How often to water mint plants depends on the age of the plant and its growing medium. Mints growing in pots need less water than those growing on the ground.

How Often To Water Mint

As you can see, there are a few things to consider before watering your mints. Read this article to learn everything that you must know regarding watering mints.

What Should You Consider When Deciding How Often to Water Mint Plants?

You should consider the following when deciding how often to water mint plants: How to water seedlings, how to water them indoors, outdoors and how to water those growing in the ground. To grow mint plants, you need to properly and appropriately water them. 

– How To Water Mint Seedlings

Growing mints from their seedlings will be easy for you so long as you water them every day or two. Just make sure that the soil is evenly moist but never saturated. This means that even if there is water or moisture in the soil, it should not be dripping or too much.

If you give your mint seedlings more water than they need, you should see the lower parts of their stems turning brown. The stem will turn yellow or pale if the seedlings do not get enough water.

– Watering Indoor Mints

To grow mint indoors is quite different from growing it outdoors. Indoor mint plants are not exposed to high temperatures, so they do not lose water as much as those growing outside.

Watering Indoor Mints

This is why, if you are growing mint indoors, you must wait three or four days until the substrate is dry before you water them again. Well, you can continue to mist their leaves, especially in the morning.

– Watering Outdoor Mints in Pots

Now, we are talking about outdoor plants. Well, in this case, the plants are still in pots. While you will water these plants more often than you do for the ones growing indoors, you will use less water than those growing in the ground outside.

You should flood the potting mix or substrate of the mint while watering them. However, ensure that the substrate is well-drained so that excess water can leave the pot. Water these plants every two or three days. The more exposed they are to the sun, the higher their watering rate should be.

– How To Water Mints Growing in the Ground

Not many people grow mints in the ground, but if you do, you need to consider how compacted the soil is and also how exposed the plants are to the sun. The more porous the soil is, the more water your mints will need. The more exposed the mints are to the sun, the higher your watering rate should be.

Water Mints Growing in the Ground

To check if the plants need water, dip your finger or a moisture-reading stick into the ground. If the soil is dry on the surface, you can water the plants.

You must wait until you see signs that the soil is dry, especially on the surface before you water your mints again. You will most likely water the plants every two or three days.

What Is the Best Type of Water for Mints?

The best type of water for mints is simply clean water that is free from a high concentration of minerals. You should water your mints with dechlorinated water, as hard water can make them sick or even make them die. 

You can tell that your mints are suffering from hard water when you see dust-like particles usually white on their leaves, especially on sunny days. The particles on the leaves are there because when the water evaporates from your mint leaves through transpiration, the particles do not evaporate as well, so they stay on the leaf.

If you must water your mints with treated tap water, let the water sit for at least twelve hours before you water your mints with it.

What Are the Main Watering Techniques for Mints?

The main watering techniques for mints are misting the leaves using a spray bottle and flooding the substrate – the more conventional method. They both have their respective advantages and disadvantages. You may have to just wait and see what works better for you and your plants.

– Misting the Leaves

If you want your mint leaves to stay fresh and green, mist the leaves. You only need a spray bottle to spray water on the leaves.

Misting the Leaves

If you only want to water your mints by misting, water them every day or even twice daily on hot days. Ensure that their substrate has mulch.

– Flooding the Substrate

This is the conventional style of watering almost every plant. Using a hose or container with water, pour water directly on the substrate. Continue watering the plant until you think that there is enough water in the substrate.

You should not water until you see water dripping from the pot, but if you see excess water already running out, that is a sign that you should stop watering the plants.

If possible, water your mints with both styles above so that both the leaves and roots of the plants can get enough water.

 

What Are the Symptoms of Underwatered Mints?

The symptoms of underwatered mints are leaves that are turning yellow, a generally weak plant and soil that feels dry to the touch. Ensure that you give your mints as much water as they need so that you do not kill them with dehydration.  

  • Mint leaves turning yellow: This usually happens from the bottom part of the stem. This means that you will see the older or lower roots turning yellow or pale first.
  • Generally weak plant: The mint’s stems, branches, leaves, and petioles will look weak and a leaf cannot stay upright. You will notice this mostly on hot days.
  • Dry soil: Well, the best way to tell that your mints need water is when the soil is dry. Do not let the soil go dry before you water your plants.

What Are the Symptoms of Overwatered Mints?

The symptoms of overwatered mints are the following: root rot, falling leaves and flowers falling off. When you overwater mints, they do not grow as strong as others, so ensure that you never give your mints more water than they need.

Symptoms of Overwatered Mints

  • Root rot and other diseases: When you give your mints more water than they need, you can kill them from their roots and the dead roots will attract fungi and bacteria. This can lead to root rot and other soil-borne diseases.
  • Falling leaves: You will notice the leaves of your mints turning pale and falling or even falling without turning pale. This is a sign that your plants have grown weak.
  • Mint seeds and flowers falling off: Just as the leaves, the seeds and flowers will also fall off the plant if you are giving the plant more water than it needs.

How Do You Treat Your Mints Dying of Overwatering?

You treat your mints that are dying of overwatering by following the steps below :

  1. Amend the substrate: One reason why mints suffer from overwatering is that the substrate is too compacted and does not permit water flow. If you see signs of overwatering, start by loosening the substrate with perlite.
  2. Prune the mints: Before you leave your mints to grow in a suitable substrate, remove as many dead leaves and roots as you can find. Remove them so that you do not expose the mints to root rot.
  3. Reduce your watering rate: To prevent making such a mistake again, remember only to water your mints when you need to.

As for underwatered mints, you can help them by increasing your watering rate and using mulch just in case water gets lost through evaporation.

Frequently Asked Questions

– How Do You Propagate Mints Plants in Water?

To propagate mint plants in water, you need mint cuttings. You can either plant mint cuttings in the soil or start them in water.

To start your mint cuttings in water, you need a clear glass cup and clean dechlorinated water. If you want to speed up the process of propagation, you should get a rooting hormone so that the cutting can produce roots quickly.

Using a sterilized scissor, or knife, collect a cutting from a mature mint plant. Ensure that the cutting is at least 6 inches long. Put the cutting into the glass cup (bottom-side down) and pour water into the cup so that the water is covering at least 2 inches of the cutting.

Every day or two, check the water and replace it if it is becoming dirty or if you can see any unknown particles in it. If you have a rooting hormone, add a few drops to the water.

Continue to check the cutting for a few days and you should see roots growing in less than five days. After seven to ten days in the glass cup, you can transfer the young mint plant to a better substrate.

– What Is the Best Pot for Mints in Terms of Watering?

The ideal pot for mintsin terms of watering is one made of terracotta or any material that does not quickly conduct temperature. While mints can grow in other types of pots such as those made of plastic, you need a pot that can help reduce the temperature fluctuation in the soil.

You also need to grow your mints in a pot with drainage holes. Drainage holes help permit excess water to flow out of the pot so that your mints do not drown in their substrate. If you are growing your mints indoors, you can keep the pot on a saucer so that the excess water flowing out does not spoil your floor, shelf, or table.

– Why Don’t Hydroponic Mints Die in Water?

Hydroponic mints are mints that grow on a water-based substrate. This means that the mints have roots that are always submerged in water. If excess water kills mint plants, why don’t hydroponic mints die?

They do not die because hydroponic systems regularly pump oxygen and nutrients into the water. This means that the mints get enough air to breathe even though they are in the water.

Some hydroponic systems also drain out water from the mints substrate so that the roots can have access to air without water. Your mints will continue to grow healthily so long as the hydroponic system is correctly constructed.

– My Mint is Dying Even Though I water it – What is Wrong?

If your mint is drying out even though you water it, it is in fact more likely than not overwatered. Overwatering can have root rot as a consequence and that causes the leaves and stems to die. When they die they dry out.

– How Often Should You Water Mint Seeds?

You should water mint seeds in their tray every 1 or 2 days so the soil is moist – evenly – but not soaking. The surface should feel slightly dry before the next watering. In higher temperatures you may need to water every day. However, more mature seedlings only require watering every two days.

Conclusion

Now you can help your mint grow without problems, as you now know the best methods of watering it.

Here are some reminders:

  • Mints growing in pots need less water, as the substrate might be compacted. Only water them when you see signs of dryness in the substrate.
  • If your mints have root rot and falling leaves, especially in the fall months, your plants may be overwatered.
  • You can treat overwatered mints by pruning off the dying leaves, repotting the plants into a new pot, and reducing your rate of watering.
  • Remember that mint substrate must be well-drained so that water does not stay in it for a long time.
  • Other factors that are worth considering for growing mints are temperature, humidity, light, and soil structure.

Go check your plants, water them well, and enjoy your fresh mint flavor.

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