Gardening Advice: Instruction for Growing Mint (Peppermint, Spearmint, etc.)
How to Grow Mint in Your Herb Garden
*** Easy to Grow ***
| Nutrition | Container Gardening | Challenges |
| Climate | Planting Instructions | Harvesting |
| Soil | Watering Instructions | Storage |
There are hundreds of mint varieties available to grow in your garden, including such specialty varieties as chocolate mint, ginger mint, pineapple mint, orange mint, and lemon mint. However, peppermint and spearmint are by far the most popular and commonly grown varieties.
Mint has been used for centuries for it's culinary, medicinal, and aromatic properties. It's used as a garnish for deserts and beverages, as a flavoring, as a popular "tummy-soother," and for it's calming and refreshing scent (try using the dried leaves in your sachets, or even in your bath water!).
Peppermint is actually a hybrid cross between spearmint and water mint, thus it's difficult to grow it reliably to flavor from seed. If you have a friend with a mint patch who's flavor you like, your best bet is to have them divide some of the plants for you (in the fall or spring). Then use those starts to begin growing your mint patch.
Gardening Advice Tip: Mint grows very easily and is VERY invasive. If you don't keep it well contained, it will easily and quickly grow into other areas of your garden.
Spearmint has a milder flavor than peppermint.
For companion gardening, it's recommended that you grow mint near your roses, to help keep aphids away from the roses. (For more information: companion planting)Also, rodents (namely mice) don't care for mint. So, if you're having a rodent problem with some of your plants, try growing a border or ground covering of mint nearby.
Nutrition Information- Mint(back to top)
Mint is a source of dietary fiber, protein, vitamin C, A, B6, Thiamin, Niacin, Zinc, Riboflavin, Folate, Iron, Potassium, Calcium, Copper and Manganese.
Peppermint is highly regarded for it's carminative properties. It helps relax intestinal muscles, relieves flatulence, stimulates digestive juices, and soothes nausea. Peppermint tea is also sometimes taken to relieve menstrual cramps, and to relieve stress-headaches. Externally, (because of it's high menthol content) it can be used to relieve itching and inflammations, to relax tense muscles, and help clear nasal congestion.
Spearmint has the same properties as peppermint, but is milder in it's effect.
Climate & Growing Conditions (back to top)
Mint will grow nearly anywhere, but you will have the most success (and the least troubles in terms of plant diseases and insects) if you grow it in semi-fertile soil in a partial shade location in your garden.
Container Gardening Mint: (back to top)
Because mint (in all it's varieties) is so invasive, we strongly recommend container gardening this herb. It's far easier to control in containers. (For more information: container gardening.) Mix a little sand in with a good food-friendly potting soil (be sure to read the fine print on the bag of potting soil before you purchase. Many commercial products are specifically not to be used for growing consumable foods.)
After your plants are established, consider mulching to help keep the roots cool, and the soil moist. Some, for those same reasons, will plant the entire pot or container in the ground. If you do this, you will want to leave a couple of inches of the pot sticking out of the ground. Also, keep a careful eye on the mint, and keep it's stems trimmed well. When the stems reach the ground outside the container, they tend to root and spread.
As with most container grown plants, keep an eye on the soil so that it doesn't dry out. Nor do you want it soggy, as that invites fungus diseases and a host of other problems. Plan to fertilize once a month with a liquid fertilizer.
If you live in a gardening zone with relatively mild winters, you should be able to mulch your pot and place it in a sheltered locaton, and have it come back again in the spring.
Or, you can take the plant indoors to a sunny windowsill for a winter's supply of mint. It may die back a little at first, but it should come back shortly.
How to Prepare the Garden Soil (back to top)
Mint will grow best and healthiest in moderately rich, well-drained soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. (Information on testing the soil's acidity and how to change your garden soil pH level.) However, it will grow in nearly any garden soil.
Gardening Advice Tip: too much organic matter in your soil can cause rust (plant fungus).
How to Plant Mint (back to top)
You can propagate mint by: growing it from seed, growing new plants from cuttings, or dividing mature plants into new plants.
Note: Mint spreads very easily and quickly, so take this into consideration when picking your mint patch's location. It is strongly recommended that you plant it in a contained area. Any straggling stems that grow beyond the border of the contained area should be immediately trimmed or removed. (Once the stems reach the ground outside the border, they root and spread.)
Growing mint from seed: Plant your seeds when the ground has warmed. Sow the seeds by scattering them in your planting area, and lightly covering (1/4") with soil or seed starter. Spray (mist) to moisten the soil without washing away the seeds. Keep the soil moist until the seeds germinate. Once the seedlings appear, thin the plants to 1 foot appart.
Growing mint from cuttings: Take cuttings that are at least 6" long, in the summer. Place in a growing medium (light gardening soil) and keep moist. When the roots are well established, you can transplant to their final destination.
Growing mint by division: Keep your mint patch healthy and revived by dividing the plants every 2 or 3 years. Lift the clumps gently from the soil, with roots intact. Divide each plant into pieces, each with a portion of roots attached to the "new" plant. Remove or cut out any older "woody" sections (the flavor quality isn't as strong for these older sections). Replant the rest (and give away the extras!).
Keep your mint patch well pruned, as it encourages new leaves to grow and a bushier plant (rather than a long straggly one).
In the fall: cut the plants to about 1" from the ground. If you're in a growing climate where the ground freezes in the winter, apply a thick layer of mulch to your mint patch (remove some of it again in the spring).
To enjoy fresh mint growing throughout the winter, lift a few plants from your patch in the fall. Place them in a planter (as described above for container gardening). Keep the soil lightly moist (but not soggy). The plant will likely die back a little after you take it indoors, but it should soon revive itself. Keep it in a sunny spot in your home. In the spring, the plant should be discarded. Save the pot or container to use again next fall.
How to Water Mint (back to top)
Your mint patch will be healthiest if you can keep the soil from drying out. However, don't overwater, as soggy soil leads to plant disease problems. Try applying a layer of mulch to established mint plants, to keep the roots cool and to help the soil retain moisture.
How to Fertilize (back to top)
For new mint garden beds, where you applied a dose of well-rotted organic matter or compost when preparing the bed, no additional fertilizer is needed for the growing season.
For established mint beds, apply a light top dressing of well-rotted organic matter or compost gently mixed into the top soil in the fall, as you're preparing the bed for winter. Or, apply a monthly dose of liquid fertilizer during the growing season.
Challenges (back to top)
If planted in it's prefered growing conditions, you should have little trouble with your mint patch. Too much compost, overwatering, or not having well-drained soil can cause plant diseases such as rust (fungus).
How to Harvest Mint (back to top)
You can start harvesting mint as soon as it starts to grow in the spring. The new, tender leaves and stems have the best flavor. Pinch stem ends off from the new stem branches. This keeps the plants compact and bushy. Be sure to leave 1/3 of the plant still intact to grow back. The oils are strongest if harvested in the morning, just after the dew has evaporated.
Storage:(back to top)
How to Dehydrate / Dry Mint (back to top)
You can dry (dehydrate) fresh mint leaves. (It's a common ingredient in herbal tea mixtures.) They will be at their peak in flavor just before flowering.
Wash the mint stems in cold water (warm or hot water can remove the oils you want to retain!). Pick out any dead or imperfect leaves. Drain and pat dry. Air dry by hanging in a paper bag in a warm well-ventilated area. (The paper bag catches any leaves that fall, rather than having them make a mess on the floor.). When the leaves are dry and brittle, remove them from the stems and store in an airtight container, in a location that's out of the light.
Note: if you live in a very humid area, air-drying this herb may not be an option for you, as things tend to mold quickly in such climates. Try using a dehydrator on it's lowest setting (below 100 degrees (F)) instead.
Make sure the leaves are completely dry and brittle, or they may mold after you place them in storage. Do not store in paper bags or containers, as they absorb the herbs oils.
How to Freeze Mint (back to top)
Mint can be frozen very easily. Simply wash, and pat dry. Remove any imperfect leaves. Spread stems out in a single layer on a cooke sheet. Place cookie sheet in the freezer, until the mint is completely frozen. Then repackage it into airtight containers and return to the freezer.
You may also want to try chopping the mint and placing it in ice cube trays. Fill the trays with water, and freeze. Pop the ice cubes out and store in an airtight container in the freezer.
Gardening Tips (back to top)
Have a helpful gardening tip (or even a fun story) to share about your mint growing experience? Share it with us at: gardeningtips@howtogardenadvice.com
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