The fresh smell of mint wafting through your kitchen or garden is pleasing to say the least, and it doesn't just have to come from the supermarket. You can learn how to grow mint from cuttings to add to your herb garden ideas so you have an abundance of leaves to add to summer salads and evening dishes.
Your garden ideas will hopefully be blooming by now, whether you've been planting herbs, veggies, or flowers - or, a beautiful combination of all three. But if you haven't yet added mint to your houseplant collection or garden border ideas, you're missing a trick, especially once you know how easy it is to learn how to grow mint from cuttings.
'Mint is extremely easy to grow and rewards you with plenty of beautifully scented leaves that will make both your kitchen or garden smell delightful,' says Kate Lindley, Product Manager, Baby Bio. 'It doesn’t require much attention, so is perfect for those embarking on growing their own herbs for the first time.'
So if you're wondering how to grow mint from cuttings, the good news is that this isn't a complicated venture - especially with the help of our guide, which will talk you through every step of the way.
How to grow mint from cuttings
You can either grow mint in a pot or in the ground, but you'll probably get the best results with a pot. This is because mint is a plant that spreads vigorously, so you risk it interfering with other plants if you put it in the ground.
Here's everything you need to know about how to grow mint from cuttings - you'll just need to get yourself some essential supplies first.
What you'll need
- Mint cuttings - taken from a healthy mint plant, which are available in most supermarkets. There's also plenty of mint plants on Amazon
- Secateurs - grab a nice sharp pair of secateurs from Amazon
- Glass container - to hold your mint cuttings. There's a range of glass containers available at Amazon
- Plant pot/s - stock up on plant pots at Amazon
- Multipurpose compost - you can bulk multipurpose compost at Amazon
Step-by-step
1. Collect your cuttings
To learn how to grow mint from cuttings, you firstly need to get hold of adequate cuttings that will grow into a blossoming mint plant. Taking your mint plant - you can buy these at local supermarkets, garden centres, and Amazon - use your secateurs to take the cuttings, just below a leaf node. A nice sharp pair of secateurs, like these JEOutdoors Pruning Sheers, £9.99 at Amazon, are ideal.
'Make the cut about 8 centimetres from the top,' says Fiona Jenkins, Gardening Expert, MyJobQuote. 'And make sure the cuttings are non-flowering sprigs, as the energy that would go into producing flowers instead will be used to create roots for the cutting instead.'
Collect as many cuttings as you want to grow - one cutting will get you one mint plant.
2. Prepare your cuttings
Remove the lower leaves from the cutting and trim the stem at a 45 degree angle, just like you would when learning how to grow hydrangeas in pots.
3. Put your cuttings in water
Next, take your glass container - like these Clear Glass Bottles, 6 for £12.99 at Amazon, or you can even use an empty jar. Fill with clean water and place your mint cuttings inside. Leave your jar in a light, airy, and preferably sunny location.
4. Wait for the roots to develop
Change the water every couple of days to encourage growth, and after 2-3 weeks, you should notice roots start to develop. Once the roots are showing, you can pot your mint cuttings.
When our Deputy Digital Editor Rebecca Knight tried propagating mint at home she found that roots appeared in under a week when the weather was particularly warm and sunny.
5. Pot your mint
'It is possible to grow mint straight into beds and borders, however as most varieties grow so quickly and are invasive, we recommend restricting their roots to pots, whether that is on the patio outside or on the windowsill in your kitchen,' says Daniel Carruthers, Grow Your Own Expert, Cultivar Greenhouses.
Take a pot with a drainage hole, and choose a size that corresponds with the amount of mint you want to grow. The bigger the pot, the more produce you'll have at the end. These Set of 3 Terracotta Plant Pots, £14 at Argos, are 40cm wide, giving your mint plenty of space to grow.
Fill your pot with multipurpose compost, or even better if you know how to make compost and you use your own. Plant your mint cuttings in the soil.
6. Tend to the plant
Once potted, make sure the soil is firm around the plant stems to keep them secure. Water the mint plant at least twice a week, or whenever the compost starts to feel dry. Avoid daily watering or you might have to learn how to save an overwatered plant. You can also trim the tops of the cuttings to reduce water loss through the leaves.
7. Harvest
After 6-8 weeks, your mint will be ready to harvest. 'Simply pick individual leaves or full sprigs off the plant as regularly as desired,' says Kate from Baby Bio. 'The more you pick off and cut back, the more you will stimulate fresh growth and be rewarded with bushier mint plants.'
Now you know how to grow mint from cuttings, you can add them to curry dishes and salads - perhaps even in cocktails?
FAQs
How do you take cuttings from mint?
To take cuttings from mint, use a pair of secateurs and cut a healthy stem from the plant. This should be around 8-10 cm in length.
'Choose a tender stem with three or more nodes (the place where a new leaf will emerge), and strip the leaves from the bottom couple of inches of the stem,' says Daniel Carruthers. 'Then, all you have to do is place it in a jar with around two inches of clean water, which you should change every few days, and place it on a sunny windowsill for a couple of weeks until roots begin to develop.'
How long does it take for mint cuttings to root in water?
Mint cuttings should take around 2 weeks to start developing roots. Change the water every few days, so your mint can stay nicely hydrated and you encourage the roots to grow.
Keep your cuttings in a glass container so you can clearly see the roots without having to take the mint out.
How should you care for mint?
'Mint prefers a position in full sun, so be sure to choose a spot that gets plenty of daylight,' says Kate Lindley. 'It also needs plenty of water to grow, so be generous with watering, particularly during summer months.'
Mint plants will thrive with sunlight, water, and richly fertile soil, so you could even feed it some extra nutrients if you're keen to encourage growth. Try adding some Baby Bio Herb Food, £4.29 at Amazon, to enrich soil with the perfect balance of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Use once every two weeks during the active growth period for even tastier and more aromatic mint.
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