How to Grow Mint Plants

Mint is an easy-to-grow herb, making it a good choice for both the novice and experienced gardener. The best way to grow mint is in a pot, since it grows and spreads quickly unless contained. There are many varieties of mint to choose from, each with its own delightful scent and flavor. Some popular choices are peppermint, spearmint, apple, citrus and chocolate.

Things You'll Need

• Small nursery-grown mint plant (usually available in 4-inch pots)
• 1 12-inch pot with drainage hole for each plant
• Potting soil
• Trowel

Instructions

1. Buy a mint plant from a garden center. Fill a large container half to two-thirds full with potting soil. Remove the mint plant from its original container, leaving as much of the soil surrounding the roots as possible.

2. Position the plant in center of pot. Add additional potting soil around the mint plant until the soil level is one inch below the rim of the pot. Tamp the soil down firmly. Water generously, until water begins to trickle out through the drainage hole of the pot. Pinch back the new tips to encourage bushy, vigorous growth.

3. Wait until the danger of frost is over before placing the container outside. Mint prefers morning sun with soil that is well-drained. Northern and eastern exposures are ideal. Water the plant regularly, and keep the soil moist. Take care not to wet the leaves.

4. Cut the plant back by about one-third at mid-season. This will promote vigorous growth and keep the plant from going to flower. A flowering plant produces leaves that tend to be tough and bitter. On the plus side, the white or pale lavender flowers attract bees and butterflies, and provides them with a source of pollen.

Tips & Warnings

• Among its many uses, mint leaves are popular in aromatic sachets and potpourris, steeped as a tea, made into jellies, and sprinkled over spring peas and new potatoes.

• Place the container on a patio or hard surface, away from grassy and garden areas. In its natural state, mint is a ground cover which grows upright until it bends back towards the ground. New plants take root wherever the stem touches the ground and multiply quickly.

References

• Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service; Growing Herbs; Kate Copsey and B. Rosie Lerner; January 2002