9 Good Reasons to Grow a Mint Plant
After reading these 9 reasons to grow a mint plant, you will definitely do it! Use the mint leaves in recipes, flower arrangements, to repel bugs, and more!
I’m not a life-long herb gardener…but I’ve planted herbs for long enough to know which ones I like and which ones I don’t. My three all-time favorite herbs are rosemary, basil, and mint. There are so many good qualities about all of these herbs, and they are all easy to grow. Even if you have never planted an herb in your life, I promise you can grow these three! If you want to start slow, I recommend beginning with mint. Read on for all the reasons why.
Read All About Rosemary & All About Basil.
9 Reasons to Grow a Mint Plant
1. Mint is easy to grow and flourishes in containers.
Mint plants sometimes get a bad rap because if planted in the ground, they can be very invasive. They tend to get carried away, and spread all over the place. The best way to avoid that is to place mint in a container. All my herb gardening is done in containers, so I highly recommend it. Container gardening is convenient and perfect for herbs.
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2. Mint plants can be harvested constantly.
Mint grows quickly, so the mint leaves can be harvested on a regular basis. Even if a plant is cut all the way back, it will recover itself in a matter of just a week or two. Because it is a fast grower, mint is a great herb to preserve by drying or freezing. Freshly dried mint makes the best tea, and it can also be added to casseroles or used as a dry rub for lamb.
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3. Mint can be grown in partial shade or full sun.
Another reason mint is so easy to grow is that it does well in full or partial sun. So even if your deck or patio faces east, and doesn’t get full afternoon sun, you can still grow healthy and beautiful mint. Mint is a perennial, so it will come back, if the conditions are good. I have grown mint in containers for years, but it wasn’t until last growing season that it came back for the first time. I believe placing my container in full sun helped that happen. Previously, I grew mint on our deck, and it wasn’t in full sun. The mint grew well, but I had to replant every year.
4. There is literally no maintenance, except watering.
There is nothing you need to do to grow healthy mint plants, except water them. My method for planting is simple. I purchase small mint plants, and place them in fresh, fertilized potting soil. I try to water them regularly, especially in the hot weather. I admit that at times I forget, but the mint hangs in there! If you harvest your mint regularly, there is no need to pinch it back, which eliminates one more gardening chore!
5. Use the mint leaves in delicious recipes.
Here are some easy ideas!
6. Mint plants repel flies, moths, and mosquitoes.
If you place your herb garden containers on your deck or patio, the scent of the various herbs, including mint, will act as a built-in bug repellent. The scent comes from the essential oil that is naturally in the herbs, and bugs tend to avoid it. The more herbs you plant, the less bugs you will have!
7. Mint can be grown indoors.
Even though it grows like crazy outdoors, mint can be grown indoors as well. Make sure to use a pot with good drainage and place the plant in the sun. I like to start herb plants in my kitchen in the early spring, and then move them outdoors when any chance of frost is past.
8. There are multiple varieties to choose from.
Here are just a few:
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- Chocolate Mint
- Mojito Mint
- Spearmint
- Pineapple mint
- Applemint
9. It’s beautiful as a garnish or in flower arrangements.
Since mint grows so quickly, there may be times where you actually have too much. When that happens to me, I always harvest it and use it in my garden flower arrangements. Not only does it add a wonderful touch of green, but it provides a fresh scent that pairs beautifully with the flowers.
Mint leaves also make the perfect garnish for salads, desserts, and drinks. It can take an ordinary dish and transform it into something lovely. I especially enjoy using it in drinks. Even plain water turns into something special when you add mint!
So…how do you feel about growing mint?
