GrowSabzHow to grow mint in pots
Also called pudina, na'na, menthe · Mentha spp.
پودینہ
- ☀️ Sunlight
- 4–6hours daily
- 💧 Water
- 0.4 Levery 2 days, 5 L pot
- 🌡️ Ideal temp
- 18–24°C
- 🪴 Min pot
- 5 L15 cm deep
- 🧺 Harvest
- 30–60days from sowing
- ⚖️ Yield
- 0.2 kgper 20 L pot
Mint keeps producing once it starts. First picking comes around day 30, and the plant then crops for roughly 180 more days — but only if you keep picking. Letting it run to flower is what ends the supply.
Short answer
Grow mint in a 5 litre container at least 15 cm deep, watering about 600 ml per 10 litres of soil every 2 days, and keep temperatures between 18 and 24 °C. First harvest comes 30–60 days after sowing.
Where to plant it
What size pot does mint need?
5 litres and 15 cm deep is the realistic minimum for a single plant. Pick a container below to see what changes.
| Container | Minimum size | Depth | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pot | 5 L | 15 cm | Use pots with drainage, consider root barrier to prevent spread if planting multiple. |
| Grow bag | 5 L | 15 cm | Good for containing spread and providing aeration. |
| Open ground | — | 20 cm | Use root barriers (e.g., buried plastic or metal) to prevent aggressive spreading. |
| Raised bed | 10 L | 20 cm | Excellent for containing spread and ensuring good drainage. |
Watering
How often should you water mint?
Every 2 days through the growing season, at about 600 ml per 10 litres of soil — daily in hot weather, every 4 days when it turns cool. Water in the early morning. Bottom watering or gentle top watering works best.
Too little water
- wilting leaves
- stunted growth
- yellowing leaves
Too much water
- yellow lower leaves
- mushy stem
- root rot
Avoid: drying out completely; soggy soil; overhead watering in humid conditions.
Climate
Can you grow mint where you live?
No hardiness zone needed — compare your actual temperatures against the plant's own limits.
| Ideal range | 18 – 24 °C |
|---|---|
| Survives | -5 – 35 °C |
| Germinates above | 18 °C — best at 21 °C, about 10 days |
| Flowers drop | above 30 °C, or below 10 °C |
| Sunlight | 4–8 hrs/day, best 6 |
| Frost | Medium sensitivity |
The flower-drop thresholds matter more than the survival ones. A plant can be perfectly alive at 35 °C and still give you nothing.
How cold is too cold for mint? Check your temperaturesEnter your night low and day high — see if it survives, and if it will cropTimeline
Mint growing stages, day by day
Click any stage to see what's happening. Durations shift with temperature — a warm season runs roughly a quarter faster than a cool one.
Feeding
Fertiliser schedule for mint
Feed on the interval below, changing what you give as the plant shifts from making leaves to making fruit.
| Stage | What to use | Per 10 L | Every |
|---|
How to prepare each feed
Common mistakes
Why mint fails, and how to avoid it
- A container that is too small
Below 5 litres the root run is too shallow. The plant grows, flowers late, and drops whatever it sets because it cannot support the crop.
- Watering too lightly
A daily splash wets the top few centimetres and nothing else. Mint wants about 600 ml per 10 litres of soil — one deep soak beats three shallow ones.
- Ignoring the flower-drop threshold
Above 30 °C, or below 10 °C, flowers fall before setting. The plant can look perfectly healthy and still give you nothing — shade it through the hottest hours.
- Harvesting too late
Left too long the colour changes, seeds harden and the flavour sharpens. Pick on the signs listed below, not on the calendar.
- Planting it beside Parsley
Mint's aggressive root system can outcompete and stunt the growth of parsley.
Companions
What to plant with mint
Good neighbours
Mint can help repel cabbage worms and flea beetles, protecting brassicas.
When planted in a separate, contained pot nearby, mint can deter spider mites and aphids from tomatoes.
Mint's strong scent can help deter aphids from roses.
Mint can attract beneficial insects like hoverflies and predatory wasps, which prey on carrot pests.
Keep apart from
Mint's aggressive root system can outcompete and stunt the growth of parsley.
Mint can inhibit the growth of chamomile, potentially due to allelopathic effects or competition.
Lavender prefers drier, less fertile soil and full sun, which contrasts with mint's preference for moist, richer soil and partial shade.
Rosemary thrives in well-drained, somewhat dry conditions, which are incompatible with mint's need for consistent moisture.
Sage, like rosemary and lavender, prefers drier soil and can be overwhelmed by mint's vigorous growth and water requirements.
Problems
Mint pests and diseases
Each lists the weather that brings it on, so you know when to start checking rather than reacting once it's established.
Mint Rust humidity >70% · temp 15-25
Appears as orange, brown, or yellow pustules on the undersides of leaves and stems. Can cause defoliation and weaken the plant.
Powdery Mildew humidity 50-70% · temp 20-27
White, powdery spots on leaves, especially in humid, shaded conditions with poor air circulation. Can stunt growth.
Aphids humidity any · temp 15-25
Small, soft-bodied insects that cluster on new growth and the undersides of leaves, sucking sap and causing distorted leaves.
Spider Mites humidity <50% · temp >27
Tiny pests that cause stippling (small dots) on leaves, leading to yellowing and eventual leaf drop. Fine webbing may be visible.
Verticillium Wilt humidity any · temp 18-28
Causes yellowing and wilting of leaves, often on one side of the plant, eventually leading to plant death. A soil-borne fungal disease.
Root Rot humidity any · temp any
Caused by overwatering or poor drainage. Leaves yellow, plant wilts, and roots become mushy and dark. Ensure well-draining soil.
Harvest
When to harvest mint
First picking falls between day 30 and day 60, and the plant then keeps producing for about 180 days. Pick often — what you leave on the plant signals it to stop making more.
How to tell it's ready
- Leaves are fragrant and abundant, before flowering for best flavor.
How much to expect
Storing it: Fresh in a glass of water on the counter, refrigerated in a damp paper towel, or dried.
Questions
Mint: common questions
How long does mint take to grow?
About 60 days from sowing to the first harvest, with picking usually starting between day 30 and day 60. It then keeps producing for roughly 180 more days. Warm weather pulls that forward; cool weather pushes it back.
What size pot does mint need?
At least 5 litres and 15 cm deep for one plant. A raised bed wants 10 litres of soil and 20 cm of depth.
How often should I water mint?
About 600 ml per 10 litres of soil, every 2 days in normal weather — daily when it is hot and every 4 days when cool. Water in the early morning.
What temperature does mint need?
It does best between 18 °C and 24 °C and survives from -5 °C to 35 °C. Seed needs soil above 18 °C to germinate, ideally around 21 °C.
Can I grow mint in winter?
It tolerates cold better than most, down to about -5 °C, so a sheltered spot or a cold frame will often carry it through.
How do I know when mint is ready to harvest?
Leaves are fragrant and abundant, before flowering for best flavor.. Once picked: fresh in a glass of water on the counter, refrigerated in a damp paper towel, or dried.
How much does one mint plant produce?
Roughly 0.2 kg from a 20 litre container, or about 0.5 kg in open ground. Larger containers give proportionally more, up to a point.