How To Grow Mint Indoors: Easy to Follow Steps for a Thriving Plant

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Instead of spending money on fresh mint leaves or mint extract, you can grow mint indoors for a bountiful harvest. Mint leaves are easy to harvest, preserve, and store. You don’t need a lot of space to grow them either and mint spreads quickly! You can keep your mint contained in a large container and watch as new leaves and stems grow. Follow along to learn how to grow mint indoors, step by step.

Mint is an easy plant to grow indoors. Not only does it provide a pop of color to your home, but it also smells delicious. No more running to the store to buy fresh mint or mint extract! You can grow mint indoors in several ways. If you have the right lighting, a window is enough space. However, you aren’t doomed if your home doesn’t get enough natural bright light. You can also use LED grow lights and set them to automatically turn on and off on a cycle. If you want effortless gardening, you can also invest in a small indoor hydroponics kit for your kitchen.

Mint plants are aromatic herbs that spread quickly. They spread so quickly that they can become invasive. Mint is a genus of plants with about 20 different species. However, the amount of species is heavily debated and there are hundreds of cultivars and hybrids. Some types of mint you can grow indoors include wild mint, water mint, spearmint, slender mint, and apple mint. Popular cultivars are chocolate mint, Cuban mint, and Moroccan mint.

Mint has many uses. It’s used in many Middle Eastern dishes. The leaves can be dried and stored quickly. Mint is also used in a lot of Indian cuisine for flavoring strong dishes. It’s also very popular in tea and is used as a garnish for drinks. Mint is almost everywhere. You can find this flavor in gum, toothpaste, and mint chocolate. Mint is also used in perfumes and lotions.

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There are many ways to grow mint indoors. This guide is going to discuss how to grow mint indoors using a bright space near a window. You don’t need a lot of light though to grow mint!

The first step to growing mint indoors is to set up your container and plant the seed. So, what kind of container or soil does a mint plant need? Mint plants don’t need a lot of space, but the more space they have, the farther they spread. As long as your pot is 10 inches in diameter though, your sweet-smelling plant should thrive. The container can be made with any material, as long as there are drainage holes at the bottom. Mint plants don’t like to have ‘soggy feet’.

Mint plants need high-quality and nutritious soil. You can buy potting soil in your nearest garden store and it should work. They also like slightly acidic soil, with pH levels between 6.5 and 7.0. After you fill your container with soil, you’re ready to plant your mint. Mint seeds are super tiny. I recommend using tweezers to pinch two to three. Make a small hole in the center of the soil and place the seeds. They should only be about a fourth of an inch or less deep. Any deeper, and it can take longer for the seeds to germinate. Sometimes, the seeds don’t germinate at all. To increase your chances, plant more than two seeds in a container, but space them out by about 2 to 3 inches.

After you have a pot with soil and mint seeds, you’ll need to find the perfect spot. Mint needs a lot of bright and direct sunlight. Most windows receive enough sunlight for mint plants. Choose a windowsill that is out of reach from pets. Some mint cultivars are toxic to cats and dogs, check the seed packet before planting. To avoid damage to the windowsill and dripping water, you can always sit your mint plant in a water collecting tray. However, this comes with a risk as moisture can attract pests and lead to root rot.

So, how much water does a mint plant need? Once your container is situated in a warm and sunny spot, you can water your plant. Mint plants need about 1 to 2 inches of water per week. You won’t need to water your plant every day. The best way to check on your plant’s water needs is by checking the top 1 to 2 inches of soil. Thoroughly water your plant so the soil is evenly wet. Enough water should be used so that it drips out from the drainage holes.

But what happens if you water your plant too much? Mint needs water to grow and develop leaves, but too much water can cause wilting, yellow leaves, and an unpleasant odor. A sign that your plant has too much water is the overnight growth of mushrooms. It’s better to underwater your plants, than over water. Over-watering can kill as it leads to diseases like root rot, mint rust, and mildew.

One of the biggest problems with growing any plant indoors is that there isn’t always enough air flow or circulation, which attracts pests like aphids and gnats. Too much moisture and not enough airflow also cause fungus and mold, which looks like white powder or fuzziness on the top level of the soil. If you want to avoid these problems, you can use a dehumidifier or use a small fan for air circulation.

The next step in our guide to how to grow mint indoors is to use fertilizers or amend your soil. Usually, though, it’s not necessary. Typically, the soil has enough nutrients. Some even have slow-release fertilizers. However, if you want to boost your plant’s growth, you can add a small amount of 16-16-16 fertilizer during spring. One application is enough. Over fertilizing, like over watering, can lead to mint rust and low production. Too much of one nutrient can stress your mint plant.

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Mint plants are fast-growing. In no time, you can have a small bush filled with aromatic leaves. The seeds only take 10 to 15 days. Usually, you don’t need to do any extra pruning, but it doesn’t hurt. If you notice that any of your mint leaves or branches have developed fungus, snip them off with a sterile knife or scissors. This way, the disease doesn’t spread. The same goes for dying or wilting leaves. Clip dead or dying leaves, so your plant can focus its energy on developing new leaves.

Harvesting mint is very easy. Just snip any leaves or branches you’d like to use. These plants are resilient and bounce back. However, you shouldn’t yank on the plant as you can accidentally pull and damage the roots. Preserving mint leaves is easy too. You don’t need to use them right away. Instead, harvest mint leaves, rinse, and pat dry them with a paper towel. You can either store them in the refrigerator, freezer or a container with water. If you place them in the refrigerator, don’t seal the zip-top bag. Trapping air and moisture can lead to mold. To freeze them, chop the leaves into small pieces. Place these leaves into an ice cube tray with water and freeze. When you need the mint leaves, slowly thaw them out in the refrigerator.

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