How to Grow Mint Without It Taking Over Your Garden

The easiest way to grow mint in containers is to give it a space of its own. Mint is the plant a first-time gardener can easily start with. It's forgiving, fast, and has so many uses from culinary to cosmetic. The only trick is keeping it from wandering off into other spaces as it grows.

Why Mint Spreads So Easily

Mint is not commonly started through seeds, because it actually grows roots very easily through its stems.

Underground, it sends out rhizomes, horizontal stems that creep through the top few inches of soil.

Above ground, stolons sprawl across the surface and root wherever they touch moist soil.

Every node along those stems can grow new roots and shoots, which is why a 4" to 6" cutting in a glass of water usually roots within 7 to 14 days. Those thick white runners can look like tubers when you dig up a pot. They're actually true stems; as mint doesn't form tubers.

Fun Fact: Peppermint is a hybrid that rarely sets viable seed, so nearly every plant out there started as a cutting.A plant that spreads by its stems needs walls to keep it contained, and a raised garden bed with solid cedar stops it right away.

Raised Garden Beds make a great choice for this as you can dedicate an entire space to keeping mint contained. We have various lengths from 18" to 72", so you can fit one to a small patio or a full side yard. Built from WRCLA certified Western Red Cedar, naturally rot resistant with no chemical treatment, so nothing leaches into the soil around your edible leaves. And at  24-30" tall, you harvest at a comfortable height instead of kneeling and bending.

1. Start with a nursery plant or a rooted cutting. Mint grown from seed is very tedious.
2. Fill the bed with moist potting mix to about 1" below the rim.
3. Plant at the same depth it sat in its pot, then water until it drains.
4. After a week or two, pinch the top 1" off each stem for a full plant.

Garden Tip: If you are growing mint alongside other herbs be mindful it will spread, so you'll want to separate it, or create a barrier by planting it in its own nursery pot with about 1" of rim above the soil, so the runners can't grow over as easily.

How to Harvest Mint

Once stems reach a few inches tall, cut each one about ¼" above a pair of leaves with clean scissors. Take no more than a 1/3 of the plant at once. Two new stems grow from every cut, so regular harvesting of your mint will make it grow fuller.

• Best time: mid morning, after the dew dries, when the oils are strongest.
• Best stage: just before flowering. Blooms turn the leaves slightly bitter.
• Midsummer reset: if it gets tall and woody, cut it back to 2" and fresh leaves return in two to three weeks.

Before your first hard frost, harvest generously. Hang small bundles somewhere dark and airy for 1 to 2 weeks to dry, or freeze chopped leaves in ice cube trays. Fall is also a great time to set up a new bed so your mint settles in before spring.

Cozy Fresh Mint Tea Recipe

Our go-to mug for chilly evenings. Makes 2 mugs in 10 minutes.

• 1 loosely packed cup of fresh mint (about 10 to 12 sprigs)
• 2 cups water
• 1 to 2 teaspoons honey
• 2 thin slices of lemon
• Optional: 3 thin slices of fresh ginger

1. Rinse the mint, then roll it between your palms to release the oils.
2. Bring the water to a boil and let it sit for 30 seconds.
3. Pour it over the mint (and ginger), cover, and steep 5 to 7 minutes.
4. Strain, stir in the honey, and top with lemon.

Don't skip covering the pot. Mint's oils float off with the steam, and an uncovered pot gives you a great smelling kitchen and a less flavorful tea!

Why it feels so soothing

Plenty of people find a warm mug of mint tea calming after dinner, and the menthol gives that cool, clear feeling in your throat. It's a comfort drink with great health benefits. Keep in mind peppermint can be a bit irritating for some, its always best to check with a medical professional first if this is the case.

Mint Growing FAQ

Does container mint come back every year?

It does in most climates. Cut it back to 2" after your fall harvest and add a few inches of mulch, and it'll reappear once the soil warms in spring.

Is spearmint or peppermint better for tea?

Depends on your mood! Spearmint is sweeter and gentler, while peppermint is punchier and great after a heavy meal. Though they are both so delicious!

How often should I water mint?

In summer, check daily. If the top inch is dry, water until it drains. A 12" deep raised garden bed holds moisture far longer than a small pot, which honestly saves a lot of hassle in July heat.