Learn how to grow mint with these easy tips for planting, caring for, and enjoying fresh mint all season long.
Why Grow Mint At Home
Mint is one of the easiest herbs to grow at home, which makes it a great place to start. Once it’s established, it requires very little attention and continues to produce fresh leaves all season long. It’s a simple way to add something useful to your outdoor space, whether you grow it in a garden bed or a container on your porch. From adding flavor to drinks and recipes to enjoying its fresh scent as you brush past it, mint is a plant that gives back more than you expect.
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Even though mint grows beautifully outdoors, it can also do very well inside. Use a pot with good drainage and place it in a sunny spot, such as a windowsill that gets several hours of light each day. I like to start my herb plants in the kitchen in early spring, then move them outside once the risk of frost has passed. It’s an easy way to get a head start on the growing season, and having fresh mint right in the kitchen is a treat.
How To Grow Mint
- Grow mint in containers. Mint spreads quickly and can take over a garden bed, so containers are the easiest way to keep it under control. If you’re new to growing herbs in pots, you might also like these container herb garden ideas for simple ways to get started.
- Use pots with good drainage and quality soil. Choose a container with drainage holes and fill it with fertile potting soil. Adding a scoop of compost will give your plant a healthy start.
- Place in sun or partial shade. Mint grows well in full sun but also does just fine in partial shade, making it a good choice for porches and patios.
- Start with small plants. Transplants from a garden center are easy to work with and establish quickly in containers.
Mint Plant Care Tips
- Water regularly. Keep the soil consistently moist, especially during hot weather. Mint is forgiving, but it grows best with steady watering.
- Harvest often to keep plants full. Regular cutting encourages new growth and helps the plant stay thick and healthy.
- Trim back runners and weak growth. Mint spreads by sending out stems that root as they grow. Remove any unwanted or unhealthy sections to keep it contained and looking neat.
- Watch for mint rust. If you see orange spots on the leaves, remove the affected areas right away to prevent it from spreading.
- Don’t worry if it looks cut back. Mint grows quickly and will bounce back within a week or two, even after a heavy harvest.
- Replant if needed. Mint is a perennial, but container plants don’t always return each year. If yours doesn’t come back, simply start fresh in the spring.
How To Harvest Mint
- Harvest mint regularly. Once your plant is established, you can begin cutting leaves as needed. Frequent harvesting encourages new growth.
- Cut just above a leaf set. Use scissors or garden snips to cut stems right above a pair of leaves. This helps the plant branch out and stay full.
- Take longer stems, not just individual leaves. Cutting full stems is quicker and better for the overall shape of the plant.
- Harvest in the morning if possible. This is when the leaves are at their freshest and have the best flavor.
- Don’t be afraid to cut it back. Mint is very forgiving and will regrow quickly, even after a generous harvest.
- Rinse and use right away, or preserve for later. Fresh mint can be used immediately, or you can dry or freeze it to enjoy later.
Ways To Use Fresh Mint
The fresh flavor of mint adds a bright touch to both food and drinks. It pairs especially well with fruit, vegetables, and light beverages. Try adding it to a watermelon mint salad, a simple mint lemonade spritzer, or a drizzle of mint honey. It’s also a nice addition to roasted vegetables like new potatoes, carrots, green beans, fresh peas, or asparagus. For an easy way to flavor drinks, make mint ice cubes by placing small sprigs in an ice cube tray, filling with water, and freezing.
Mint is also a simple way to make everyday food and drinks feel a little more special. A small sprig can be added to salads, desserts, muffins, or beverages for a fresh finishing touch. Even a glass of plain water feels different with a few mint leaves. It’s an easy detail that doesn’t take any extra effort.
When your plant is growing quickly, it’s common to have more mint than you can use in the kitchen. At that point, it works beautifully in flower arrangements. A handful of stems adds soft greenery and a clean scent that pairs well with almost any blooms. Mint has sturdy stems, holds up well in a vase, and is a natural addition to simple, garden-style arrangements. If you enjoy growing fresh herbs, basil is another easy option. You can see exactly how I grow it in this how to grow basil guide.
If you’ve ever thought about adding a mint plant to your garden, I hope this has given you the nudge to give it a try. It’s easy to grow, incredibly useful, and adds both beauty and function to any space, indoors or out. Whether you’re snipping leaves for a recipe, drying them for tea, or simply enjoying the scent, mint is one of those plants that gives back in so many ways. With just a little care, you’ll have fresh mint at your fingertips all season long.
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Also so easy to propagate. Cut stem, remove bottom leaves, pop in a clear vase….and roots come quickly and you have a new plant🙌
I love mint and always have it growing during the summer. After a trip to India, and later a trip to The Netherlands, I realized that you just pour boiling water over fresh mint (several good sized sprigs) for hot mint tea, which is my go-to winter tea. There is no need to use dried mint. In the winter I buy mint fairly frequently to use in cooking and garnishing. This is a great way to use the remainder of the store-bought packet.
I love this idea…thank you!
I have grown mint for years and love it! Sometimes I simply walk by it and gently run my hand (or foot) across it to smell it’s wonderful aroma. My challenge is that I grow so many types that I often have difficulty determining which one is which!
I’m going to give this a try, Ann! Growing mint in container. Thank you for the inspiring post!
Thank you once again for an inspiring post! I’ve added potting up herbs for the kitchen to my to do list 😄
Very informative. I plan to plant more of these herbs in pots.
Thank you!
Thank you! I just love your site!
I’ve been growing mint for a few years now and am excited to try your suggestions
Thank you
Theresa
Ann,
I love mint and do grow it on my deck. It has been coming back for about 3 yrs without me replanting. I drop leaves into my iced tea, lemonade, and several recipes for pork and chicken. I love to put small stems in tiny vases. I do have to be careful or my cat likes to sniff them and knock them over. Thanks for inspiring others to grow plants including MINT!
This is a lovely article with very convincing reasons to grow mint!
The two ways I use it most are as a garnish for drinks, desserts, and other dishes, and in sweet floral bouquets for my powder room for a fresh fragrance.
I adore chocolate mint and have been growing it for years!!! I can’t wait to see it spring out of the ground so I can add to my water pitcher! You can’t find more refreshing water than that with chocolate mint or spearmint added to it! And, bonus, the chocolate mint curbs my chocolate cravings……at least that’s what I’m telling myself!
My grandmother had mint in her garden next to her garden hose. A tiny drip kept it well watered in the summertime. It was so flavorful in iced tea or ice water. I recently dug some mint out of our flowerbed because it was taking over. I may plant more near our patio to keep insects away. I, too, love rosemary and basil.
I have had success growing mint in the past. But, since moving last year to a new town and house it hasn’t been a priority. Thanks for this blog. I’m going to have lovely refreshing mint all summer -and I’ll need it-I live in Florida!
Be blessed.
Meadow Tea is a Lancaster, PA staple. You can find the recipe online. I haven’t tried it yet….this is my first year growing mint :-) Thanks for the great tips, Ann!
Hi Shelly…I’m googling Meadow Tea now. Thank you!
My mint was still green and thriving during the winter! You really can’t kill it. I love using it in most beverages and it holds up so well without wilting.
Mosquitoes love me so #6 is my favorite reason to grow this herb!
I have had an herb garden for 20+ years. Love the mints. Another trick with mints is to watch for runners and clip them. Also clip off flower heads when they start to form. This keeps them the leaves from getting tough. I put holes in the bottoms of pots and plant in the garden. Helps them from overtaking.
I love Spearmint in my ice tea. I grow it on my patio, but our Texas sun is relentless. Have to water twice a day in the summer time.
How timely. My 20 year old mint “strawberry pot” just fell apart and I was sitting at breakfast thinking what pot to use next! Mint is my favorite herb to grow – always a success.
Mint is a great addition to my container herb garden on the deck. Love to use it in ice tea, to make jelly to use with lamb, and as an addition to bouquets. Also makes such a pretty garnish for my lemon pound cake.
Hi Kathy! Thank you so much for writing. Would you mind sharing your jelly recipe? Just email me at ann@onsuttonplace.com. I would love to make some!