How do I stop mint taking over my garden?

Don't plant it directly in the bed. Use a sunken container (a 25–30 cm pot with the rim 5 cm above soil level), or a large standalone container, or a section of bed walled off with sunk slate or paving. Mint spreads by underground runners — once it's loose in a bed, you'll never fully get rid of it.

Can I grow mint from seed?

Most named varieties don't come true from seed — spearmint seedlings won't taste like spearmint, and most peppermint seed sold isn't true peppermint anyway. Always buy a small plant from a nursery, or take a cutting from a friend's plant in spring. One small plant gives you decades.

When is the best time to pick mint?

Just before flowering, when the leaves are largest and the oils strongest. From May to August for spearmint. Pick the top 7–10 cm of each shoot; the plant branches at each cut. Avoid picking flowering shoots — the flavour weakens. Cut the whole plant back hard once after flowering and you get a second flush of tender leaves.

What's the difference between spearmint, peppermint, and apple mint?

Spearmint (Mentha spicata) is the standard kitchen mint — for new potatoes, mint sauce, mojitos. Peppermint (Mentha × piperita) has a stronger, cooler menthol kick — for tea and confectionery. Apple mint (Mentha suaveolens) has fuzzy leaves and a fruity-sweet flavour — for desserts and Pimm's. Each is distinct; grow more than one if you have space.

How do I store fresh mint?

Treat cut stems like flowers: stand in a glass of water on the counter, change daily. Keeps 4–5 days. For longer storage, freeze whole leaves in ice cube trays with water, or chop and freeze in oil. Drying loses most of the flavour; freezing preserves it.

Does mint really deter pests?

Modestly. Mint deters cabbage white butterflies from laying on nearby brassicas (the strong smell confuses them) and discourages some aphid species. The effect is partial — netting is still more reliable for cabbage white. The pollinator-attraction effect (bees and hoverflies love the flowers) is bigger than the deterrent effect.

Spearmint — Grow

Spearmint

Mentha spicata

herb☀️ part-sun🪴 moist loam📏 medium🌡️ RHS H6–H7

📋Quick Facts

Height

0.6-0.9m

Spread

0.6-0.9m

Water

💧💧💧 Frequent watering

Hardiness

Zone 5-9

About

Plant mint in spring or autumn — buy small plants from a nursery rather than seed, since mint comes true only from cuttings or division. Mint is very hardy (RHS H6) and runs aggressively underground; always grow it in a sunken pot or a large container to stop it taking over the bed. Plant in moist, fertile soil in sun or part-shade. Cut back hard in late autumn or early spring; the plant regenerates from the roots every year. Pick from the top growth regularly to encourage bushiness. Spearmint (Mentha spicata) is the kitchen standard; peppermint for tea; apple mint, Moroccan mint and chocolate mint for variety. Cut back twice a season to keep new tender growth coming.

Top tip

Spearmint is vigorous; plant in pots or contained beds, keep soil moist and cut regularly for fresh growth.

Also known as: Spearmint, Hortelã-verde, Menthe verte, Mentha spicata, Menta verde, Grüne Minze, Mięta zielona, Groene munt

How to grow spearmint

1
Choose your variety
Spearmint (Mentha spicata) is the standard kitchen mint. Peppermint for tea. Moroccan mint for North African dishes. Apple mint for desserts. Chocolate mint for novelty. Each is a distinct species or cultivar — don't seed-grow them, the seedlings rarely come true.
2
Plant in a sunken container
Plant in a 25–30 cm pot, then sink the pot into the bed with the rim 5 cm proud of the soil. This contains the runners. Without containment, mint takes over.
3
Position
Sun or part-shade. Moist, fertile soil. Mint tolerates damp conditions better than most herbs and grows on the shadier side of a bed where other herbs sulk.
4
Water and feed
Water regularly through summer. A light feed of liquid fertiliser monthly through the growing season keeps leaves tender.
5
Cut back twice a season
Hard cut in late June after the first flush flowers; second hard cut in late autumn. This forces fresh tender growth and stops the plant going woody.
6
Pick from the top
Pick the top 7–10 cm of growth regularly. The plant branches at each cut and produces more.
7
Divide every 3 years
Mint exhausts itself in a container after about 3 seasons. Lift, divide the rootball into 4–6 pieces in spring, replant the most vigorous segment, compost the rest.

Common questions

Pest Resilience

5/5 — Highly resilient

Intensely aromatic; virtually pest-free. Mint rust very occasionally.

Companion Planting

Grows well with

Cabbage Tomato Pea

Visual Characteristics

Fruits

Yes

Harvest: Spring to autumn / fall

🍳

Culinary

Culinary Use

Mint sauce, lamb dishes, tabbouleh, raita, mojitos, herbal tea, salads

The spearmint year in your garden

Dispatching imaginary bots to check your garden out...

What to do now

How to Propagate

🔪Division

Easy

✂️Cutting

Moderate

🌱Runner

Moderate

Hardiness Zones

H1a (tender)H7 (very hardy)

H1a

H1b

H1c

RHS H6–H7

USDA 5 equivalent

Spearmint

Spearmint

📋Quick Facts

About

How to grow spearmint

Common questions

Pest Resilience

Companion Planting

Visual Characteristics

The spearmint year in your garden

How to Propagate

Hardiness Zones

Names in Other Languages(7)