Growing mint indoors to avoid cold weather is possible. Besides harsh weather, another reason to appreciate mint growth in a container is its prolific nature, as it spreads limitlessly when grown. Mint is a great option to use in food and drinks to fight the summer heat.

Growing Mint Indoors

In this article, you will get tips to create a thriving indoor mint plant.

How To Grow Mint Indoors in Easy Steps?

To grow mint indoors in easy steps, you must buy seeds or transplants and a high-grade potting soil mix. Mint is a perennial plant, so having a high-caliber plastic container with drainage holes will be better. Water it regularly, give it sunlight, and harvest it.

One of the benefits of growing mint indoors is to have an aromatic home so begin right away! Read how to effectively grow mint in your home below.

1. Select a Container

Choose a container with a drainage hole at the bottom with a minimum diameter of 8 inches. You can choose a ceramic pot, and plastic ones work too. Clay pots should be avoided as they absorb moisture and dry out too quickly.

When growing mint in pots, ensure the plant has enough room for growth. Use rectangular pots with holes on the bottom to easily fit them on the window sills.

2. Get Potting Soil

Get a potting mix specifically formulated for edible plants, one that provides proper drainage and has little to no fertilizer. Additionally, you can create your potting soil by combining perlite, sand, and sterile compost in equal amounts.

The mixture must provide ample room for air and water retention to maintain healthy roots.

Get Potting Soil for Mint

Beginning with a clean, fresh mixture will aid in preventing the emergence of diseases, pests, and weeds. Mint thrives best in wet, fertile soil with a pH of 6.0 to 7.0. Apply a fine layer of mulch on the soil to keep it moist.

3. Choose Mint Varieties for Indoor Growing

Any variety of mint can be grown indoors. The most popular flavor is spearmint, also known as common mint, but you can also choose from peppermint, apple mint, pineapple mint, or chocolate mint.

But remember that growing peppermint from seeds is exceedingly challenging, so if you choose this type, you’ll need to use cuttings. Mint plants develop differently depending on the variety, which is another thing to remember. In addition to having a distinct appearance, each has its distinctive flavor.

Another method to produce mint plants is to purchase indoor mint plants directly. The simplest option is to buy a starting plant from a local nursery. If you have a mint plant growing or have a friend who does, you may dig out a portion of the plant and put it in a container. Now, bring the container indoors.

4. Start With Mint Seeds

If you are growing mint indoors from seeds, you should sow your seeds in a good soil mix. Sow your seeds 1/2 inch deep and cover them with soil.

Start With Mint Seeds

Mints germinate within 7 to 14 days. Ensure your soil has moisture and a temperature of around 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

5. Plant Stem Cuttings

Cut a 6-inch section of the stem right below a node and propagate mint in a glass of water. You could get the stem from a friend if they planted mint in the garden. The lowest 2 inches of the mint’s stem should be completely free of mint leaves. After propagating mint, if you want to fast-track the rooting process, you can use a rooting hormone, but it’s not mandatory.

How to grow mint from cuttings? Growing mint from cuttings takes only a few days in the right environment. The cuttings form roots within a few days if the conditions are met. Mint will generate roots from the nodes on the stems and can be planted in soil or water.

Let the cut end of the stem grow in a glass or jar of water until new roots emerge. Fill the container with your preferred potting soil. Plant mint cuttings that have recently taken root carefully in potting soil.

Water mint can be grown independently in a glass jar for weeks or months with adequate plant care. The only precaution for growing mint indoors in water is to keep changing the water every couple of days to deter bacterial and fungal growth.

You might wonder, “Can I grow mint in water forever?” No, you cannot grow mint in the water forever, as it does not survive indefinitely. The plant will likely stop growing, and its leaves will turn yellow.

6. Water Your Plant Regularly

Unlike several other herbs and indoor plants, mint is very low-maintenance. You can overwater it or underwater it. Mint tolerates both wet and dry soils. Yet it would be best to strike a healthy balance between the two.

Water Mint Plant Regularly

How often should you water your mint? You should water your mint thoroughly and regularly. Aim for 1-2 inches of water every week if you have your mint planted in the ground. If your mint is planted in a pot or container, you may need to water it more frequently because containers dry up faster.

Water the plant whenever the pot seems light and the soil feels dry. Move the pot to a sink or bathtub, turn on the water, and allow it to flow through the soil from the drainage hole in the bottom of the pot. You should avoid the soil becoming too wet, which might lead to root rot. Insect problems like fungus gnats can also be exacerbated by too-wet soil.

7. Ensure Temperature Control

Maintain a temperature range of 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit in your house during the day for optimal conditions for indoor plants. The ideal temperature for good growth at night is 55 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep your potted mint away from window sills with fluctuating temperatures. You should also keep your plant away from heating vents.

8. Choose a Spot With Enough Sunlight

Mint needs a highly bright indoor environment. Mint can withstand some light shade only while growing outside. But the more light there is, the better. In the absence of light, the plant will squint and grow lanky.

A southern-facing kitchen windowsill is an excellent location to grow mint indoors because it’s easy to access while cooking and will likely have enough light and airflow. How much light does mint need indoors? You should tilt the pot slightly, so all plant surfaces get 4 to 6 hours of direct sunshine per day. If your home does not receive enough sunlight, put your plant beneath grow lights for 12 to 14 hours daily.

9. Keep an Eye on the Humidity

It’s a warning that the humidity surrounding your plant is too high if your mint plant develops fungus infections like powdery mildew. To gradually reduce certain diseases and pest issues that flourish in high humidity, use a small fan to circulate moist air around the plants.

Similarly, to raise the relative humidity when the weather is too dry, put plants together, but remember to provide room between each group for air circulation. You should water more frequently to compensate for dry weather or exposure to direct sunlight.

10. Ensure Proper Fertilization

Treat your indoor plant with a liquid organic fertilizer every three weeks, from mid-spring to late summer. Fertilize once every six weeks from early fall to early spring if you intend to harvest mint from your plant all year round.

Indoor plants will continue to grow throughout the winter, unlike other houseplants. Therefore it is a good idea to fertilize it. Feed containers every 3 to 4 weeks with 10-10-10 NPK at half-strength, but avoid over-fertilizing as this can make herbs tasteless and produce a buildup of minerals in pots.

11. Harvest Mint

Trim the stems of mint plants indoors regularly to encourage branching and new growth. Clip one or two stems every two to three weeks using a sharp knife or small kitchen scissors. When stems reach a height of 4 inches, prune mint entirely in half, slicing just above a pair of leaves. At this point, new stems will develop from nodes.

Mint Plant Harvesting Guide

Right before the plant blooms, the flavor is at its strongest. Before any blooms open, cut them off to encourage the plant to produce new buds. Stems should be pruned back at most two inches.

FAQs

– Can You Grow Mint Indoors in the Winter?

Yes, you can grow mint indoors in the winter and all year long to ensure that you always have fresh leaves available. Reduce watering a little during the winter when plant growth slows, but make sure the soil stays moist, and, if necessary, increase the light with a grow lamp.

Conclusion

Mint is a perfect herb all year long. You can use mint for drinking mojitos in summer or herbal tea in winter. To grow your mint, all you have to do is:

  • After selecting the container and potting soil, decide whether you want to plant seeds or cut stems.
  • Water your plant regularly, and monitor humidity, temperature, and sunlight. If there is no sunlight, place a fluorescent light over the plant.
  • You can now conveniently harvest and enjoy your delicious mojitos and green tea.

Mint can be easily cultivated indoors in an 8-inch pot and is one of the easiest herbs to grow. Follow the guidelines given in this article to grow them easily.

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