Mint: Why You Should be Careful With This Infamous Herb

Admin/ May 21, 2023/ Gardening/ 0 comments

Mint is a versatile and delicious herb, but growing it can be challenging. Actually… growing this plant is too easy, which is exactly what makes it difficult! 

If that doesn’t make sense, don’t worry…everything will be explained in this article. However, if you have ever grown mint in your garden, and you have it free rein, you know exactly what we are getting onto. 

Yes, this plant is fantastic in so many ways, but it definitely comes with its disadvantages, too. 

Mint: Why You Should be Careful With This Infamous Herb

The number one issue with mint is the fact that this herb will spread like wildfire. If you plant mint in a bed outside without any precautions, don’t be surprised when you end up with a mint lawn

Mint is an incredibly tenacious plant, and it is determined to thrive anywhere. The roots will explore and grow strong everywhere they go. Once these roots take hold (it doesn’t take long), that mint is there to stay. 

The good news is, not every variety has runners (the roots that go walkabout). However, the ones that do can really be a pain – but this shouldn’t be something to put you off growing it! There are things you can do to work around this issue (like using a vessel to contain the roots when planting it in a bed). 

In most cases, you will probably want to keep your mint in smaller pots or containers to prevent the roots from going crazy, though. Keeping the plants in individual pots will prevent this from being an issue. However, there are also ways to work around the issue if you need to plant that mint in larger pots or garden beds, which we will have a look at below. 

Basic Mint Care – Tips and Tricks

Mint, like most other plants, thrive in conditions with plenty of sunlight and water. These plants do well in free-draining and fertile enriched garden compost. However, they are likely to thrive just about anywhere you put them, so long as they cannot suffer from root rot (from overly moist conditions). Soil-based compost or multi-purpose compost will work perfectly well. 

In terms of temperature, mint usually prefers a mild temperature between 18–21°C (65–70°F). However, they can still thrive in warmer or cooler climates. Many varieties can withstand very low temperatures, so if you were counting on winter to get rid of your plants, sorry! 

You Should Do These

Still want to grow mint? Great! Just bear these things in mind when you are getting your plants and preparing to plant them. Some of the points below might seem small or trivial, but they can make a world of difference!

  • Plant it in a container unless you absolutely cannot
  • Make sure the plant gets enough sunlight (the morning sun is fantastic)
  • Harvest your mint sprigs before the plant flowers 
  • Spread your plants around 15 inches apart
  • Pinch off any flowering buds when they appear to extend the harvesting season
  • Indoor plants should be kept away from radiators or other hot elements where they will dry out
  • Use mulch to prevent it from spreading when planting in garden beds
  • Plant it in a submerged vessel of sorts (e.g. a plant pot) to contain the roots when planting it in garden beds

You Should NOT Do These

If you would like to make your mint journey a bit less troublesome than most, avoid making the mistakes we have listed below. Again, these might seem like trivial things, but you have no idea how much they can help with being successful (but not too successful) with mint. 

  • Plant it in a place where it is always moist and will never dry out
  • Plant it in an open bed with no submerged pot or vessel (this will contain the infamously wild roots of the mint!)
  • If you are planting it in a submerged pot in a bed, ensure that the vessel is not cracked (or else the runner roots will keep spreading)

Popular Types of Mint to Grow in Your Garden

While there are more than 600 different kinds of mint, there are a handful that are more popular than the rest. If you were thinking of growing mint at home, consider trying one of these varieties:

  • Peppermint (Mentha × piperita)
  • Spearmint (Mentha spicata)
  • Chocolate mint (Mentha × piperita f. citrata ‘Chocolate’)
  • Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium)
  • Corsican mint (Mentha requienii)
  • Watermint (Mentha aquatica)

Final Thoughts

Mint is infamous for its tenacity in the garden. This can easily work against you if you are trying to keep the plant contained, but it’s great if you want something that will never die off. 

As long as you know what you are getting into when you choose to get this plant, you’ll be fine! Take precautions, and you will not end up with an entire mint garden (unless that is what you want). 

It’s a small step in the self-sustainability process, but learning how to grow your own plants or vegetables can be a life-saver. If you want to learn more about self-sustainability, we have plenty of other articles to look at here. From making your own ricotta, halloumi, or mozzarella, to making your own bone broth and using whey, there is lots to learn. 

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