Mint is an incredibly versatile plant, with a long list of uses as both a culinary herb and a medicinal herb. Though it's infamous for spreading aggressively and dominating garden beds, it's easy to grow mint in a way that allows you to enjoy its abundance without sacrificing your other herbs, flowers, or vegetables.
Read on for everything you need to know to plant and grow a healthy mint plant, from the wide range of mint varieties you can grow to sowing seeds, choosing a planting site, and harvesting mint.
Skip Ahead: When to plant • Types of mint • Planting mint • Growing mint • Harvesting • FAQ
When to plant mint
The best time to plant mint is in early spring, though the specific timing depends on your USDA Hardiness Zone. Generally, planting mint in the spring gives the plant a chance to adjust to its new soil and develop healthy roots before the harsh summer weather comes. In warmer zones, gardeners can also plant mint in the fall.
- Zones 3-7: Plant in early spring, once the danger of frost has passed and the soil has started to warm. This typically falls between late March and early May, but it's better to go by your senses than by a calendar.
- Zones 8-10: In the warmest zones, mint can be planted in both spring and fall. In the spring, plant mint after the last frost date. In the fall, plant it from late September to early November, as the harsh summer temperatures begin to drop.
Types of mint
There are many species and cultivars of mint to choose from, with certain varieties bred to have unique flavors. Whichever type of mint you grow, it will do best planted into well-drained soil in a container placed in partial shade.
Here are a few of the most popular mint varieties:
- Spearmint (Mentha spicata): Spearmint has a substantially lower menthol content than peppermint, and it offers a more subtle, noticeably sweeter flavor. Spearmint thrives in moist, well-drained soil and partial shade.
- Peppermint (Mentha × piperita): Peppermint has an intensely cool flavor and can grow up to two feet tall. It grows best in part shade, and moist, well-drained soil.
- Chocolate Mint (Mentha × piperita 'Chocolate'): A variety of peppermint, chocolate mint was bred to offer a subtle chocolatey flavor. As an ornamental, it stands out for its brownish-purple stems and dark green leaves.
- Apple Mint (Mentha suaveolens): Its own species, apple mint has a much more mild, apple-like flavor with mint undertones. Planted into moist, well-drained soil and partial shade, it can grow up to three feet tall.
- Orange Mint (Mentha citrata): Also known as Eau de Cologne mint, orange mint has a distinctly citrusy flavor and grows up to 2 feet tall. Like other varieties, it prefers moist, well-drained soil and partial shade.
- Lemon Mint (Mentha × piperita 'Citrata'): Not to be confused with lemon balm, lemon mint has a tangy flavor with subtle minty undertones. It's also known as lemon bee balm and purple horsemint, and it's often grown for its bright purple flowers.
Read More: The 14 Best Herbs to Grow at Home
How to plant mint
It's easiest to grow mint from cuttings or starts, as mint seeds are slow to germinate. If you buy one or two mint plants from your local nursery, you can easily propagate them from root cuttings or divide them into multiple plants. They will quickly grow up to fill your planting space.
This step-by-step covers how to grow mint from seed. If you'll be planting mint starts into the garden directly, skip ahead to step 6.
- Fill the trays or plugs: Mix water with a seed starting mix and add it to seed plugs or a seed starter tray.
- Sow mint seeds: Sow seeds in groups of three, in case some of them don't germinate (which is likely with mint). Sprinkle seeds onto the surface of the soil and cover them with a ¼ inch layer of soil or vermiculite. Water the seeds to ensure good contact with the soil.
- Thin seedlings: Mint seedlings should emerge in 10-14 days. Once they develop their first true leaves, thin them to leave the strongest plants in each plug.
- Transplant seedlings: Once the seedlings have developed a healthy root structure, transplant them into slightly larger plugs with a standard potting mix. You may need to pot them up one more time before transplanting them into their final containers.
- Harden off seedlings: When each plant is a few inches tall and has three or four sets of true leaves, start acclimating them to living outside by taking them outside for increasing amounts of time every day. Start by placing the mint plants in the shade for a couple of hours, and gradually increase the duration every day until they can stay outside all day in partial shade. At that point, leave them outside full-time for one to two weeks while the roots develop.
- Transplant to their final location: If you're planting mint in pots, use 12-24 inch pots with drainage holes. Fill each pot with your potting mix, ensuring it has adequate drainage, and grow one mint plant per pot. If you're growing in the ground, prepare it by digging it over, ensuring that it has good drainage, and space mint plants about 12-18 inches apart.
- Water thoroughly: Water the plants thoroughly to reduce transplant shock. Maintain consistent moisture for the first month of growth. Mint in pots will need more frequent watering than mint planted into the ground.
- Fertilize sparingly: Mint doesn't require heavy fertilization, but you can top dress it with comfrey or compost once or twice throughout the season to encourage healthy growth.
- Harvest as needed: Once the mint plants are well established, you can start harvesting leaves for culinary or medicinal purposes. Avoid harvesting more than one-third of the plant at a time to allow for continued healthy growth.
Read More: The 13 Best Companion Plants for Mint
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Mint growing requirements
Mint is a low-maintenance herb that grows very well on its own, as long as its basic growing requirements are accounted for.
Here are the best conditions for growing mint, whether you're growing it in containers, raised beds, or in the ground:
- Well-drained soil: Mint thrives in well-drained soil that is rich in organic matter. It prefers soil that retains moisture but doesn't become waterlogged, so adding compost or organic mulch can help improve soil structure and moisture retention. Avoid heavy clay soils, as they can lead to poor drainage and root rot in mint plants. If you're growing mint in pots, you can rely on an organic potting mix.
- Partial shade to full sun: Mint prefers partial shade to full sun, but it is highly adaptable. In regions with hot summers, giving mint partial shade-- especially from the afternoon sun-- will prevent wilting and scorching. As a general rule, aim for 4-6 hours of sunlight per day.
- Water regularly: Mint plants like consistent moisture, but overwatering them can result in root rot. Water the plants thoroughly and evenly when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch, typically every 2-3 days during the growing season. Aim to water the soil directly, as watering the leaves can promote mildew and other fungal diseases.
Harvesting mint
You can start harvesting mint leaves once the plants have become established and are producing healthy growth, typically around 8-10 weeks after sowing. Use clean, sharp scissors or pruners to cut (or simply pinch off) the stem directly above a set of leaves.
Cut mint stems to no less than a couple of inches above the soil level. Be sure not to remove more than a third of the plant at a time; this will allow it to continue growing.
The best time to harvest mint is in the morning, after the dew has dried but before the sun becomes too intense. The volatile oils that give mint its distinct aroma are at their peak concentration in the morning, so harvesting later in the day can result in gathering less potent leaves.
Is mint a perennial?
Mint grows as a perennial plant down to zone 3, and it's hardy down to about -20ºF. There's some variation in hardiness depending on the variety you grow, but mint is one of the easiest herbs to grow as a perennial in nearly any zone.
How long does mint take to grow?
Mint reaches maturity about 8 weeks after sowing. At that point, the plant will have multiple stems and should reach at least half a foot in height. If you're growing mint from starts purchased at a nursery, it will typically be ready for modest harvests within a month.
How tall does mint grow?
Mint grows between 12 and 36 inches tall, depending on the variety. Mint spreads by rhizome, so it primarily grows horizontally along the soil.