How to Grow Mint in Your Garden

I am growing mint cuttings indoors in small 3″ pots under a growing lamp so that I can have a regular supply throughout the winter. My query is that the leaves never get that large. Would I be better to move them to larger pots to achieve this?

Mint

Mint is an easy herb to grow in your garden and can add flavor to every meal.

Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Mint

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Mint practically grows itself! Not only does mint add flavor to foods and tea, but it’s also useful for health remedies such as aiding digestion. All you need to do is confine this herb to keep it from spreading. See tips on planting, growing, controlling, and harvesting the pervasive herb mint.

About Mint

Mint is a perennial herb with very fragrant, toothed leaves and tiny purple, pink, or white flowers. There are many varieties of mint—all fragrant, whether shiny or fuzzy, smooth or crinkled, bright green or variegated. However, you can always tell a member of the mint family by its square stem. Rolling it between your fingers, you’ll notice an aromatic scent and think of candy, sweet teas, or even mint juleps.

As well as kitchen companions, mints are used as garden accents, ground covers, air fresheners, and herbal medicines. They’re as beautiful as they are functional and foolproof to grow, thriving in sun and shade all over North America. Since mint can be a vigorous spreader, you must be careful where you plant it.

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• Mints are vigorous perennials that thrive in light soil with good drainage.
• Ideally, they prefer a moist but well-drained site, something like their native habitat along stream banks.
• Most will grow in sun or partial shade; the variegated types may require some protection from direct sun.
• For growing outdoors, plant one or two purchased plants (or one or two cuttings from a friend) about 2 feet apart in moist soil. One or two plants will easily cover the ground. Mint should grow to be 1 or 2 feet tall.
• Mint is a vigorous grower and needs to be contained, or it will send out its runners and spread all over your garden. The key is to contain the plant’s roots. Whether it’s in the ground or above ground, plant mint in a pot; we suggest each mint is planted in a 10-inch pot that has drainage holes. You can then sink this pot into the ground or another larger container of soil.
• If you are fine with mint becoming a ground cover and understand that it may become invasive, plant in its own raised bed or separate area.
• In the garden, plant mint near cabbage and tomatoes—in pots, again, in order to prevent it from spreading and stealing nutrients from your crops!

Check out this video to learn more about how to grow mint.

• Minimal care is needed for mint. For outdoor plants, use a light mulch. This will help keep the soil moist and keep the leaves clean.
• For indoor plants, be sure to water them regularly to keep the soil evenly moist.
• At first, mints develop into well-behaved–looking, bushy, upright clumps, but they soon set out to conquer new territory with horizontal runners and underground rhizomes. Unless you block the advance, a peppermint plant can become a sprawling 4-foot giant in just 1 year. It’s not the stuff of horror movies, however. Mints benefit from picking and pruning. They are shallow-rooted and easy to pull out, so there’s no reason to worry as long as you provide physical barriers such as walls, walkways, or containers.

• Apple/Pineapple Mint: Mentha suaveolens
• Corsican Mint: Mentha requienii
• Pennyroyal: Mentha pulegium
• Peppermint: Mentha x piperita
• Citrus Mint: Mentha x piperita var. citrata
• Spearmint: Mentha spicata

• Frequent harvesting is the key to keeping mint plants at their best. Young leaves have more flavor than old ones, and mint can be harvested as soon as it comes up in spring. Although fresh is best, and sprigs keep for a few days in water, mint leaves can be frozen or air-dried in bunches.
• Right before flowering, cut the stems 1 inch from the ground. You can harvest one mint plant two or three times in one growing season.
• You can also pick the leaves as you need them.
• You can grow the plants indoors for fresh leaves throughout the winter. If you want to dry them, it’s best to cut the leaves right before flowering. Store the dried leaves in an airtight container.

Propagating Mint

The best way to propagate mints is by taking cuttings from those that you like best. It’s easy—take 6-inch cuttings of rooted stems and plant them horizontally in the soil. Mint stems will also root in a glass of water. Start with a small cutting from an established plant. Any gardening friend will give you a cutting of a favorite mint.

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• To relieve a tension headache, apply a compress of mint leaves to your forehead. Rubbing the oil on your temples will relieve your headache. Learn more about the medicinal benefits and many uses of mint.
• Mint is a symbol of virtue. Find out more plant meanings here.
• Mint can also help to relieve stress and anxiety. Find out how to use your fresh mint as a calming herb here.

“If any man can name … all the varieties of mint, he must know how many fish swim in the Indian Ocean.” –Walafrid Strabo (c. 808–849)

• Powdery mildew
• Rust
• Leaf spot
• Anthracnose
• Stem canker
• Mice dislike the smell of peppermint. Spread it liberally where you suspect the critters. Mint is also considered a deer-resistant plant.

Serious cooks generally prefer spearmint for savory dishes and peppermint for desserts. Try apple or orange mint for a delicate mint taste in fruit salads, yogurt, or tea. Mint lurks in the background in Middle Eastern salads, such as tabouli, and does well with lamb. It also goes with peas, zucchini, fresh beans, marinades for summer vegetables, cold soups, fruit salads, and cheese.

Tip! Make flavored ice cubes by freezing trays of strong mint tea, then use the ice cubes for your drinks!

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Comments

Kaye Blewett (not verified)

I am growing mint cuttings indoors in small 3″ pots under a growing lamp so that I can have a regular supply throughout the winter. My query is that the leaves never get that large. Would I be better to move them to larger pots to achieve this?

Hassan (not verified)

1 year 3 months ago

In reply to Mint by Kaye Blewett (not verified)

I know mint well. My mother always used when i was young, and used to make Cheese from goat milk. Mint leaves used to add “ Burcad” to make good sense. Personally, now i used mint just tea and rice. I like mint

Virginia Gallion (not verified)

2 years 3 months ago

how do I use chocolate mint . I have
it in large pot and it smells wonderful but I don’t know what to use it in or how to use it

Barb (not verified)

In reply to how to use Chocolate mint by Virginia Gallion (not verified)

Chop it fine and put in your salad, along with shredded coconut, just be sparing with both.

All American Amy (not verified)

In reply to how to use Chocolate mint by Virginia Gallion (not verified)

I loved my chocolate peppermint! It hid well in brownies! (Moving meant giving the planter of it away, but what a treat!) Hopefully we can find a new one.

Sherri M Damon (not verified)

2 years 3 months ago

Please add spider mites to your list of peppermint pests. They all but destroyed my once-bushy plants. I had to clip and root some healthy tops just to save them. I also must spray a rosemary oil-detergent-water mixture on the reviving stems still outside. <:-(

Denise T (not verified)

2 years 3 months ago

Years ago a golf ball sized hole popped up overnight in my parking area. I assumed it was a mole/vole or some such critter. I kicked some gravel into the hole and tamped it down. That worked for a day or two and then it reappeared. Since it was right near where I got out when I parked, I didn’t want to turn my ankle or provide an open invitation for additional holes so I decided to pour some used kitty litter (no poops included) down the hole and covered it over again. It seemed to work but a similar hole appeared about six feet away. More litter and the critters got the idea until this year. This time instead of litter I crushed a few stalks of mint and shoved them down their doorway. It was never removed and I haven’t seen any more holes anywhere. This wasn’t a scientific survey by any means, but if you’re having problems with diggers in your lawn or garden and have a supply of mint it’s worth a try before using chemicals or nasty traps. This might make them move to a different area on your property, but if you have a supply of mint like I do it shouldn’t be a problem driving the little monsters out of the back forty.

Elia R (not verified)

In reply to RODENT DETERENT? by Denise T (not verified)

Mice hate mint. I put mint tea bags around the garage and spray with a mint detergent that I got on amazon. very effective, freshens the areas and I love peppermint tea.

In reply to Mice hate mint. I put mint… by Elia R (not verified)

How to Grow Mint in Your Garden

Mint is a rapid growing perennial herb with many varieties that grow up to 3 feet tall and are quite invasive. Mint grows best in full sun to partial shade, should be planted early in the growing season and is generally hardy to -20° F. Mint prefers moist soil conditions, but excess water will promote root and leaf diseases. Harvest leaves and stems throughout the season, or cut back within an inch of the ground about three times a season, just before the plant blooms.

Mint Varieties

Use care when selecting mint varieties. The taste and smell varies greatly between varieties. For cold areas of Utah, peppermint, spearmint, and woolly mints are very hardy. All varieties are well suited to areas of Utah with more mild winters. Culinary varieties include those listed above and those with mint-like flavors including red raripila mint, ginger mint (redmint), horsemint, and pineapple mint. Mints widely used in teas and medicinal preparations include watermint, corn or field mint, and pennyroyal.

How to Grow Mint

Soils

Mint prefers rich, moist and slightly acidic soils and grows best in full sun or partial shade. Most soils in Utah are suited to mint provided they are amended with compost. If growing a variegated variety (pineapple mint), full sun may scorch the leaves.

Soil Preparation

Before planting, determine fertilizer needs with a soil test and then follow the fertilization recommendations given. If fertilizer are needed, work the fertilizer into the top 6 inches of soil. If you fertilize with compost, apply no more than 1 inch of well-composted organic matter per 100 square feet of garden area.

Plants

Mint can be grown from seed or transplants. Since mints readily hybridize between different types, plants grown from seed often fail to be true to type. For specific cultivars or varieties, buy established plants from reputable sources, take cuttings from known plants, or divide an established plant. Divide and replant established plants in the spring before growth starts or early in the fall.

Planting and Spacing

Sow seeds ¼ inch deep and then thin seedlings once they emerge. Transplants should be planted with roots just beneath the soil surface. Row spacing should be at least 2 feet apart to allow for growth.

Water

Water regularly during the growing season, supplying up to 1 to 2 inches per week, depending on temperatures, exposure and soil conditions. Avoid overwatering as it leads to disease.

Fertilization

One early spring application of a slow release, complete fertilizer incorporated into the soil will supply adequate nutrients for mint. Use one teaspoon of a 16-16-16 fertilizer per plant as growth resumes in the spring. Over watering and fertilizing promotes rust and diminishes mint oil production.

Problems with Growing Mint

Aggressive Growth

Mint is best planted in containers or where roots are confined. Mint spreads quickly in open garden areas and will out-compete most garden plants. Once established it is very hard to eradicate.

Pests and Disease

Insects

Identification

Control

Disease

Symptom

Control

How to Harvest and Store Mint

Fresh leaves may be harvest throughout the growing season once plants are 3-4 inches tall. Use a sharp knife or scissors to remove leaves and stems. The youngest leaves and stems are the most flavorful. Cut the stems to within 1 inch of the soil, picking late in the morning on dry and sunny days. Fresh mint may be stored for a week in water in the refrigerator.

Drying

Harvest fully grown stems and leaves and hang the cuttings upside down in a hot shady location until brittle, or spread on a screen in the shade to dry. Store dried mint in an airtight container for up to 1 year.

Freezing

Individual leaves do not freeze well. To maintain taste when thawed, freeze chopped mint leaves with water in an ice cube tray.

Mint Plant Productivity

One or two plants will supply sufficient fresh cuttings for daily use. Several additional plants will provide for drying and storing. Each plant can be harvested two to three times per season.

Mint Nutrition Facts

Mint is high in fiber, iron, vitamins A and B6, folate, calcium, magnesium and manganese. A serving of dried mint will be significantly higher in nutritional values than fresh mint.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How can I stop the mint from taking over my garden? Prior planning is important before planting mint. Consider separate beds or grow mint in buried containers to contain the spreading rhizomes. Containers should extend 3-4 inches above and 10-15 inches below the soil surface to ensure containment.
Q. Should I allow the mint to bloom and how should I prune? If allowed to bloom, the oil content in the leaves decreases and is less flavorful. Pinch the blossoms back as they show or simply cut back the plants to within 1 inch of the soil two to three times a year. It is very difficult to over-prune a mint plant. Before winter, cut each plant back to the ground to discourage pests and diseases.

Additional Resources

Arkin, Frieda. The Essential Kitchen Gardener. New York:Holt, 1990.
Ball, Jeff. Rodale’s Garden Problem Solver. New York:Rodale, 1988.
Bown, Deni. Encyclopedia of Herbs and Their Uses. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1995.
Stuart, Malcolm.The Encyclopedia of Herbs and Herbalism. New York: Crescent Books, 1981.

Published May 2020
Utah State University Extension
Peer-reviewed fact sheet