How to grow Mint

Mentha spicata · spearmint, garden mint

A vigorous, very hardy aromatic perennial that spreads fast by underground rhizomes and can take over a bed. It likes moist soil.

Quick facts

Type	Herb
Family	Lamiaceae
Light	Full sun
Soil pH	6–7.5
Frost	tolerates light frost
Soil for sowing	from 10 °C
Germination	14 days
Seedlings ready	35 days
First harvest after planting	60 days
Where it grows	Greenhouse, Open ground, At home

When to plant

Planted as a young plant from a nursery while it is dormant — in early spring before the buds open, or in autumn after leaf fall.

Frost dates · When to plant

Care

Greenhouse

Stage	Watering	Temperature	Feeding
Growth	every 3 days	—	balanced (NPK), at the start of the stage
Harvest	every 3 days	—	—

Open ground

Stage	Watering	Temperature	Feeding
Growth	every 4 days	—	balanced (NPK), at the start of the stage
Harvest	every 4 days	—	—

At home

Stage	Watering	Temperature	Feeding
Growth	every 2 days	—	balanced (NPK), at the start of the stage
Harvest	every 2 days	—	—

Growing notes

Light

Full sun or partial shade.

Soil

Rich, moist but well-drained soil high in organic matter, pH about 6–7.5.

Care

Grow it in a pot or a sunken bottomless container so it cannot spread. Water regularly in dry weather but avoid waterlogging, and water the soil rather than the leaves to limit rust. Give one balanced feed in spring; more feeding encourages rust. Pick young shoot tips often to keep plants compact; after flowering cut the whole plant down to about 5 cm. Divide clumps every 3–4 years.

Pests and diseases of Mint

Sources

Figures checked against these sources.