Mint

[revolvingtoast]

I cannot seem to grow mint for the life of me, but I've always been told it's really easy. Does anyone else have the same problem? Does it require more specific conditions than other herbs?

 

[Chuck]

I cannot seem to grow mint for the life of me, but I've always been told it's really easy. Does anyone else have the same problem? Does it require more specific conditions than other herbs?

The biggest problem that I have growing mints is getting it to germinate. Once it has sprouted I can usually be successful with it. When I grow mint I grow a lot, enough to dry, freeze and have on hand for at least a year. Here is how I do it and it works most of the time but you can use a smaller container. I get a 5 gallon paint bucket and drill a few drain holes in the bottom and at the top I drill two 1/2" holes about 3" below the top edge on opposite sides of the bucket. Then I fill up the bucket to about 3/4 full with a 50/50 mix of potting soil and homegrown compost . Then I thourghly moisten the soil and sprinkle in an entire packet of seeds and pat the seeds firmly onto the soil making sure to have good seed to soil contact. Then I get a piece of clear plastic larger than the bucket diameter, put it on the bucket and affix it with a bungee cord leaving the 2 holes uncovered, kind of like a terrarium. I put it in a warm place out of the direct sun and wait. When (if) the seeds sprout I let them grow until they almost touch the plastic and then remove it. If all goes to plan I let the plants get about 1 ft tall and then snip off all but the best 10 or so best seedlings and grow it to maturity in the bucket

 

[Trellum]

Have you tried getting cutting from an adult plant? That's how I started mine! I had no problems with it, it started thriving... slowly but surely. Not long after that I had a huge mint plant. I always try to keep several plants, just in case one of them gets bugs all over it! Red spider mites seem to love mint.

 

[zigs]

Not had problems with it, but it can be quite invasive when it gets going.

 

[happyflowerlady]

I have never started any from seed, but i have started it from another mint plant, and it seems to then grow and spread just fine.
I found an old lot where the house had been torn down, but there were still some of the original plants growing in what used to be the yard.
It had recently rained, so they were easy to dig up with just the little hand trowel that i had along in the car with me.
I brought them home, and planted some in the front yard, and some out in back, and they all seem to be growing and spreading really well.
One place that i lived at years ago had a small creek running through it, and all along the creek, and even in the creek, was mint just growing like crazy ! I picked it fresh all that we wanted, and even dried some. That made me think that mint likes water, so I have always kept my mint plants watered really well, and usually try to plant them somewhere close to a water source. Our hose faucet always leaks when it is turned on, so the mint that I planted there gets plenty of water.

 

[revolvingtoast]

The biggest problem that I have growing mints is getting it to germinate. Once it has sprouted I can usually be successful with it. When I grow mint I grow a lot, enough to dry, freeze and have on hand for at least a year. Here is how I do it and it works most of the time but you can use a smaller container. I get a 5 gallon paint bucket and drill a few drain holes in the bottom and at the top I drill two 1/2" holes about 3" below the top edge on opposite sides of the bucket. Then I fill up the bucket to about 3/4 full with a 50/50 mix of potting soil and homegrown compost . Then I thourghly moisten the soil and sprinkle in an entire packet of seeds and pat the seeds firmly onto the soil making sure to have good seed to soil contact. Then I get a piece of clear plastic larger than the bucket diameter, put it on the bucket and affix it with a bungee cord leaving the 2 holes uncovered, kind of like a terrarium. I put it in a warm place out of the direct sun and wait. When (if) the seeds sprout I let them grow until they almost touch the plastic and then remove it. If all goes to plan I let the plants get about 1 ft tall and then snip off all but the best 10 or so best seedlings and grow it to maturity in the bucket

I have never once managed to get mint to germinate, so this will be really useful, thank you! I think part of the problem may have been putting it in areas that aren't quite warm enough. I get the feeling mint is fussier in terms of warmth than other herbs so the plastic covering is a great idea.

 

[revolvingtoast]

Have you tried getting cutting from an adult plant? That's how I started mine! I had no problems with it, it started thriving... slowly but surely. Not long after that I had a huge mint plant. I always try to keep several plants, just in case one of them gets bugs all over it! Red spider mites seem to love mint.

I've had a couple of adult plants that I've kept outside but they have both died within a couple of weeks. I think my mistake was probably letting them get too cold.

I think I'll buy another adult plant and keep it indoors alongside my attempt at growing it from seed. That way I have to end up with at least one mint plant right?

 

[revolvingtoast]

I have never started any from seed, but i have started it from another mint plant, and it seems to then grow and spread just fine.
I found an old lot where the house had been torn down, but there were still some of the original plants growing in what used to be the yard.
It had recently rained, so they were easy to dig up with just the little hand trowel that i had along in the car with me.
I brought them home, and planted some in the front yard, and some out in back, and they all seem to be growing and spreading really well.
One place that i lived at years ago had a small creek running through it, and all along the creek, and even in the creek, was mint just growing like crazy ! I picked it fresh all that we wanted, and even dried some. That made me think that mint likes water, so I have always kept my mint plants watered really well, and usually try to plant them somewhere close to a water source. Our hose faucet always leaks when it is turned on, so the mint that I planted there gets plenty of water.

That creek sounds amazing. What a lovely place to live, plus lots of free mint

Now that you mention it my partner's parents have a huge mint plant near the faucet in their back garden. Me and him have always been a bit bewildered at their success. I think you may have just uncovered their secret! Water it is!

 

[Trellum]

I've had a couple of adult plants that I've kept outside but they have both died within a couple of weeks. I think my mistake was probably letting them get too cold.

I think I'll buy another adult plant and keep it indoors alongside my attempt at growing it from seed. That way I have to end up with at least one mint plant right?

Hehehe, yeah. But you can easily propagate a mint plant if you try to find small cuttings, don't forget the roots! Your cuttings need a small piece of roots in order to take and start growing.

Best of luck! BTW' sometimes during the winter my mint looked dead, but during the summer it grew back. You need to keep small mint plants handy, specially if you want to grow it outdoors... Mine just extinguishes after a couple of years, unless I plant new ones.

 

[firelily99]

I have never started it from seed, only cuttings or new plants. Once it gets going it really goes so plant it in a place that you don't mind it taking over. You don't say what you are doing when you plant - are you trying to start from seeds?

 

[Allison]

I can hardly get rid of it. It takes forever for mint and thyme seeds to germinate. I bought little mint plants to put into pots. I always heard if you put the plant in a container it will not spread. That was a big fat lie.Everything was alright for three years. But two years ago those seeds spread into my flower bed. I cannot get rid of it because it grows on those rhizomes.

 

[ACSAPA]

I have three different varieties of store bought mint plants. Two of them are doing well but the chocolate mint has a few completely yellow leaves. Does that mean I'm overwatering or not watering enough?

 

[Chuck]

I have three different varieties of store bought mint plants. Two of them are doing well but the chocolate mint has a few completely yellow leaves. Does that mean I'm overwatering or not watering enough?

It could be either one. If you could send a pic of it in the early morning it would help