Growing mint in a pot
Mint is the only plant in this guide where the question is not whether it grows, but how to contain it. It tolerates partial shade, forgives a missed watering and keeps going well into autumn. The one rule that matters: never put mint in the same pot as anything else.
At a glance
- Light
- 3 to 6 hours, partial shade is fine
- Pot depth
- Pot 20 cm deep, always on its own
- Sowing
- Sow April to June, or take cuttings year-round
- Harvest
- Continuously, May until first frost
- Water
- Often — mint likes moist compost
- Level
- Very easy
Sowing or cuttings
Cuttings are faster than seed and give exactly the flavour you know. Stand a ten-centimetre sprig in a glass of water, wait a week for white roots to appear, then pot it up.
If you do sow, scatter the seed on the surface and press it down only. Mint seed is tiny and germinates on light; covering it works against you.
Always on its own
Mint spreads through underground runners and takes over a whole trough in a single season. In a mixed herb planter your thyme, oregano or parsley will be gone within a year.
One pot, one mint plant. If you want several kinds — peppermint, Moroccan mint, lemon mint — give each its own pot.
Harvesting
Cut whole stems just above a pair of leaves rather than picking individual leaves. The plant branches at that point and fills out.
In spring you can safely cut back a third of the plant at once. Mint answers a hard prune with more shoots, not fewer.
Common mistakes
Putting mint in with other herbs. It is not a question of whether that goes wrong, but when.
Letting it flower: once mint flowers the leaves get smaller and less aromatic. Pinch off flower buds as soon as you see them.
Frequently asked questions
Why does mint need its own pot?
Mint spreads through underground runners and crowds out anything beside it within a season. In a mixed herb planter the rest will be gone after a year.
Does mint die indoors over winter?
The top growth dies back in winter, indoors too. That is normal: the roots live on and it returns by itself in March. Water far less during that period.
Can mint grow on a north-facing balcony?
Yes. Mint is one of the few edible plants perfectly happy on three hours of light a day.
Updated on 2026-08-25
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