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How to Grow Mint: Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Tips

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

Botanical Name
Mentha
Grown as
Perennial
USDA Zones
3a
3b
4a
4b
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
9a
9b
Toxicity
Toxic to Dogs and Cats
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Water Needs
Moderate
Height
1–3 feet
Spread
1–3 feet
Soil pH
Neutral
Bloom Time
Summer
Flower Color
Pink
Purple
White
Special Features
Container-Friendly
Disease-Resistant
Erosion Control
Fragrant
Long Blooming
Low Maintenance
Attracts Butterflies
Attracts Hummingbirds
Attracts Pollinators
Deer-resistant
Rabbit-resistant
Resilience
Clay Soil Tolerant
Cold Hardy
Heat-Tolerant
Salt Tolerant
Plant Type
Herbs
Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Mint is like that friend who’s fun to have around… but totally takes over the party if you’re not careful! With its refreshing flavor, heavenly scent, and can’t-stop-won’t-stop attitude, mint is a breeze to grow; just give it boundaries. 

Whether you’re dreaming of mojitos, mint tea, or a garden that smells like candy, we’ll show you how to plant, tame, and enjoy this spirited little herb.

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.

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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.

Planting

  • 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 outdoor growing, plant one or two purchased plants (or one or two cuttings from a friend) about two feet apart in moist soil. One or two plants will easily cover the ground. Mint should grow to be one or two feet tall.
  • Mint is a vigorous grower that 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 in the ground or above ground, plant mint in a pot. We suggest planting each mint in a 10-inch pot with 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. 

Growing

  • 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.
  • Indoor plants should be watered 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.
a basket of freshly picked mint
Photo Credit: Juta/Shutterstock

Harvesting

  • 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 should be kept in water for a few days, 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.

propogating mint cuttings
Photo Credit: Joannawnuk/Shutterstock


 

Pests and Problems

Spacing for Mint

Types

  • 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

Wit and Wisdom

“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)

Herbs

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana.

Read more from Catherine Boeckmann

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Comments

<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Thu, 04/14/2016 - 15:09

Michigan is in Zones 4 to 6. Depending on where you are, emergence time will vary. It will also depend on local conditions and plant health. Best guess would be that you should see signs within the next 3 weeks. If nothing shows, it might be that the plants suffered from disease or pests, or water/freezing issues. Although most varieties of mint are quite hardy, some are more delicate and might struggle overwintering, depending on conditions. If you hadn't already, in future you might provide winter protection, such as moving the planter to an unheated garage, or covering the soil with a thick layer of mulch, or placing the entire container in a leaf bag and covering with leaves along the sides and top, so that any strong cold snaps would have less of a chance of hurting the dormant plant.

 <span>Kathy</span> Tue, 04/12/2016 - 18:10
My husband and I bought a house in southeastern arizona about 10 years ago. There was already mint planted in the front of the house. I don't know what kind of mint it is but I have never even watered it and it grows beautifully.
<span>Al Legatzke</span> Sat, 04/02/2016 - 13:45
I live in the desert southwest, and wondered if mint would grow well in the heat? Also would like to purchase a couple of plants, do you sell them?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Tue, 04/05/2016 - 09:23

Yes, you can grow mint in the desert southwest. Although mint prefers it cool and moist, it tolerates a wide range of conditions. The key is to keep the soil moist and to provide shade during hot afternoons, such as by using a shade cloth. You can also plant in part shade.

We do not sell plants, but you might check local garden centers or online for mailorder nurseries that sell to your area.

 <span>Lag</span> Wed, 03/09/2016 - 02:32
I have a mint plant and it's growing like crazy but the leaves keep turning brown its in a pot and i water it just about every day what do what am I doing wrong
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Wed, 03/09/2016 - 17:18

Brown leaves could mean several things. Best guess is that it is getting too much water. Even though it likes moist soil, make sure that the soil is not waterlogged. Test the soil: if it feels dry, or almost dry, then water. If it is moist or soggy, do not water; cut back on the watering schedule a bit and remove the brown leaves. Make sure there is a drainage hole in the bottom of the pot. Other causes could be viruses or fungal diseases, or pests, overcrowded roots, etc.

 <span>Lea</span> Wed, 02/10/2016 - 11:16
I could not find an organic mint plant or seeds and wanted to get some plants started over the winter inside, zone 9. Low and behold, I stuck some sprigs from the grocery store in a glass of water. Two weeks later and the roots are crazy. Now I need to figure out how I wish to plant them in the garden. A whole pot? Just an edging that goes deep? 2nd option sounds prettier, maybe. Going to plant with lavender around a lemon tree for protection. I'm glad I didn't bother with seeds!
<span>Linda</span> Thu, 01/21/2016 - 18:43
I live in zone 8-9. Can I grow mint outside in full sun 100 plus degree temperature? Can I grow it in the house, medium light?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Thu, 02/11/2016 - 12:20

Mint can be grown in Zones 8 and 9, but in hot summers, you'll need to have it in partial shade and be sure that it is kept moist (but not waterlogged). Morning sun and afternoon partial shade is good.

Mint can be grown in pots indoors, but will need adequate light. Try a sunny window, and turn the plant every few days; if your plant is not happy, then you might try adding some artificial grow lights, found at garden centers, to supplement. Keep the plant moist, but not waterlogged, and you might mist it every so often.

 

 <span>Nicola Read</span> Thu, 01/21/2016 - 10:03
Why should you plant it near cabbages and tomatoes? Is it because it tolerates the same soil conditions or can it deter insects and pests? Thank you