Growing Mint, also Garden mint

Mentha spicata : Lamiaceae / the mint family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
              S S S S S
T               T T T T
P               P P P P

(Best months for growing Mint in Australia - temperate regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • P = Sow seed
  • Easy to grow. Grow in trays and plant out or start from cuttings. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 70°F and 75°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 12 inches apart
  • Harvest in 8-12 weeks. Cut leaves from top with scissors.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Cabbages, Tomatoes

Your comments and tips

18 Jan 16, Jennifer (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
What's the best form of fertiliser if any, for mint and other root running herbs? Thanks
12 Nov 15, MANJU (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I PLANTED MINT AND CUCUMBER IN THE SAME TRAY. THE MINT IS NOT GROWING AS IT WAS BEFORE . IT IS MORE THAN 6 WEEKS BUT THERE ARE NO FLOWERS IN CUCUMBER PLANT. HOW MUCH TIME DOES IT TAKE TO PRODUCE THE CUCUMBERS
23 Dec 15, Mark (Australia - tropical climate)
Do you fertilise with pot ash?
29 Jul 15, Apples (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I grow you're everyday mint and chocolate mint.Smells great but no flavour,any ideas?
03 Nov 14, (Australia - arid climate)
How do I stop the caterpillar from eating my mint?
27 Oct 14, (Australia - arid climate)
Adelaide- I know the green grubs well....I've found that a gentle shake will dislodge the grubs making them easier to find. My question is......does anyone know the moth- butterfly responsible
26 Jun 14, louisa (South Africa - Dry summer sub-tropical climate)
something is eating my mint. any organic bug killer available? thank you
21 Jul 14, Steve (Australia - temperate climate)
Dipel or catapiller killer, is certified organic, it works by rotting the gut of the catapiller. They stop eating the plant straight away and die within 3-4 days, also non toxic when the birds eat them after
16 May 14, Andryan (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi, I have a few pots of mint plants, and I notice since around Feb or March that my mint leaves have been very tiny and some of them even have a bare stalk closer to the ground. I water them almost everynight and they have access to plenty of sunlight. I didn't put any ferteliser on it because the last time I put ferteliser on it, they all flower and I have to pick and discard all the flowers (can I do something about the flower?). I was wondering what have I been doing wrong and what can I do to make remedy this situations? Thank you guys
22 Feb 14, Rhonda (Australia - temperate climate)
I have been growing mint in a Grow Bag and it's flourishing but there are strange little silver-white streaks on most of the older leaves. I pick the good, young leaves but would love to know what is causing this. It doesn't look like a fungus. My local nurseryman says he thinks it's some sort of insect. Any organic solutions?
Showing 31 - 40 of 64 comments

I have a few patches of mint - in a garden bed and in pots. It thrives in spring and summer, but still grows quite well through winter. In the last two years, though, I have had a pest; a tiny fly that must lay its eggs in teh growing tips. This causes the tiny terminal leaves to stick together as the eggs hatch and teh larvae feed. If I prise the tip leaves apart I can (just) see tiny, tiny yellowish maggots. I took them to a lab and examined these under a microscope. Sure enough they are typical maggots - legless, hairless, pointed at one end and flat at the bum (spiracle) end, wriggling about. They are about 1 mm long. It kills the tips - they go brown and once the larvae change into adults the tips dry out and die. Does anyone know what the ID of this fly is? And what I should do? I'm guessing remove all tips, put out yellow sticky paper for the adult flies and maybe spray with spinosad? Or stop growing mint for a season??? Help! I do love mint in my mojitos!

- Sally

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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
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