How to grow mint: the fragrant and beautiful herb we all need

Learn how to grow mint and enjoy many months of delicious fresh mint tea – or mint sauce to go with lamb. Mint is one of the easiest herbs to grow in the garden and grows well in moist conditions. We do advise growing mint from plug plants or cuttings, however – growing mint from seeds is much more difficult and requires fluorescent lamps. 

Find more garden ideas at our dedicated page. 

• Herb gardens: a beginner's guide to planting, growing and harvesting herbs

How to grow mint

Method:

1. Choose a container: mint spreads very easily, so it's best grown in containers rather than in open ground. The bigger the container you choose, the more mint you'll have.

2. Plant your plug plants into pre-watered multi-purpose compost. If you're growing several different varieties of mint, they'll each need a separate pot, or you might end up with mint that all tastes and smells the same. 

3. Place in a well lit position in your garden/patio and water regularly. Mint doesn't like being kept dry, but avoid waterlogging. Once established, pick mint regularly between early summer and autumn to encourage more growth. 

4. In late summer or early autumn, cut your mint plants right down to the ground, leaving no more than 5cm. Don't worry, it'll regrow next spring. 

Top tip: If your mint plants are affected by rust, simply remove the parts of the plants that look the worst infected. 

Which mint varieties should I try growing?

It all depends on how you want to use your mint. If it's primarily for cooking and cocktails, then standard peppermint or spearmint will be best. However, if you're a mint tea connoisseur, then apple mint and chocolate mint are must-try varieties. Just remember to plant them all in separate pots. 

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