Mint; why isn't it thriving in this box? What species is mine? In my aviary. & Keeping it under control

[MeanCheek]

Welcome to TEG @MeanCheek!

I would be surprised if you could keep it indoors through the winter. The best way to enjoy it through winter would be to dry some, it regrows readily. I'm not 100% sure, but you probably could propagate it that way, in water. However, once it gets really growing it propagates itself crazily! Lol

Thank you!
I had some in a pot last fall, but I kind of forgot to water it, and it died. So, I never got to try. Maybe I'll try again this winter.

 

[ninnymary]

Yours is either peppermint or spearmint.

I have tried growing them in pots and am not successful. I have one in a pot that looks so pathetic that it will soon come out and be replaced by maybe impatients.

People say they are invasive but I don't think they are that bad. Mine prefers growing in semi shade under my deck stairs in the ground. If it creeps out into my brick pathway it's easy to remove the brick and pull the mint out. I do this maybe once a year and it pulls out with the roots.

Mary

 

[ducks4you]

You can pick and dehydrate the leaves for future use. It is an herb.

 

[MeanCheek]

Yours is either peppermint or spearmint.

I have tried growing them in pots and am not successful. I have one in a pot that looks so pathetic that it will soon come out and be replaced by maybe impatients.

People say they are invasive but I don't think they are that bad. Mine prefers growing in semi shade under my deck stairs in the ground. If it creeps out into my brick pathway it's easy to remove the brick and pull the mint out. I do this maybe once a year and it pulls out with the roots.

Mary

I wonder why it doesn't like pots?

 

[heirloomgal]

I wonder why it doesn't like pots?

Possibly because the roots of mint are runners, and grow horizontally along the ground. They can go a LONG way! Confining their root system long term prevents them from doing that.

 

[MeanCheek]

Catnip is in the mint family, isn't it?

 

[MeanCheek]

I tasted the chocolate mint today. It tastes more like peppermint. Is it a natural thing, or was it bred from peppermint?

 

[MeanCheek]

If I get a good amount growing over the rest of the summer, in the autumn can I just pick everything to have all winter? How do I keep it?
@ducks4you , if you don't mind, did you say you make mint sauce? How? What do you put it on?

 

[heirloomgal]

Catnip is in the mint family, isn't it?

Yes, the Lamiceae family.

 

[heirloomgal]

I tasted the chocolate mint today. It tastes more like peppermint. Is it a natural thing, or was it bred from peppermint?

I'm not sure about that one @MeanCheek . But before winter you can pick all your mint and dry it. The tops will die anyway; it regrows from underground runners. I'm not familiar with Montana's climate but if you have super hot summers you could plant some of the runner pieces in part shade. They grow well that way.

I have the opposite issue as you, I can't make my mint go away! I planted some years ago and because I occasionally move soil around, it's coming up very aggressively in some places. I've dug up entire 5 X 3 beds trying to pick out every bit of runner I could find! Lol