Use sterilized scissors or pruning shears to cut a healthy piece of stem 4 to 6 inches long. Generally, plant mint in late february to early march in zones 10 and above, in april in zones 5 to 7, and mid-may in zones 3 and 4. · mint is perennial and pruning it after flowering or harvesting helps redirect energy to the roots for regrowth. Spacing, depth, and support Plant the root ball completely in the ground, covering it with at least 1 to 2 inches of soil on top. Use soil with low fertilizer formulated for edible plants. The plant favors fertile soil enriched with compost. Water mint in the morning so it stays moist as temperatures rise. Mint fares best in a damp, moist area with well-draining soil, but also in a spot thats in either full sun or part shade. Selecting a planting site Choose a 12-inch container to give the plant room to grow. Mint is a perennial herb that dies back during winter and regenerates each spring, typically living for up to five years. There are many varieties of mint—all fragrant, whether shiny or fuzzy, smooth or crinkled, bright green or variegated. It’s one of the few plants with a square stem, and it’s so popular it’s been bred by botanists into a variety of different cultivars and scents. Mentha x piperita: Mature mint can be harvested in summer and fall before the shoots die back. Learn how to grow mint as a perennial herb that can survive cold weather and regrow quickly. To discourage mint from spreading in the garden, add edging around the planting area 18 to 24 inches deep into the soil or grow it in a container. How long does a mint plant live? How do you know if a mint is a perennial? Wilting foliage means the plant needs water. Water your mint during dry spells to keep the soil lightly moist, adding more water when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch. Keep the soil moist and note that indoor mint plants may struggle in low humidity. Plant mint cuttings or small purchased plants 18 inches to 2 feet apart outdoors. Sow seeds outdoors in the late spring after the danger of frost, or start seeds indoors about eight to 10 weeks before your areas last projected frost date. Its important to note that some mint varieties are hybrids and will not grow true to seed. Find out how to cut, prune, winterize and harvest mint for your garden or kitchen. Do not harvest more than a third of a plant at one time, as remo. Place it on a hard surface or add a double layer of landscaping cloth inside the pot over the drainage holes to prevent the roots from sneaking out. Mint will grow in full sun if watered frequently and somewhat protected from the strong afternoon sun. Perennial mint is simple to grow. To grow mint from seed, lightly cover the seed with potting soil. Lemon balm also has larger leaves and grows taller than mint. It is known for aggressive spreading, which necessitates isolation from other garden plants to prevent nutrient depletion and overgrowth. Mentha xpiperita f. citrata chocolate: See full list on thespruce. com Lemon balmis part of the mint family and looks like mint , but it tastes and smells different than other typical types of mints. · mint is a leafy flowering perennial herb. Chocolate mint , a first cousin of peppermint, has leaves with a minty-chocolate flavor and aroma. Popular mint varieties include: This plant has a shallow root system, so you wont have to dig down too far—just enough to gently lay the plant and spread its roots with 1 to 2 inches of soil on top. Growing mint in containerskeeps it from spreading rampantly in your garden. Mint is a very easy plant to propagate by cuttings as a simple, cost-effective way to create new plants. Mint plants prefer part shade, though too much shade produces leggy plants and less flavorful leaves. Is mint a perennial? If growing mint as a ground cover or in the garden, youll likely want to trim back the plantto prevent its runners from spreading to unwanted places. If you dont harvest your mint regularly, it will benefit from a shearing midseason. Peppermintfeatures a sweet, minty flavor and grows in usda zones 3 to 11. This amount of growth should take about two months if you are growing plants from seed or less time if you buy nursery plants. Are mint plants hardy? If you notice the stems getting longer and the leaves getting shorter, cut the plant back by a third or half to en. Even potted, mint s long stems can touch the surrounding soil and take root so be mindful about where you place the container. Propagationis best done in the late spring to early summer when the plant is actively growing and before it has bloomed. Mint adapts to most soil types but prefers rich and well-draining soil with a slightly acidic to neutral ph. · nearly all members of the mentha genus are perennials , and any commonly grown mint found at a garden center or online is likely a perennial. These plants are cold-hardy, with most varieties suitable for usda hardiness zones 3-9 or even warmer. The many types of minthave a range of appearances and flavors. Place the plant where it will get four to six hours of daily sunlight and where the temperature stays between 65 and 75 degrees fahrenheit. Cutting back spent growth also keeps your mint looking neat and thriving as a long-term perennial. It’s so hardy, that it grows on all continents except antarctica. Mint is an aggressive spreader so keep it separated from your regular garden beds or it will consume nutrients and overgrow other plants. Harvest mint leaves once the plant has multiple stems that are 6 to 8 inches long. Two plants should be enough to cover a few feet of ground, as mint grows fast. However, you can always tell a member of the mint family by its square stem. Mint plants like water but waterlogged soil can rot their roots. Plant mint outdoors in the spring after the threat of frost has passed. Keep the soil moist until the seed. It has a lemony scent with a twist of mint. · mint is a perennial herb with very fragrant, toothed leaves and tiny purple, pink, or white flowers.
