive guide to growing mint at home.
Quick Guide Information
Common Name: Mint
Scientific Name: Mentha spp. (commonly Mentha spicata, Spearmint, or Mentha × piperita, Peppermint)
Family: Lamiaceae
Life Span: Perennial
Time Till Harvest: 60-90 days from seed or cutting
Light Requirement: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Optimum pH: 6.0 - 7.5
Mint is a fast-growing, low perennial herb valued for its use in teas, drinks, and a wide range of dishes. Unlike many culinary herbs, it prefers consistently moist soil and tolerates partial shade well, making it a useful option for spots in the garden that don't suit sun-loving Mediterranean herbs.
Mint spreads vigorously through underground rhizomes and can quickly become invasive in open garden beds, so it's worth planning for this before planting.
Choosing a Variety
Spearmint is the most commonly grown culinary mint, with a milder, sweeter flavour well suited to cooking and drinks. Peppermint has a stronger, more menthol-forward flavour and is generally the more vigorous and spreading of the two, which is worth factoring in if containing its growth is a concern. Both share the same basic growing requirements described below.
Propagation, Planting, and Maintenance
Mint is easy to propagate from cuttings, which root readily in a jar of water within 1 to 2 weeks. It can also be grown from seed, though cuttings or divisions from an existing plant are quicker and more reliable. Division is often the easiest method of all, given how mint spreads: simply dig up a section of rhizome with roots attached and replant it wherever you'd like a new patch.
Because of its spreading habit, mint is best grown in a container, even if that container is then set into the garden bed to contain the roots. Use a good quality potting mix and keep the soil consistently moist, as mint does not tolerate drying out well. A light feed of liquid fertiliser every 4 to 6 weeks during the growing season will help keep growth lush, particularly for container-grown plants.
Mint is one of the more cold-hardy herbs covered in this series. While the foliage dies back with frost, the roots are generally hardy well below freezing, and plants will regrow readily from the rhizomes each spring.
Harvest by picking individual leaves or cutting whole sprigs, which encourages bushier growth. Regular harvesting keeps plants productive and helps prevent them from becoming straggly.
Growing Indoors and in Pots
Mint is one of the more forgiving herbs to grow indoors, since it tolerates lower light than sun-loving Mediterranean herbs. A pot on a windowsill with a few hours of direct or bright indirect light is usually enough. Use a pot with good drainage despite mint's preference for moist soil, since waterlogged, stagnant soil can still cause root problems even in a moisture-loving plant. Keep the soil consistently damp rather than letting it dry out fully between waterings.
Harvesting and Storage
For the best flavour, harvest mint in the morning and before the plant flowers, when its essential oils are most concentrated. Pick individual leaves as needed, or cut whole sprigs for a larger harvest.
Fresh mint keeps for about a week stored like cut flowers, in a glass of water at room temperature or loosely wrapped in the fridge. Mint can be air dried, though it loses some of its aromatic intensity in the process compared with other herbs like oregano or rosemary. Freezing tends to preserve flavour better, either as whole sprigs or chopped into ice cube trays with a little water, which is a common way to keep mint on hand for drinks.
Common Problems
Rust - This fungal disease appears as small orange to brown pustules on the underside of leaves. Affected leaves should be removed and destroyed, and overhead watering avoided to reduce humidity around the foliage.
Invasive Spreading - While not a pest or disease, mint's spreading rhizomes are a common frustration for gardeners who plant it directly in garden beds, particularly with more vigorous varieties like peppermint. Containing the roots in a pot from the outlet is the most effective prevention.
Aphids and Spider Mites - Both can appear on mint, particularly in hot, dry conditions. A strong spray of water or insecticidal soap will usually keep populations under control.
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