Mint
Spearmint, Peppermint, Apple Mint, Chocolate Mint, Garden Mint, Bush Mint
Plant in containers or use root barriers — mint spreads aggressively by underground runners and will take over beds. Thrives in partial shade with consistent moisture. Harvest stems regularly to prevent flowering and maintain leaf quality. Cut back hard after flowering. Overwinters well in most temperate zones. Refreshes each spring from roots.
- Germination
- 14–21 days
- Harvest after planting
- 60–90 days
- Spacing
- 45–60 cm
When to plant mint
Plant from 2 weeks before to 2 weeks after your last spring frost.
Dashed line: typical last spring frost in zone 7 (Apr 5). Zone dates are averages; most of the UK is zone 8–9, central Europe 6–7 and the Baltics and Scandinavia 4–6. In the app, Tomatograph uses your garden's own frost dates.
How to grow mint
- 1
Plant in a container
Mint spreads hard through underground runners. Plant in spring in a pot, or in a bottomless bucket sunk into the bed.
- 2
Site
It does well in moist soil and part shade, and tolerates full sun if watered.
- 3
Cut regularly
Keep cutting stems to stop flowering and keep leaves tender. Cut the whole plant back hard after it flowers.
- 4
Harvest
Pick sprigs whenever needed from about 60 days after planting. It dies back in winter and regrows from the roots each spring.
Growing conditions
Light
Partial sun
Water
Medium water
Temperature
-15–30 °C
Frost tolerance
Frost-hardy — tolerates frost
Days to maturity
60–90 days
Ideal soil pH
6.5–7
How Tomatograph watches your mint
Tomatograph checks your local forecast every morning and only speaks up when one of these applies to your garden.
- First frost within 14 daysReminder to mulch the roots before winter.
- 3 days at 35 °C or aboveHeat-wave alert while plants are flowering or fruiting: shade and water early.
- Humidity above 80% for 48 hoursCheck for powdery mildew, which thrives in those conditions.
- Within a week of maturityHarvest-window reminder based on when you planted.
Mint questions
- When should I plant mint?
- Plant from 2 weeks before to 2 weeks after your last spring frost.
- How long until I can harvest mint?
- About 60–90 days after planting out, depending on variety and weather.
- How far apart should I plant mint?
- Allow 45–60 cm between plants.
- What grows well with mint?
- Good neighbours include tomato, cabbage, pea.
Growing guide written by Tomatograph. Planting figures from openplantdb (CC0 1.0). Zone frost dates are averages from openplantdb (CC0 1.0).