How to grow Mint in the UK
Buy a plant and it'll grow forever. Keep it in a pot - it spreads everywhere!
- DifficultyEasy peasy
- WherePots
- Grows to50cm
- Time to first pickabout 4 weeks
- Typeperennial
When to sow, plant and harvest mint
| Plant | early April to late September |
|---|---|
| Pick | early May to mid October |
Dates are for central England. Sow about two weeks later in the north and Scotland, and up to two weeks earlier in the south and south west. Get the dates for your postcode.
Planting it
- Water your new plants in their pots first
- Dig a hole a bit bigger than the pot
- Tip the plant out gently, holding the leaves, not the stem
- Pop it in the hole, firm the soil around it, and water well
- Space the plants about 45cm apart each way
Top tips for growing mint
- Always keep mint in a pot, even if you sink the pot into a bed.
Soil and feeding
Poor, free-draining soil - they don't like it too rich. Most herbs like it quite poor and sunny. Too much food makes them floppy and less tasty.
Harvesting and eating mint
Pick the top leaves often to keep it bushy.
How to eat them: Pop a few leaves into water or lemonade, or make mint tea.
Storing mint
Keeps about 1 week.
- Stand in a glass of water like flowers
Chop into an ice-cube tray with water and freeze - brilliant in drinks. Or hang bunches up to dry.
Good varieties of mint
- Spearmint: The classic mint for potatoes and peas.
- Moroccan mint: The best mint for mint tea.
- Chocolate mint: Smells like an after-dinner mint!
Saving your own mint seed
Autumn or early spring.
- Dig up a big clump
- Pull or cut it into two or three pieces, each with roots and shoots
- Replant them - more plants for free, and the old one grows better too
Where to buy mint plants
Thompson & Morgan · Suttons · Amazon
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Mint questions
When do I plant out mint?
Plant mint out from early April to late September.
When can I pick mint?
Mint is ready from early May to mid October. Pick the top leaves often to keep it bushy.
How long do mint take to grow?
Roughly 4 weeks from sowing or planting until the first harvest.
Are mint easy to grow?
Mint are rated 'easy peasy' for beginners, and can be grown in pots and containers.
Plan your own garden: it tells you what to do and when, for your postcode.
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