10 tips for growing mint

Aromatic, tasty and even healing - mint is much more than a popular chewing gum flavor. With these tips, mint will thrive on you too.

Everyone knows peppermint: The taste of this variety of mint is well known as chewing gum or tea. But the mint (Mentha) has a lot more to offer: from fruity pineapple mint to the popular mojito mint, the plant shows an astonishing range of varieties and flavors. The green herb is also versatile as a medicinal and kitchen plant. So that you can also enjoy the aromatic leaves at home, we show you ten tips for successful cultivation.

Tip 10: Mint varieties

Hardly any other plant has such a variety of varieties as mint: From A for field to Z for lemon mint, the plant offers a multitude of possibilities. And each one tastes different: pineapple or grapefruit mint (

Mentha rotundifolia variegata respectively. Mentha suaveolens x piperita) taste fruity and have the same aroma as their namesake. The famous peppermint on the other hand, due to its high proportion of essential oils, it is particularly intense and has a fresh, almost pungent taste. Chocolate mint (Mentha x piperita var. piperita) smells as good as the name suggests and is a real treat, especially with desserts. That is why you should consider which variety you prefer before buying. The right Mint variety is and remains ultimately a matter of taste.

Tip 9: the mint and its location

Mint is not a particularly demanding plant and is therefore ideal for beginners. It particularly likes warm and sunny locations, but only as long as it is not directly exposed to the blazing midday sun. But it also usually tolerates partial shade or shade without any problems. Mint prefers its soil to be loose and well-drained. If the soil is also rich in nutrients and calcareous, the mint hovers on cloud nine and shoots up particularly quickly.

Tip 8: Attract and multiply mint

There are three methods to choose from when growing a mint. Of course, you can sow the mint in the classic way; You can buy seeds of different varieties in almost every specialty shop. These can be spread directly into the field from the beginning of May or brought forward in the house in early spring. But if you already have a mint at home, you can easily propagate it yourself. If you cut out the rhizomes (i.e. the underground parts of the shoot) over which the mint forms runners, you can grow new plants from them. All you have to do is plant it in a new place and water it well. But the mint can also be propagated with cuttings without any problems. How one Mint cuts properly, find out here.

Tip: Sowing mint is very easy with ours Plantura herb growing kit. This not only contains seeds for mint, but also for four other aromatic herbs. In addition, you will find everything else you need for cultivation in the set: growing pots, substrate, plant signs and a reusable mini greenhouse.

Tip 7: mint from the supermarket

If you miss the time for sowing or prefer to enjoy it without waiting, you can simply buy full-grown mint in the supermarket. But instead of simply throwing away the plastic pots and plant residues after use, you can continue to care for the mint as a pot plant. Important here: Do not remove the plastic film immediately, but roll it up a centimeter every day. This gives the sensitive young plants time to gradually get used to the new climate. Regular watering must also not be forgotten (but do not overdo it, otherwise the little plants will perish from waterlogging). Once the plastic film is down, the plants can usually be moved to a new, larger pot without any problems.

Tip: It is best to use a good herbal soil to give the mint a good start into its second life.

Tip 6: pot or bed?

Mint in a pot or in a bed? That is probably a question of faith. But the fact is: the mint feels right at home both in the house and in the garden. A big advantage of the pot, however, is that the mint cannot grow wild. In the garden, the fast-growing mint often takes control of the bed and displaces other plants. The only remedy is regular pruning. It can also be a little more rabid. As a rule, the mint can cope with the maintenance measure without any problems. Cold, on the other hand, is not a problem for the mint. In the garden, too, it survives severe frosts and icy temperatures. So if you prefer to keep your mint in the garden than in a pot, you don't need to worry in winter either.

Tip 5: pour mint correctly

Fresh mint is not only a nice change to add to your water - the plant also likes it moist. Especially in summer, the soil around the mint should never dry out completely. But waterlogging should also be avoided, otherwise fungal diseases and rot have an easy time. Regular checks and the right mediocrity are therefore required. Also note that potted plants need water more often than their sisters in the bed. This is because the water in the pot evaporates faster and is no longer available to the plants. Regular watering is therefore a must.

Tip 4: fertilize mint

The easy-care mint is also happy to have a little extra fertilizer every now and then. Organic alternatives such as compost, manure or in particular have proven themselves Organic fertilizer. These release the nutrients to the plant more slowly and more evenly, thus ensuring ideal growth. But be careful: Too much of a good thing can also be harmful to mint. If the mint gets too many nutrients, it suddenly shoots up - much to the chagrin of the aroma, which loses intensity due to the rapid growth. Our primarily organic one Plantura organic universal fertilizer is the perfect choice for your mint, as it releases its nutrients slowly and gently and over-fertilization cannot occur.

Tip 3: the mint and rust mushroom

The mint is actually extremely beginner-friendly. Not only is it particularly easy to care for, its susceptibility to disease is also not particularly high. Only a rust fungus (also called peppermint rust) can plague the aromatic plant, especially in damp weather. Small, rust-like spots appear on the underside of the leaves, which can expand into bump-like growths. The only solution here is damage limitation: affected leaves should be removed and disposed of immediately. But don't worry: Normally, the lost leaves will grow back healthily within a short period of time.

Tip 2: harvest mint

There is no right harvest time for mint: the aromatic leaves can be removed from the plant from spring to autumn. The aroma is particularly intense before flowering (i.e. in early summer). Whole shoots as well as individual leaves can be harvested, just as they are needed in the kitchen. The last harvest should be brought in in autumn before the first frosts. It is advisable to use the excess Dry mint leaves. This way, they keep their fresh aroma and can be used in the kitchen for months to come.

Tip 1: use mint

Mint is extremely diverse: the plant is used not only as a flavor for chewing gum and toothpaste, but also as a dessert, drink or spice. But the mint also cuts a fine figure outside of the kitchen. Especially those peppermint (and especially the peppermint oil) is a well-known remedy. It relieves gastrointestinal complaints such as bloating or flatulence. But peppermint can also help with colds and coughs and helps to remove the stuck mucus. Lemon mint, on the other hand, ensures quiet nights: its smell is avoided by mosquitoes, so that they soon run away.

the mint so it is a very versatile plant. You can find out how to grow the aromatic mint in your own garden in our overview article.