Mint condition!

[Raybon]

Hi, can you tell me how to keep mint going?
It has been very good, lush and green, but now it has that shrivelled look although well watered.....do people re-plant all season? Has it come to the end of its natural run?
Mine is in (deep) pots, and a ceramic sink.
I need it for my peas, couscous, and tatties - thought I had planted enough to last the season.

[Bren In Pots]

I've always thought you couldn't kill off mint unless you burnt it, I've got 4 different sorts growing in buckets and it only gets watered when I remember to do it. Think i must have owned them for at least 10 year.

[AllInContainers]

Mint is normally a brute that takes over everything, in fact you might even get people queueing up here to ask your secret Any pics?

[scarey55]

I leave my mint all year and, like Bren, I only water it when I think of it. When it dies off it winter it usually comes back the next year.

[Raybon]

Mint is normally a brute that takes over everything, in fact you might even get people queueing up here to ask your secret Any pics?

No pics - another learning curve to face!
It's not dying, in fact still producing shoots, just that the leaves are not as lush and green, a bit small and stumpy. No rust, by the way!
It has returned from last year, grew brilliantly to begin with! Maybe I should start some off in another pot.......thanks.

[Ja9]

I have managed to kill mint off in a large pot...the stems went purple and twisted and the leaves small. I'm growing it in a bed where it can romp away now. Very irritating as don't exactly expect to kill mint!

[snakeshack]

Mint condition!

Mine is rampant, grown in a tyre on top of woven membrane but it still escapes into the beds occasionally , I top dress mine with compost from the heap I the spring when it's still dormant and water when I remember, you could try a liquid feed to see if it peps up


Sent from my iPhone using Grow Your Own Forum

[roitelet]

Chop it off and it will regrow lovely and lush

[Bal]

I only grow mint in pots after being invaded in my lady garden. It only gets watered when I remember, and still keeps going. Occasionally when I feel sorry for it I do divide and re pot it, I now have about 8 pots of it. I just can't through plants out!

[Bill HH]

Chop it off and it will regrow lovely and lush

Same here but I chop half of mine off (so I still have some to use) I cut it right back to the soil and sprinkle some blood fish and bone on it. Comes up fresh and green. Mind you it eventually gets pot bound so every two or thee years I tip it out and split it up into smaller pieces.

[arpoet]

as above, cut it back to a few inches high and it will soon sort its self out.

[Fleurisa]

Have you got yours in sun or shade? Mine is in the shade, no signs of going crispy

[Bren In Pots]

I read that mint likes morning sunshine and afternoon shade, so you might be onto something there Fleurisa.

[Greenleaves]

Mine does the same and becomes quite woody....agree with roitelet's suggestion.

[Raybon]

Same here but I chop half of mine off (so I still have some to use) I cut it right back to the soil and sprinkle some blood fish and bone on it. Comes up fresh and green. Mind you it eventually gets pot bound so every two or thee years I tip it out and split it up into smaller pieces.

Think I know what I've been doing wrong!
When I have needed mint I have not been cutting whole length stems, but about halfway down in the hope that new growth will be stimulated.
Well it is - but in short, spriggy bits with small leaves, perhaps too many for the plant to cope with. Will try cutting whole stems in future to see if that makes a difference.
Found a window to do some chopping.
Window chopping (sorry!)