Mint is easy to grow and hard to kill — which makes it one of the best plants for a beginning gardener! You can buy a plant at the store or grow your own from cuttings.
Peppermint, spearmint, chocolate mint, pineapple mint… there are so many types of mint in the world! As a refreshing glass of cold tea, as a condiment in Middle Eastern and Thai dishes, in ice cream, mint is a worldwide favorite. It’s especially known for its soothing effect on the stomach.
In general, it may be my favorite herb. It is such a nostalgic plant for me. All through my growing up years, I loved to visit my grandparents’ home in the country near St. Joseph, Missouri.
A large patch of spearmint grew behind their clothesline, and I delighted to pluck fresh leaves from the plant and munch on them as I wandered around their property.
I later convinced my dad to plant spearmint and peppermint at home when I was no older than six. We planted both out near our lilac bushes. The peppermint lasted only about ten years, but my spearmint kept growing until last fall when my dad redid part of his backyard. That plant blessed my family with mint for at least 24 years!
When I moved to Mexico in my late teens, I really missed my mint plants. A few years ago, when I drove to my favorite farm for their bi-weekly market, I came home with spearmint and planted the cuttings in my small garden space — simply moistening the ground, trimming the ends of the mint, and placing it in the ground. Sure enough, it grew and grew and grew!
One day, while thinning my mint, I decided to go into the business of selling spearmint plants to my friends. I found little pots and clipped off a few sections of my plants to propagate and sell. There are at least 20 households that now have spearmint or peppermint from my two plants. It’s amazing how much a simple plant can give!
Here are two methods for growing your own mint from cuttings. My personal favorite is the first, but I have grown mint from both of these methods at different times of the year (any time except the dead of winter).
Since mint is a very fast-growing plant, it’s a good idea to keep it in a pot or some sort of container with boundaries so it doesn’t take over your garden or yard. If you are growing more than one type of mint, it is important to keep them separate. Otherwise, they will eventually mix and have an off-flavor. Don’t ask how I know. 😉
Method 1
Cut the stem just below a node (where a leaf grows) on the plant. Remove all but the top leaves. Stick a few cuttings into a small pot with moist soil. Keep out of direct sunlight for about a week to allow it to root and adjust to its new environment. As the mint grows, replant in a larger pot or in the ground.
Method 2
Cut the mint stem just below a node (where a leaf grows) on the plant. Remove all but the top leaves. Stick a few cuttings into a glass jar with about one inch of water. Keep out of direct sunlight and change the water everyday. In approximately one week, roots will begin to grow. Replant the mint in a small pot with moist soil. As the mint grows, replant in a larger pot or in the ground.
Have you tried either of these methods? How did they work for you? Please feel free to share your tips!
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I have tried both methods and each time the mint just wilted and died.
I’m so sorry Christa. I’ve only had that happen once in all the years I have regrown mint. I’m trying to think what may have gone wrong for you, but I am not sure.
Grow in pots only!!! I had this growing on the side of my house and it took over. Had to poison it to get rid of it! Then I couldn’t plant anything there for one year. It’s crazy!!!
Which herbal pesticide to be use for removing fungus? And which organic fertilizer to be use for best growth.
Hi, my mint had a few stems full of leaves when I bought it. First, it started to grow, but then all the stems dried but one, I thought all the plant would die but this remaining stem kept growing up. I was thinking on regrowing a cutting in the same pot so it would look like it was before but when I started moving the soil to plant the cutting I noticed some bugs in it, there’s one black like a fly, there’s another one white and there’s another one like a really light blue, almost white. I don’t know if they are bad for my mint. I had a lavander before and it died and had the same white bugs, but just the white ones. I’m scared these bugs will kill my mint. Someone knows how to get rid of them?
Neem oil is a good natural pesticide. Just google it 🙂
Those methods are exactly how I start my mint. I buy some at the grocery store. I remove the leaves as I either cook with them, use them in salads or make a couple of mint juleps. I snip just below a node. I do leave a couple small leaves at the top. I put the prepped cuttings in a small glass of water. After 1-2 weeks tiny white roots are forming. When they are fairly substantial looking I transplant them into my small mint garden … usually weeding, loosening the soils a bit adding a bit of garden soil for added nutrition. I could probably stop buying new mint but I just like making the cuttings and putting them into the ground.
I’ve started doing the same thing with basil.
That’s great Richard! How is your basil doing?
Some plants roots quickly; some root slowly. So far the basil is one of those slow rooting plants. lol
During the time when you kept it in glass of water where did you keep it.?? Like I’m heat Or in warm place inside the house? How much sunlight does it require!?
Can I take cuttings from other herbs. E.g. tyme rosmary sage
I have never tried to myself but from what I have read the process is similar. Good luck!
I’d try the simplest thing first. More complicated is to root in aerated water with 1/4 strength fertilizer (you can cover your container with foil and poke holes to hold cuttings). Optional is to add soluble roofing hormone to the hydroponic liquid, or to dip the bottom of the stem into rootone as you put it in the liquid. As soon as a few roots or nodelus show plant in soil or other growing medium.
I’m going to try putting cuttings directly into outdoor soil in partial shade and keeping soil moist before anything more difficult. = P
I’m all about trying the simplest methods first! 😉
Mint is very invasive and will take over everything. I would keep it in a pot!
I am trying to grow mint from store bought cuttings using second method. I put them in water yesterday. The thing is they were not fresh leaves and were kinda wrinkled but still green when I put them in water. They were also kinda long as I did not want to cut off too much of the stem. Today I saw that few of the leaves have started to dry out. What can I do to make sure they stay healthy and form roots? Will they continue growing or will they wither off and fall?
I have propagated a section of mint in a glass of water for the first time a couple of months ago. It didn’t grow roots but, instead it started growing little off-shoots from the submerged part of the stem. I decided to plant by covering the stem in soil and letting the off-shoots face upwards. I now have a successful plant growing!
That’s wonderful Margie! Thank you for coming back and letting us know! 🙂
Love it! I just did the same.
Fingers crossed it’s working.
I’m picky about my mint. This last batch from the grocery store was the best tasting, thick large leaf that I have found in a long time.
Trying 2 stems an little leaves are growing in the water. Fingers crossed they will continue to grow
My leaves also wilt and die. Hmm. I’ll try again
Every single time I have attempted the water method, the leaves have just wilted and died. I keep trying, but absolutely no luck. Trying again now with lovely-looking fresh mint from an oriental grocery store but not very optimistic, TBH., I would really like it to work because during the pandemic, potted herbs have become very scarce, and no mint to be found anywhere.
Do you change the water daily? Mine already have roots after a week or so, but i do change the water frequently. And to be honest i didn’t expect much, because they were quite wilted when i bought the cuttings, but they are doing great. Keep them in a jar, away from direct sunlight, and change the water daily. Also make sure to make more ‘wounds’, by getting rid of the bottom leaves and the stems with the wounds to be submerged under water. That’s there mine are shooting new roots.
The method works great. Thank you, I have about a dozen new mint plants. I have found that the water method works best with purified water (from RO system or bottle). Don’t use tap water, as the plant has to deal with the Chemicals in tap. Thanks Again
This is great thank you!! I just purchased some sweet mint and want to make sure I continue to have the plant. I tried a year ago, but it grew some what moldy stuff on it. Hoping that this year’s plant will let me have mint for a long time!
If i plant cutting in soil how often do i water it?
Mint loves damp soil .so watering daily should be ok.
One method I’m going to try is when you get a runner, place a pot of soil under it. The runner will spread to fertile soil so a new mint plant should appear in just a few weeks.
So now I have planted my new cuttings, but there is just one tall stem that is falling over. Do I cut this back or let it grow? Where does the new growth come from, new shoots or branching?
Does mint require a pot with holes in the bottom like most vegetables?
Really like these new tips, which I haven’t heard of before, like the How to Grow Mint from Cuttings . Can’t wait to implement some of these as soon as possible.
It’s so funny! I grew up in the country on a farm. There was SO much spearmint growing wild ALL over the place! I used to eat and and my pony grazed on it so much he always had minty fresh breath! LOL! That being said, Ive just obtained potted mint and I am ironically looking for a way to procreate one for my daughter! And I most decidedly do not have a green thumb! lol
Yesterday i bought a grown mint plant. i am very new to this and i dont know how to nurture the mint plant….like how much water is required daily?How much sunlight is necessary? do we need to keep it in direct sunlight or 6-8hrs of sunlight is sufficient? and how to cut the leaves for using purpose?
Personally, I have always used method 1 and it has always worked well for me. Thanks for the tips!
Always used the same method (1) and it is easily the best out of there. This article is very well put together and will help future mint growers.