Growing mint is almost the easiest trick in the gardening book. This super useful herb grows like a weed and, unless contained, can spread like wild fire!
Mint is so versatile as a herb. Whether with dobs of butter on your new potatoes, garnished in your cocktail, muddled in the bottom of a glass to release its essence, steeped for your herbal summer tea, torn and tossed through your fresh seasonal salad, or to dress a main dish.
While you can grow mint from seed, you may find the simplest way is taking a cutting from an existing plant.
Mint plants have roots known as ‘runners’. They spread quickly and sprout new baby plants in all directions. It can be invasive and inhibit the growth of other herbs in your herb garden, so it is best to contain them. Either, by growing literally in a container or pot either separate from the rest of the herbs or even submerged beneath the soil’s surface. The pot will restrict the root system which is a good thing — but only if there are no cracks in the pots, as mint’s roots have a mind of its own and will find any way possible to spread further afield!
A perennial, mint will never leave you. Leaves can be harvested most of the year round and, if kept in a container, you an always bring it indoors during a harsh climate, so you can enjoy it year round too.
It’s a great herb to plant in otherwise barren spaces like hilly banks or retaining walls the roots keep other weeds at bay, and smells delicious.
Things to note about growing mint
- Mint loves moist soil, so ensure once planted that the area is well watered in well draining soil
- Pick a spot that has part sun and part shade.
- Remember, planting in containers is the way to go (otherwise it will take over the garden)
- The plant will go to flower, so be sure to harvest the leaves before it does.
- Take cuttings and propagate from them so you have fresh ‘babies’ to plant throughout the year.
There are many different mint varieties: spearmint, peppermint, common garden mint — along with strange variants such as ginger, chocolate and orange mint! Catnip is from the mint family too and your cat with love that you so considerably picked it for their pleasure!
If you find a new variety that smells delicious to take a cutting.
How to grow mint from cuttings
- Snip the tip of a thick stem around 3-4 inches long, complete with leaves.
- Ensure the cutting is just below a node (where the leaves grow).
- Remove those leaves at the very bottom of the cutting, as the roots will go from the node (leave the leaves at the top of the cutting however).
- Fill a glass with water and insert the cutting, and leave on a bright windowsill, topping with water every few days so it doesn’t dry out.
- Wait 7 days ….. and all going to plan, you’ll have a fully rooted mint plant ready to be transplanted into your container.
- As you transplant outdoors, the young plants may need conditioning to the weather (particularly if they’ve spent their first week bathing in warm, glorious sunlight and plenty of water). A good idea is to plant in a container that you can leave outside for a few hours a day if necessary while they accustomize!
