How to grow mint without it taking over your garden
Mint is almost impossible to kill, and that's the problem. Here's how to keep it under control.
Mint is one of the most useful herbs you can grow, and one of the most invasive. Its underground runners can spread a metre in a season.
Always contain it
Plant mint in a pot. If you want it in a border, sink a large pot or bottomless bucket into the ground with the rim 3 to 5 cm above soil level, so runners can't escape over the top.
Varieties worth trying
- Spearmint: the classic for mint sauce and mojitos.
- Peppermint: stronger, great for tea.
- Moroccan mint: clean flavour, ideal for mint tea.
- Apple and chocolate mint: fun, milder flavours.
Care
Mint likes moist soil and tolerates partial shade. Cut it back hard after flowering to get a flush of fresh leaves.
Refresh every few years
Pot-grown mint gets congested. Every two or three springs, tip it out, cut off a healthy section with roots, and replant it in fresh compost.
