Eating Garden

How to Grow Mint Indoors and Outside

Mentha spp.

A quick-growing perennial herb for drinks, cooking and tea. Grow it in a pot because its creeping roots spread fast.

At a glance

  • Difficulty

    Easy

  • Sunlight

    Part sun

    6 hours of sun a day

  • Water

    Thirsty

  • Growing in a pot

    Suitable for pots

  • Plant spacing

    18 in apart

More about this plant

Mint is forgiving and easy to pick. Its main challenge is keeping it contained. Give it steady moisture, regular trims and its own pot.

  • Comes back each year.
  • Can grow in indoors, the open ground.
  • Fine in a small space.
  • A good one to grow together with children.

Optional local dates

Planting dates where you live

The growing guide above works anywhere. This section adds local frost dates when we have them.

Optional local dates

Get planting dates for where you live

Save a city or a U.S. ZIP so we can turn local frost records into useful dates. Every crop guide still works without this.

A U.S. ZIP uses official NOAA frost records. Other countries use weather-station records, or a climate reconstruction where stations are missing. Coordinates are used once and not stored. We save only a place label and climate summary in a private browser cookie. You can clear it anytime.

Helpful gardening guides

When to plant

Match these relative steps to your local seasons. Where frost applies, use the last freezing night in spring and the first in fall. In frost-free climates, follow trusted local seasonal guidance.

  • Plant out in the week of your last spring frostPlant after frost danger has passed, once the soil is at least 50°F and dry enough to work.

What you need

  • How to start itFrom seed or a young plantYou can sow it straight into the ground, or start it indoors first.
  • How deep to plant0.25 in
    Planting depth: 0.25 in below the soil surface. Drawing is not to scale.
  • How far apart18 inLeave 24 in between rows.
    Leave 18 in between plants and 24 in between rows. View from above; drawing is not to scale.

Step by step

  1. Choose a potUse a container with a drainage hole. Outdoors, a 12 to 16 inch wide pot gives mint room while keeping its roots contained.
  2. Plant one known varietyA named transplant or cutting keeps the flavor true. Set its roots just below the soil surface.
  3. Give it lightUse full sun or partial shade outside. Indoors, aim for 6 hours of direct sun or use a grow light.
  4. Keep the soil moistWater when the surface begins to dry, then let extra water leave the pot. Do not leave the roots sitting in water.
  5. Pick and pinch oftenCut young stems and remove flower buds. Regular trimming keeps the plant full and the leaves flavorful.

Common mistakes

  • Planting it loose in a bedMint sends creeping roots through open soil and is hard to remove later. Keep it in a pot or a proper root barrier.
  • Keeping the soil soakedMint likes moisture, not standing water. Wet roots and leaves make disease more likely.
  • Letting it flowerFlowering lowers the oil in the leaves. Pinch off buds or cut the plant back before blooms open.

Growing mint indoors

Use well-drained potting mix in a pot at least 6 inches wide with a drainage hole. Give mint at least 6 hours of direct sun each day, or place a grow light 6 to 12 inches above it for 12 to 14 hours. Keep the soil lightly moist, but never leave the pot standing in water. Trim a few inches of stem often so the plant stays full instead of tall and weak.

Water

Thirsty

Keep the soil evenly moist. Outdoors, mint may need 1 to 2 inches of water a week depending on heat and soil. Let extra water drain away.

  • Too dry
  • About right
  • Too wet
  • If it goes drySuffers quickly when drySoft stems and drooping or crisp leaves.
  • If it stays wetDislikes sitting wetYellow leaves, weak growth and soil that stays wet can point to poor drainage.

Looking after it

  • FeedingRarely needs feedingIf a soil test shows a need, feed once as growth begins in spring. Do not keep feeding through the season.
  • NitrogenToo much nitrogen gives leaves instead of food
  • PruningNeeds pruningPick often and remove flower buds to keep the leaves flavorful. You can cut the whole plant back to one inch above the soil two or three times a year.
  • ThinningThin seedlings to 18 in apartCrowded seedlings stay small. Pull the weaker ones and keep the strongest.
  • MulchA thin mulch helps an outdoor pot or confined bed stay evenly moist.
  • CompostAdd no more than about an inch of finished compost before planting.

Harvest

You will know it is ready when: Stems are at least 3 to 4 inches tall and hold fresh, undamaged leaves.

Use clean scissors to cut young stems. Take a few inches at a time.

  • Keeping itKeeps 7 daysStand fresh stems in water in the refrigerator for up to a week. For longer storage, freeze chopped leaves in an ice cube tray or dry stems in a warm, shady place.

Common problems

  • Aphids

    Common, worth watching for

    Look for curled, yellow or stunted leaves.

    What to look for: Clusters on the tips and under leaves, sticky leaves, and ants running up the stems.

    What to do & prevention

    Prevention: Do not overfeed with nitrogen, which makes the soft growth they love. Leave a few flowers nearby for ladybirds.

    What to do: Knock them off with a jet of water, or rub them off by hand. Insecticidal soap for a heavy attack.

Is this right for you?

Mint grows in full sun or partial shade and prefers rich soil that stays moist without becoming waterlogged. Many common types survive cold winters, but hardiness varies by variety.

  • LightPart sunAbout 6 hours of direct sun a day.
  • ShadeHappy in shade
  • SeasonA cool season cropUsually grown in spring, summer, or fall.
  • FrostSurvives a hard freeze
  • HeatCopes with heat
  • AirNo strong preference

Soil

  • Soil pH5.5 to 6.5A cheap test kit from a garden centre will tell you yours.
  • Soil it likesSandy, Loam, Clay, Silt
  • DrainageLikes ground that holds moisture
  • RichnessAverage ground is fine

Mix compost into ordinary garden soil so it holds moisture without staying soggy.

Use a soil test before adding fertilizer. Too much feed makes weak growth and can reduce mint oil.

The year at a glance

Measured from your last spring frost, because seasons differ from garden to garden. In frost-free climates, use trusted local seasonal guidance alongside these relative steps.

  1. Plant out

    in the week of your last spring frost

Companion plants

Some of this is measured in trials and some is long-standing garden practice. Each note below says which it is.

Keep apart

Extension programs advise keeping these apart:

  • Other garden cropsMint spreads quickly and can crowd out nearby plants. Keep it in its own container or root barrier.Recommended by extension programs

Questions people ask

Can I grow mint indoors?

Yes. Use a draining pot at least 6 inches wide and give it 6 hours of direct sun, or 12 to 14 hours under a nearby grow light. Keep the soil lightly moist.

How do I stop mint taking over?

Grow it in its own 12 to 16 inch container. If you sink a bottomless pot into the ground, leave the rim above the soil and trim runners that cross it.

How often can I pick mint?

Pick young stems whenever the plant is at least 3 to 4 inches tall. A healthy plant can also be cut nearly to the ground two or three times in one season.

Why are my mint leaves turning yellow?

Check the soil first. Soil that stays wet can starve the roots of air and invite disease. Make sure the pot drains and water only when needed.

Common varieties

  • Spearmint A sweet, familiar cooking mint.
  • Peppermint A stronger mint often used for tea.

Also filed under: Herbs

Where this came from

Advice varies with your climate and variety. Check the sources behind each section.

Sources & review dates
Light and weather
Utah State University Extension, How to Grow Mint in Your Garden · checked 2026-09-15
University of Illinois Extension, Herbs all winter: grow them indoors · checked 2026-09-15 · Indoor light and temperature
North Carolina State University Extension, Mentha spicata · checked 2026-09-15 · Outdoor direct-sun hour bands
Planting
Utah State University Extension, How to Grow Mint in Your Garden · checked 2026-09-15
University of Maryland Extension, Growing Mint in a Home Garden · checked 2026-09-15 · Outdoor pot size and spacing
University of Minnesota Extension, Growing herbs in home gardens · checked 2026-09-15 · After-frost transplant timing and 50°F soil condition
Looking after it
Utah State University Extension, How to Grow Mint in Your Garden · checked 2026-09-15
University of Illinois Extension, Herbs all winter: grow them indoors · checked 2026-09-15 · Indoor trimming and setup
Companion plants
Utah State University Extension, How to Grow Mint in Your Garden · checked 2026-09-15 · Containment because mint outcompetes nearby plants
Back to the essentials ↑