There is nothing like fresh mint. But add it your garden beds and wish you died 1000 deaths before trying to get rid of it. Mint spreads faster than butter. Before you know it your whole garden bed has been taken over unless you know how to keep it in check. Learn the right way, not the wrong way how to plant mint. You will thank me later.
All Begins Innocently.
Mint is quite demur at first. It doesn’t spread much the first year. By the second year, it starts to warm up and spreads about 18 inches. See the picture below of my chocolate mint. Last year it was merely a three legged plant.
I know how any mint related plant can spread. I made my first mistake planting innocent oregano in a bed. Oregano is part of the mint family. It took literally five years to get rid of it in this bed. I am still fighting it as it crept into the pathways as well.
Oh by the way, some mints play better with others. Lemon balm, catmint and catnip don’t spread as quickly but I still wouldn’t suggest putting it in a vegetable garden bed. My not so invasive mint is in my surrounding plant beds.
In fact, I planted lemon balm and pineapple mint together. The pineapple mint was just beating on the lemon balm like it was its younger brother.
How to Plant Mint
If you don’t have a dedicated bed just for mint, then you will have to contain it. Mint always wins and is quite a thug. Oh, but a beautifully smelling thug so you don’t want to pull it all out. (Your second mistake.)
Years ago, I read how to plant mint to keep it contained. I was only told half of the truth. Or perhaps, I didn’t keep the lip of the container above ground. In any event, simply planting it in a container in the ground will NOT contain it unless you are very vigilant in pulling it out.
The mint will leave you thank you notes as it gallops it way across your beds.
You want to prevent the mint from touching the ground. It roots and keeps on spreading. It spreads by runners.
Here are four ways to keep your sanity and enjoy mint:
#1 Grow it in Container
Simply grow it in a nice size container. Realize since its nature is to spread you will need to either re-pot each year to a bigger container or simply pull some out so that the roots don’t strangle the plant. You will be thinning the plant and rejuvenating it.
If you want the mint to survive, you will need to bring it into the house. Place it by a east or south facing window. Don’t forget to water it. Mint likes to stay moist but not soggy. In addition, mist it or put it on top of pebbles with water underneath to create humidity.
Turn it every week so the plant receives equal sunlight.
#2 Plant it in a Container in the Ground
Most mint are perennials so the plants comes back ever year. (Be sure to check your variety before you plant.)
My second attempt at planting mint was in a container in the ground. I thought I would contain it but it still spread.
Leave the lip of the pot about 2 inches above the ground.
I have heard mixed results about planting mint in plastic or clay pots. Some people say that the mint will shatter the clay pot. I bet they didn’t thin their plants.
What should you do with the mint you pulled out? You can use the pulled out mint to create new pots of mint or simply use it in your favorite dish or drink.
#3 Plant Mint in a Raised Bed
Planting it in a raised bed will NOT prevent it from running. As I mentioned above, my oregano jumped ship and started to grow alongside the raised bed.
You can plant mint in a raised bed but be sure to contain it by using weed barrier fabric around the bed. Note, you need to thin the plants in the bed since the garden bed is one big container.
Alternatively, simply pull it out when it comes out of the bed. Mint with runners are easy to pull out. Lemon Balm is not as easy since it grows more like a plant with a single nice size root.
#4 Plant Mint in Its Own Bed
You can spit caution to the wind and plant the mint in its own soil bed. It makes excellent ground cover but it will bully other plants. Mint even bullies comfrey which is a thug in its own right. (Comfrey smothers plants underneath it.)
My mint grows out of my prepared beds into the lawn. We just mow it or pull it.
To learn about other plant thugs in your garden, read HERE. Don’t tell me that I didn’t warn you.
Join the Conversation
How do you plant mint?
Chris says
June 20, 2015 at 7:52 pmLoved the articles about mint spreading thruout the garden. Years ago, a friend went on a summer long vacation to Italy. She asked me to mind her garden (quite a responsibility, as she was a Master Gardener and I – a poor amateur.) I did a pretty good for most of the summer but slacked off at the end. Three days before she was due to return, I raced to her garden and weeded like crazy!! I caught a delightful scent and realized that I’d ripped up a ton of her mint!!! I dug some holes and replanted them.
When she returned, I told her of my carelessness in tending her garden. Both she and her husband suppressed giggles and belly laughs as they told me that they’d been trying to rip up that blasted mint for years!! I wasn’t sure if I should laugh with them or ask them to reimburse me for the painkillers I needed after replanting the entire side yard!!
But I did learn from my mistake. I love my container of spearmint and love sharing it with my wonderful daughter and son-in-law. Thanks for your wonderful, educational and amusing blog.
Anna@Green Talk says
June 22, 2015 at 10:08 pmChris, this is a hilarious comment. I can so relate.
Thanks for the compliment about the blog. As you can tell I am very passionate (and sometimes amused) about gardening. Anna
maybee says
April 20, 2017 at 10:34 pmThanks. I loved your sense of humor in your article. Nice piece and keep up the good work.
Anna says
April 21, 2017 at 1:46 pmMaybee, thanks. I enjoy gardening and always keep a sense of humor about it. Anna
Emily @ RECIPES TO NOURISH says
June 23, 2015 at 2:42 pmWe love mint, and chocolate mint is so lovely. My Little Love was taught at her Waldorf school that the fairies live in the mint … so we’ve kept that little story for my Tiny Love now. So fun. They love smelling the mint.
Anna@Green Talk says
June 30, 2015 at 9:36 amI didn’t know that is where fairies live. I wonder why mint? Anna
Sylvie says
June 24, 2015 at 5:10 amI’ve always had to plant it in a separate container because I could never control the spread!
Anna@Green Talk says
June 30, 2015 at 9:38 amSylvie, containers are good…Anna
Loriel says
June 24, 2015 at 9:22 amMint is the next thing I need to put in my garden so THANK YOU for this information. The last thing I need to add to my garden is a thug mint plant. 🙂
Anna@Green Talk says
June 30, 2015 at 9:37 amLoriel,
Oregano is another thug. Anything related to the mint family. I even find Feverfew to be the gift that keeps on giving. Anna
Chloe says
June 25, 2015 at 7:20 pmGood info! I have never planted mint before, but I’ll save this post for when I do!
Anna@Green Talk says
June 30, 2015 at 9:38 amThanks, Chloe. I am glad I could be helpful.
linda spiker says
June 30, 2015 at 9:48 amI learned the hard way with mint! Your website has a wealth of helpful information!
Anna@Green Talk says
June 30, 2015 at 9:51 amThanks Linda. It is because I make a ton of mistakes…Anna
Renee Kohley says
June 30, 2015 at 9:57 amOh! This is very helpful! I did not know this and have been wanting to add it to the herb garden I have by the girls’ play area – I think I will put it in a container instead! Ha!
Anna@Green Talk says
July 1, 2015 at 9:15 amRenee, I found there are a bunch of herbs like mint that just take over. That is their nature. Anna
Aubrey says
June 30, 2015 at 10:06 amI love mint! We plant all kinds of it. Some of it is contained in its own bed.. some we are just planting around to let it take over. Keeping my fingers crossed that it’ll help keep snakes, mice and other critters from coming into the house!
Anna@Green Talk says
July 1, 2015 at 9:14 amAubrey, I was hoping I could keep the moles at bay with my mint. I will be curious if your mint idea works. Anna
Andrea Fabry says
June 30, 2015 at 12:12 pmI have my chocolate mint in a pot and my peppermint in the ground. I didn’t realize how mean mint can be. I think I’ll be moving it soon. 🙂
Anna@Green Talk says
July 1, 2015 at 9:12 amAndrea, just pull it out where you don’t want it to be to keep it in check. Anna
Tash says
June 30, 2015 at 1:42 pmMint has totally taken over my mother’s garden this year! We spent over an hour harvesting TONS of it when I came to visit. Now we have to dig it up and plant it in pots so it doesn’t come back. Good thing we love mint 😉
Anna@Green Talk says
July 1, 2015 at 9:11 amTash, that is why I can’t get mad at it when it spreads. I love the smell. Anna
Vanessa says
June 30, 2015 at 4:46 pmAnother way to keep mint in check is to plant it in full shade. I learned this when I created a separate bed just for mint and wanted it to spread and fill the whole bed, which was in full shade. It did not spread at all, in 5 years!
Anna@Green Talk says
July 1, 2015 at 9:11 amVanessa, I was thinking about putting in tubs under my deck which is semi-shady. Did it fill in the bed when it was in shade? Anna
Megan Stevens says
June 30, 2015 at 7:27 pmI love this, Anna. Thanks, what a fun problem to have and what a great post!! 😉 How does mint do with improving eroded soil? We have neighbors that sprayed CrossBow all over a hillside (doy!) to kill poison oak. Years later the tree roots show through. Life is finally returning but I keep wondering if something could be planted there to help strengthen and beautify that hillside again? Something “invasive” would look really nice, lol!!!
Anna@Green Talk says
July 1, 2015 at 9:10 amMegan, people use crown vetch on hillsides but it can get invasive. It flowers this beautiful pink flower so you don’t hate it. Anna