How to grow Peppermint

Mentha x piperita

🌿 Herb 🔁 Perennial

Peppermint has attractive, fragrant dark green serrated leaves and produces little mauve flowers. It has a strong flavour so use sparingly, great in puddings, chocolate mousse and tea infusions. It is best to remove the flowers as soon as they appear as they will reduce leaf production. Peppermint grows to 60cm and has an infinite spread - it is an invasive plant. To stop it spreading out of control it is best to plant it in a container and then plant the container into the soil. This will help contain its spread, re-pot when necessary. It can be kept easily in a pot. It is a hardy herbaceous perennial that dies back each autumn and regrows the following spring, some mulch in autumn will help it through winter. It is a good companion plant as it repels many insects by its strong aroma so plant near brassicas. Don't plant two different types of mint near each other as they will cross and both their flavours will become inferior.

At a glance: Sow mid April to mid October, harvest from late July.

When to sow, plant and harvest

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Sow outdoors

Harvest

Prune

Timed for a typical UK garden (last frost mid-April). The app uses your own town's frost dates.

Growing Peppermint: what it needs

Light: Full sun · 4+ hours a day
Watering: Regularly, keep moist
Soil: Moist, well-draining · pH 6.0–7.0
Spacing: 30cm apart
In pots: Grows well in containers
Feeding: Feed lightly in spring with a balanced liquid fertilizer.
Harvest: About 90 days from sowing
Hardiness: USDA zones 3–11
Difficulty: Easy

Step by step

Mid April – mid October · around the last spring frost
Sow Seeds Outdoors (Direct) (optional)
Direct sow seeds on the surface of moist, well-drained soil in a container or prepared bed after all risk of frost has passed. Do not cover. Keep moist.
7–21 days after “Sow Seeds Indoors” · Late April – early May
Check Germination
Seedlings should emerge in 1-3 weeks. Germination can be erratic.
90–120 days after “Transplant Outdoors” · Late July – mid August
First Harvest
Once established (approx. 3-4 months after sowing), you can begin picking leaves. Regular picking encourages new growth.

Every year

March
Spring Feeding
Apply a balanced liquid fertilizer to encourage vigorous spring growth.
June
Remove Flowers
Pinch off any mauve flowers as they appear to prevent seed production and encourage more leaf growth.
July
Summer Pruning & Harvest
Regularly pick leaves for use. Cut back straggly or woody stems after flowering to promote fresh shoots.
October
Autumn Mulching
Apply a layer of mulch around the base of the plant to protect it through winter.
November
Autumn Cut Back
Cut back dead or dying foliage as the plant prepares for dormancy in late autumn.