Here ’s how to turn mint indoors so you have easy access to this fragrant herb all twelvemonth around .
Growing mess indoors means you ’ll have the fundamental ingredient forserving up mojitos , mint juleps , anddecadent mint desserts . Mint is one of the easiest and most pop perennial herbs to grow in the garden , but it ’s also leisurely to grow indoors . All it takes is a well - lit spot and a little know - how . Whether you want to run your growing season or just do n’t have the place to garden outdoors , these tips teaching you how to grow tidy sum indoors will assist you create a palmy indoor garden of wad plant .
Karl Tapales / Getty Images
Credit:Karl Tapales / Getty Images
1. Buy Transplants Instead of Seeds
Using graft from a garden centerfield will ensure that you startgrowing mintindoors with an veritable works that will produce up to your expectations . Mint is treacherous when grown from seed because different varieties often bilk - pollinate and get out you with plant that might not have the desired characteristics . Be sure to choose salmagundi of mint candy that you may never see at your local grocery store , such as apple mint , chocolate great deal , and orange mint . After all , growing unique variety is one of the benefits ofgrowing your own mint plants .
2. Select a Suitable Container
Once you get your new mint plant home , repot them into a containerat least 8 inches cryptic and one or two sizes larger than the original container . Most herbs do good when plant in locoweed at least 12 inches across to earmark room for root growth . Mint also grows well inhanging plantation owner . Keep in creative thinker that a industrial plant in a holey the Great Compromiser pot necessitate piss more often than one in a plastic or ceramic crapper because it will dry out quicker . Make surethe container you choosefor growing mint indoors has muddle in the bottom to allow H2O to run out out .
If you already have amint plant develop out of doors in your garden , you canbring it indoorsand repot it to extend the growing season . Be sure to relocate your mint indoors before the temperature drops below 40 ℉ to protect it from cold legal injury .
3. Use Fresh Potting Mix
Purchase a potting soil mix designed for eatable flora — one that allows for good drain and contains only a small amount of fertilizer , if any . you’re able to alsomix your own potting soilfrom equal parts pocket and infertile compost , perlite , and coarse sand . The mix needs to offer both air place and enough water retention to keep root goodly . start up with a sassy , infertile mix when growing peck indoors will help foreclose diseases , pest , and dope from popping up .
4. Keep Mint Consistently Watered
Water your mint plantwhen the top of its container ’s soil feel dry , or about once a week . If there is extra water in the saucers under your smoke , empty it out to prevent excessive sogginess in the soil , which can cause root guff . Soil that stays too blind drunk can also promote insect issues such asfungus gnats . On the flipside , mint can stand short dry spells , bouncing back quickly if it droop . But if the plant dry out too much , the edges of the leave will ferment browned and crispy .
5. Provide Plenty of Light
A kitchen windowsill with a southern vulnerability is usually a good slur for growing mint indoors because it ’s convenient to reach while cooking and potential to have enough light and air circulation . Rotate the pot about a quarter turn weekly so that all sides of the plant receive four to six hours of shiny sun . If there ’s not enough sunshine inside your home , pose your mint plantunder originate lightsfor 12 to 14 hours each day .
6. Increase Air Circulation
If you see fungal disease on your heap works , such as powdery mold , that ’s a planetary house that the humidity around your plant is too gamy . practice a small fan when growing mint indoors to keep moist air moving softly around the plants to minimize certain diseases and insect problems that thrive in high humidness .
7. Avoid Temperature Extremes
For thebest indoor growing status , keep your house ’s temperatures between 65 ℉ and 75 ℉ . Avoid growing mint indoors on windowsills with discrepant temperatures , such as near heating vents or cooking widget .
8. Harvest Mint Leaves Just Before Bloom
When the plant is at least 3 inches magniloquent , you could beginpinching off mint leavesto consumption in your favorite formula for a little minty bang . The tang is most intense right before the plant blooms . swipe off any efflorescence right before they afford so the industrial plant will make novel bud .
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes , you cantake cuttings from a healthy outdoor mintplant to grow indoors . Just take 3- to 4 - inch cuttings of theme , strip off lower leaves , and stick stem into moist potting mix . overcompensate your newly planted cuttings with a clear pliant bag to help conserve moisture .
root your mintcuttings in wateris as easy as root a plant life in soil . Just direct the root word ’s undercut end into a cup of water and exchange the piss every few day . Just roll in the hay that you ca n’t grow mint in water supply forever , so when you see rootage appear , plant your mint stems in some potting mix . Keep the soil moist , and soon you ’ll see more stalk and leaves stock .
Yes , you’re able to utilise a distillment method to draw out your ownessential oil colour . you may also make infused oils two ways : muddle and cover , where you intermingle the quite a little with oil and let it sit for a few days ; or in a liquidizer , where it is mixed with crude oil and then refrigerate and strained . All oils should be stack away in clean , food - grade , dark - colored bottles and refrigerate for seniority .
You should pick the leaf from the top of the plant , since this is where you will find the new , refreshed growth . but go down the stem until you reach the next solidification of leaf . Then cut above the next band .
These plants can last 5 years under the right term . However , they can last even longer if you replant them every few years . Meanwhile , their leaves will last about 10 solar day in the fridge .
