Plant your mint in the pot and insert several wooden dowels next to the plant to give it support as it grows.
Growing mint outdoors uk.
Mint is a delightful herb to grow in the garden and has many uses in the kitchen.
When growing in pots rejuvenate congested clumps by upturning the container removing the rootball and splitting it in half.
If growing outdoors you will want to plant mint plants in a section of your garden that has borders to keep runners from invading your entire garden.
Then get a pot with holes on the bottom that is at least 12 inches in diameter and some nutrient rich soil that your plant will thrive in.
Water the plant if the pot dries out and feed with an organic liquid plant food once a month during the growing season.
Mint is a vigorous plant that will spread all over the place if planted straight into the ground.
You can add 1 3 landscape sand to improve drainage if needed.
The best size of container depends really on how much mint you want to grow.
Growing mint in containers mint is particularly suited to container growing and will grow happily in potting compost.
Once the little plants are ready to transplant take containers outdoors and let them acclimate for a week to outdoor conditions before moving them.
Look for swollen stems with orange spots on the leaves.
For growing outdoors plant one or two purchased plants or one or two cuttings from a friend about 2 feet apart in moist soil.
It is best to buy mint as young plants in spring.
Repot a portion in the same container using fresh compost.
Check plants regularly for mint rust.
That said mint isn t picky.
Dig up the plant and bin it.
Water new plants regularly.
If you are growing indoors a window box or a similarly wide shallow container with good drainage works best.
Growing mint likes well drained nutrient rich moist soil with a ph between 5 6 and 7 5.
We have also asked the national herb centre what they use when growing their mint in containers and they also use multi purpose compost.
Photo by lorna kring.
Use drip irrigation or water in the morning to allow leaves to dry.
One or two plants will easily cover the ground.
Where to plant mint.
Grow mint in containers of rich well draining soil amended with 1 3 organic matter such as aged compost.
Mints will grow readily in sun or part shade and some types even survive in shade though they may become leggy.
Mint should grow to be 1 or 2 feet tall.
Ideally mint needs 1 to 2 inches 2 5 to 5 cm of water per week during the growing season.
Mint rust remains in the soil for at least three years so don t plant other mints tarragon or chives in that spot after infection.
