How to Grow Mint in Your Garden

Growing mint in the garden is so easy that the mint can quickly take over. Growing in containers and picking often not only keeps the mint under control but also provides a long season of minty harvests. Gardener Scott discusses and demonstrates how to plant and how to harvest mint. (Video #278)
Gardener Scott's video, "How to Dry Garden Herbs"
• How to Dry Garden Herb...
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[@ericfoster5331]

You my dear sir are a master gardener and a treasure. The fact that you planned that video with footage from a year ago tells me that you have the thinking and planning of a legendary gardener. Please do keep it up. You are teaching so many people so many great things!

[@peterad1529]

Haha! I dug up one little plant from the neighbors it never did well I’m my container so I dumped it out and some of that dirt landed in our garden. we now have a rabid mint plant! It’s so easy to grow it gets out of hand. Somehow I didn’t get all the mint out of that dirt from the container 😂

[@michigan57]

Some farmers in my area grow mint. It smells wonderful to follow a mint truck with freshly harvested mint down the back roads. A favorite memory of my child hood.

[@sallykempis5341]

I love mint

[@Dee.C]

WOW ! What a difference a year makes. You have really come a long way in that garden . I love watching the space grow and seeing what you do with it.

[@luigi5890]

I'm experimenting this year by taking some of the Mint cuttings to lay around the base of my zucchini plants, to discourage the squash bugs. I'm also trying to use the tea I've made of some of the Mint cuttings to spray on the zucchini plants. I'm hoping the smell will discourage the squash bugs from finding the squash, or at least confuse them.

[@ryanissa3353]

Do not do that, the mint will take over and you will never be able to get all of it out

[@luigi5890]

@@ryanissa3353 Not if you only put the leaf cuttings and tea from the cuttings in the garden, not the roots. I'm well aware from experience of how they will take over.. Thanks anyway

[@heidiclark6612]

Thank You for a great idea! I don't use mint in anything I cook, but I dearly love mint tea! I just never thought of growing my own mint to dry in my dehydrator for tea. Thank You so much!

[@jackstone4291]

There are so many varieties of mint it’s unbelievable! Am experimenting growing 6 types with my 6yr old son this and next year in a large black 60litre tub ….. some perlite and good compost and mulch grass clippings or bark (whatever’s available) to keep other weeds/plants at bay and try contain them a bit with each other and keep that moisture in the soil much as can. Great to see you have done this and worked so well as feel positive about our mint tub now too!

[@leahness3588]

I love my mint beds.🌿 Lemon, Spearmint, mountain and marvelous mints this year. My apple and peppermint DIED off over winter.😭

[@RandyFelts2121]

Back a few years ago I grew a patch along the south side of my house. Kept in check with my edger and side lawn. It helped keep the ground most on the side of the house. I also planted Irises in amongst it. I thought it looked pretty nice.

[@x0j]

yeah I have invasive spearmint, i kinda just leave a patch of it lol. Taste varies wildly

[@stephenhope7319]

Here in Sacramento, Ca 9b I grow my mint in 5 gallon buckets to contain them. I save my planters for my other food crops, tomatoes , basil, squash, zuke, etc. My mint has year round growth. Mint, as you say, will take over if not grown in a bucket/planter.

[@laurie4914]

After being in the garden all day, I made myself a fresh mint mohito, sat down to look at my phone, and this video popped up. Kind of spooky. Loved the video. I didn't realize I could cut my mint that far back.

[@rosewatson7163]

😋Currently having a mint margarita.... learning that I have made a HUGE mistake of planting my mint in a container with my basil, dill, and oregano. Definitely migrating it after I finish this video (and my margarita!).

[@helenperalta3555]

Gardener Scott. I grow both my spearmint and peppermint in containers for the exact reason you mention. What I didn’t realize is the young plant that grows underneath. Thank you for the great tips as always.I’m in zone 8a and I started mine just before Uri hit us. I kept my new plant in the garage and most of my succulents and other herbs froze. But not the mints! They pulled through that freeze and came right back. Quite vigorously. That’s why I love it!

[@zacharysimon2952]

Love the "COVID hair" on younger Gardener Scott!

[@NewMindGarden]

Wow.. Amazing video.. 👍👍🌿🌸

[@alexandrialindsay8826]

This is a really good clip! I am the team leader building a massive community garden by myself in my local town, studying horticulture level 3 and have a artisan cheese buisness. We have an overgrown area full of wild new Zealand mint and I was wondering how am I going to transport it to make a 'cuppa tea' garden and now I know so thankyou master gardener scott ❤️

[@nicholemalloy4694]

It’s good to know I can cut it back so far to dry it. I’m going to start doing it in sections. Great video on mint!

[@mikefa5891]

Thank you for another educational and informative video!

[@markwitmer5498]

You're the man, Scott. A video I didn't know I needed...

[@lpmoron6258]

Good video as usual. You are a born teacher!

[@michaelsmielecki6628]

I am in zone 7b and my mint is in a part shade area behind my house and most of it did not die back in winter.

[@lpmoron6258]

Mint is something I can't keep alive!

[@rbcreations2]

I can't either! I've tried in a container and in the ground.

[@lpmoron6258]

@@rbcreations2 same here

[@TheCodat]

Thank you for the info!

[@FloridaGirl-]

Your good pruning is like good forest management! 👍 I use to grow mint. I did the same thing for catnip too. I’d get about 3 cutting too from it and dry it in my greenhouse in big square containers.

[@ahmadghosheh3104]

Yup, my mint plant is an ver 10 years old in zone 5B. Survived terrible cold and blistering heat. Just water, cut, and feed in spring. Mine is in a 6x4 garden box, it's starting to ooze out of it as the wood panelling gets old. But yeah, we cut it, almost mow it, once a month and give away a lot, grows like nothing happened.

[@sejalpatel2422]

I also like mint plant too much, for my tea and cooking. Last 2 year I planted in ground but it never come back although people say in my town it will come back. so this year I planted in container so that in winter I can bring them in my house and enjoy.

[@PBarrPrince]

Cool. You're always"there" for me! I bought a mint plant last night because it was on sale. Lol. I love the smell but don'tt use it myself. So, I need to keep it alive thru the winter indoors I guess. I have grow lights. I already pinched the top two leaves...the plants are rather tall...and watered it. I'll repot it today. It's in a very tiny pot. I have compost and Black Kow...would those be appropriate as amendments to my bagged putting soil? I have leaf mould too. I really want to baby this mint so I'll have some to plant in spring. Thank you so much for your video and for your helpfulness on so many levels. I'm on a mission to at least be a good gardener one day. Your videos will help make that possible I think. Take care. Stay healthy. You're appreciated by many.

[@Winterxfiles]

I make homemade tea out of my mint and plan on selling some this year.

[@anidnmeno]

2:29 "Ay, bruh, come get some of this mint, you'll know what to do with it... we don't"

[@adampetherick7836]

The next video can you explain the science on how close you can plant your vegetables including peppers I have 5 peppers in a 30 gallon pot an I planted 2 pepper in an 2gallon pot last year. Closer to Peppers it seems more vegetables an stronger plants. And no sunscald.how is that possible. I need your help on this one.. if you can make a video on why some plants to do better closer together.thankyou..

[@bobbiejofouts1708]

I just found you a few days ago and love your work, especially about IPM and those green growing containers you have. Please let me know where I can find them. Thanks.

[@GardenerScott]

Thanks. They are livestock troughs. Here's how I did them: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f2K2nmikipucr7s

[@bobbiejofouts1708]

@@GardenerScott Wonderful! Thanks for the help.

[@christineherrmann205]

My lemon balm staged a coup. I need this. Edited to add: don't think a container will help with the lemon balm; I just need to take off seed heads.

[@haydehabdolahian7691]

I have back yard that wouldn’t grow anything good give it lots dirt but no good so I start the container and and I have %100 better results. But I plant the mint on the ground and some oregano , some daisies to welcome bees and they are doing so good but the veggies wouldn’t 🤷🏼‍♀️

[@pamelacorsi]

I've grown mint this way (in a big galvanized tub) for 20 years and it hasn't spread and looks as beautiful as yours every year. I harvest often so it doesn't get leggy.

[@GardenJensJourney]

I had a problem with mine getting root bound in a container within 2 years. So, I moved them all over to a part of my yard that I'm ok with them growing in, and just pull out what I don't want, when it starts getting a bit rambunctious. I find, the peppermint is the worst for spreading. It's gone haywire. So I will have to take the time to pull it all out this fall. That will take some time. The others are more manageable.

[@Jeff-rd6hb]

@Gardener Scott 👍 Mints, or any relatives thereof should be grown in containers or contained areas as they will readily sprawl big time. Oregano & Lemon Balm are members of the mint family, thyme as well. So all of these herbs need to be corralled, otherwise they can get way out of control in a short amount of thyme. See what I did there? 🤭

[@aloras405]

I made the mistake of putting it in my garden bed … yeah never again. Now mints go in containers. I did lemon balm in a put and I comes back every year.

[@beginnercalisthenics]

Is that... asparagus behind you? Thanks for the videos! :)

[@GardenerScott]

It is.

[@conniecarroll9398]

Thank you for your video. I just started mint in a planter was wondering do I put into garden?

[@peterad1529]

It spreads quite well so take they in mind!

[@VisqoOSRS]

I would not put it in the garden, it's too aggressive

[@FrozEnbyWolf150]

It depends. Mint can make a great companion plant to intercrop with others, as the strong smell helps deter pests, and the rapid spread can be an asset if you intend to use it as a ground cover. I'm using various types of mint, including oregano, as part of a permaculture.

[@kmiller6002]

I've heard that All square stemed plants are in the mint family... First is that true? And second does that mean they are all safe to eat?. Thank You so much for sharing your knowledge Gardener Scott ☺️

[@GardenerScott]

All mints have square stems and opposite leaves, but not all square stem plants are mint. You can expect garden mints to be edible but not all mints are; perilla mint may be the most familiar toxic mint.

[@kmiller6002]

@@GardenerScott Thank you.... I'm binge watching your channel again 🙂🙂... Just finished the one on making sauerkraut from 10 years ago

[@KyrenaH]

@@GardenerScott Perilla is used in Korean and Japanese cooking though.

[@TalkingThreadsMedia]

Everybody has peppermint... but I cannot find anyone with spearmint. Any suggestions? Thanks! Best wishes from Kate in Olympia, WA - 6/22/2021.

[@minglouie8300]

please put a link to the raised bed for the mint.

[@dougadams9419]

I want the Mint to spread, both Spearmint and Peppermint I have in pots right now, also Rosemary. I am preparing a spot near the front of the house to be an herb garden. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to grow those from seed? My 4th. year trying I finally got English and Munstead Lavender to grow from seed in pots. Into the ground soon.

[@GardenerScott]

I grew rosemary from seed this year. It's no different than other seeds, but does a long time to germinate and reach transplant size.

[@classicaltutor2370]

Curious what the large leaf plant is growing in the other container???

[@GardenerScott]

That's horseradish.

[@betts258]

are there drainage stones/other in the bottom of that container?

[@GardenerScott]

I have branches in the lower half and holes drilled in the bottom.

[@He4vyD]

Is that horse radish in the other birdie bed next to the mint?

[@GardenerScott]

It is!

[@ryanmccain1158]

So helpful. thanks. Where do you live? Is this Montana or Wyoming?

[@GardenerScott]

I'm in Colorado.

[@ryanmccain1158]

@@GardenerScott ahh looks fun

[@tracyhall4648]

When you cut the new growth of the mint off, Do you re grow it?

[@GardenerScott]

The plant will keep growing after cutting.

[@MichelleNikiforakis]

What types of containers are you using?

[@GardenerScott]

They're livestock troughs. I show them in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f2K2nmikipucr7s

[@PBarrPrince]

Oops. Zone 7b for last message.

[@saabtech3510]

Actually, there is no need to do anything at all in transplanting these. You could not kill them if you tried. I made a mistake, not listening to my wife, in starting 2 new raised beds. Some of the fill I used at the bottom of the deep beds, had some soil with mint roots. I thought, it will be OK, it's buried at the bottom of deep beds. Guess what? My entire raised bed is sprouting mint among all my other plantings. EVERYWHERE. Has taken over the entire 10 foot beds in just a couple months. I keep pinching off the new growth, but it only encourages the roots to thicken and spread. I have no idea how to rescue these beds for next season. (And in any of my backyard that does not get cut with the mower, 2 kinds mint have completely taken over.) If you don't have a green thumb, and can't keep plants alive, try mint, you can't fail. Indestructible.

[@wudgee]

Everyone says how mint grows so easily yet it always fails for me.

[@lrachel43]

Contain"mint"

[@He4vyD]

Sporting that covid hairdo

[@debbybrady1246]

How does it grow in zone 8?

[@GardenerScott]

It should grow great and depending on the location may not die back in winter.

[@victorwadsworth821]

How not to grow mint is much harder.

[@robaldridge6505]

I love mint

[@haydehabdolahian7691]

I have back yard that wouldn’t grow anything good give it lots dirt but no good so I start the container and and I have %100 better results. But I plant the mint on the ground and some oregano , some daisies to welcome bees and they are doing so good but the veggies wouldn’t 🤷🏼‍♀️