Care of Spearmint Mint in the garden should be mulched annually to keep the roots cool and moist. Potted mint does best when fertilized monthly during the growing season with a liquid fertilizer. Divide plants every two years to keep them healthy. Prune potted plants regularly to keep neat and tidy.
Is spearmint an outdoor plant?
Spearmint thrives in USDA zones 4a to 11 and does not tolerate the cold. It does well indoors on a window or under a grow light.
Does spearmint come back every year?
Mint is frost tolerant. It usually dies back in the winter but comes back in spring. Because mint tends to take over, many gardeners plant mint in a small pot and then plant that pot in the ground or inside a larger container.
Does spearmint like sun or shade?
Spearmint will give you the best flavor when it is grown in a full sun location. If you live in a hot area where the soil dries out quickly, add an inch of natural mulch like leaves, grass, or compost to retain moisture.
Is spearmint an indoor or outdoor plant?
Unlike many other herbs, mint is very easy to grow indoors, as long as you give the plant enough light and consistent moisture (more on both of these in a later section). Mint also makes a surprisingly beautiful houseplant.
What temperature is too cold for spearmint?
This means that spearmint in the ground can even survive winter conditions as low as -40 degrees Fahrenheit or -40 degrees Celsius. The ideal growing temperatures for mints are warm sunny days (24°C) and cool nights (14°C).
Does spearmint keep mosquitoes away?
Spearmint and peppermint are reputed to work well against insects like mosquitoes, flies, and spiders, making them ideal for the backyard garden.
How do you winterize mint?
If you do want to preserve mint for cooking over the winter months, it’s better to harvest clean, fresh leaves now, chop finely, pack into ice-cube containers, immerse thoroughly in water and freeze.
How do you revive spearmint plants?
Water the mint as frequently as required to keep the soil moist and the mint should recover from a wilted appearance in a few days. It is also important to plant mint in pots with drainage holes in the base which allows excess water to escape and prevent root rot.
How long does mint last outside?
Mint planted in the ground is hardier than mint grown in containers. The open soil allows the plant to develop strong roots and tolerate temperature variances. For this reason, mint can live for up to 10 years when planted in the ground.
What bugs does spearmint repel?
Spearmint and peppermint are often noted for their ability to repel flies, fleas, and spiders in the garden. One thing to keep in mind when planting mint is that it is an invasive plant and will spread quickly.
How often should you water spearmint?
Water mint plants twice a week with a thorough watering so that excess water trickles from the base of the pot or container. Mint plants require the soil to be evenly moist but not saturated to prevent wilting and avoid root rot. If the top inch of the soil feels dry, give your mint plants a good soak.
How do I make my mint plant bushy?
For bushier, healthier mint, pinch off the top two sets of leaves regularly. Don’t be afraid to cut leggy mint plants to the ground, as shown at left. They’ll quickly send up new shoots full of fragrant leaves.
Does spearmint spread like mint?
Spearmint, which is more vigorous than peppermint, has an even faster growth/spread rate.
Can mint survive winter?
Mint, parsley and rosemary are all hardy plants that will survive even in the snow. However, cold weather will reduce their growth, so you should limit the harvest. If you take too much, the plant may die. Make sure your pots have good drainage – waterlogged roots will rot and die.
What herbs can stay outside in winter?
Cold-hardy herbs, such as chives, mint, oregano, parsley, sage and thyme, can often survive cold-winter temperatures while continuing to produce flavorful foliage, as long as they are provided with some protection or grown indoors.
What temperature can mint survive outside?
Mint prefers full sun but will grow just fine in partial shade. Mint prefers temperatures between 55 and 70°F (13–21ºC). If you live in a cold-winter region, protect mint through the winter in a container placed under a covered patio, in the garage, or in the kitchen.
What animals does mint keep away?
Mint. Mint isn’t just great for cooking. Its oils are proven to repel fleas, ticks, ants, mice and moths. Mint is an invasive plant, so you’ll want to put it separately from your garden (unless, of course, you want an all-mint garden).
What bugs does mint attract?
Let your mint go to flower and it will attract bees, beneficial wasps, hoverflies (aphid eaters), and tachinid flies (parasitic on nasty bugs).
What animals eat mint plants?
Some of the less desirable nibblers include aphids, thrips, slugs, and snails, and even bunnies love to nibble on the sweet-smelling plant. If you witness damage to the plant and rule out the above culprits, another invader might just be worms in the mint plant.
Should mint be cut back for winter?
Trimming mint plants to the ground before winter is an essential part of preventing insect pests and diseases, such as anthracnose, that would otherwise overwinter in the plants.