Do you frequently want some fresh herbs or twigs to decorate your food?
We frequently run short of parsley, mint, or other similar herbs at home.
Wouldn’t it be great to have a plant of your own growing inside your home where you could pick a few leaves whenever you wanted?
You can cultivate certain herbs and plants even if you don’t have a backyard garden or a sizable kitchen garden.
One of the plants that may thrive without direct sunshine is mint. Mint is one of the most popular culinary herbs, and it grows quickly indoors. It does just as well in a potted setting as it does in a garden.
Why Grow Mint Indoors
Mint (Mentha species) is one of the simplest herbs to grow indoors since it is a perennial that produces new leaves all year long if the stems are not damaged by cold. Mint is much simpler to grow indoors than many other herbs, provided you give it ample light and regular watering (more on both of these in a later section).
Mint also grows remarkably well indoors. You might like the way some species of mint’s stems droop over the sides of the container and their crinkly, green leaves. Even in the middle of winter, mint plants may blossom inside.
Yes, mint has a lovely appearance, but the majority of us don’t plant herbs for their beauty. We cultivate them for their tastes, and on a chilly day, what could taste better than a cup of hot tea made with fresh, cultivated mint leaves? You’ll always have a few sprigs of mint ready for harvest since mint continually produces new stems and leaves.
The scent of mint is another motivation to learn how to cultivate it indoors. On a downcast day, all you have to do is pinch off a leaf, rub it between your thumb and index finger, and take a breath. Mint has an energizing and enlivening scent. Even better, add a few leaves to the water of your bath for a fragrant, relaxing soak.
Another advantage of growing mint indoors is the absence of pests. It is quite unlikely that your mint plants will be attacked by any houseplant pests.
Sourcing Mint Plants For Indoor Growing
If you’re wondering how to grow mint indoors, your first idea could be where to get the plants. You have a number of choices.
The simplest option is to buy a starter plant from your preferred neighborhood nursery. However, if you’re just starting to learn how to grow mint indoors in the fall or winter, you could discover that your neighborhood nursery is sold out. Herb plants are often only sold at nurseries in the spring. If this applies to you, think about growing a new mint houseplant from a stem cutting or a root division.
- Sourcing an indoor mint plant from a root division:
It’s simple to dig out a division of a mint plant, pot it up, and bring it indoors if you already have one growing in a container or in the ground, or if you have a friend or family member who does. It is a feasible division as long as there is a segment of root linked to a stem. You have the option of starting with a big or small division. Mint spreads quickly, so even if you start with a little division, the plant will soon fill your container.
- Sourcing an indoor mint plant from a stem cutting:
A 3 inch long severed mint stem is all that is needed for this method of cultivating mint indoors. Cuttings of mint grow quickly. Just take off the lowest leaves, place the cut stem’s bottom inch in a pot with fresh potting soil, water it in, wrap the pot and cutting in plastic wrap, and place it on a windowsill for three weeks. Remove the baggie after three weeks have elapsed to reveal a fresh mint plant that may be grown inside.
How To Grow Mint Indoors: 3 Growing Methods
1. How to grow mint indoors – in soil
The most popular method for growing mint indoors is this one.
Select a pot with a drainage hole at the bottom that has a minimum diameter of 8 inches. Although it may be a beautiful ceramic pot, plastic also works. Clay pots should be avoided as they deteriorate too rapidly.
Your mint plant should be potted in top-notch general potting soil with approximately a half inch of head space between the soil’s surface and the pot’s rim. This serves as a reservoir and slows the rate at which irrigation water drains.
Mint plants in pots may survive as indoor plants for many years.
2. How to grow mint indoors – in water
Additionally, mint may be cultivated inside in water. The absence of dirt is the fundamental advantage of this technique. There is never any mess, watering, or fungus gnats.
Mint does not, however, float in water indefinitely. The plant will eventually cease growing and its leaves will turn yellow. You may, however, sometimes harvest by storing a few water-rooted stems in a jar over the sink.
Simply take some stem cuttings from a mother plant, trim all the lower leaves, and place the stems in a glass of water to begin growing mint indoors in water. Every five to seven days, replace the water and wash the glass. Depending on the growth circumstances, they can be cultivated in the water-filled jar for a few weeks or months after they swiftly form roots.
3. How to grow mint indoors – hydroponically
Using hydroponics, it’s also feasible to learn how to cultivate mint indoors.
In fact, mint is a fantastic crop to grow in a hydroponic system that is either purchased or created at home. Although there is less mess because there is no soil involved, hydroponic systems are more expensive than soil-based cultivation. The cost of the nutrient solutions is higher than that of conventional fertilizers as well. However, hydroponics is something to look at if you intend to grow a lot of mint.
Care for Mint Growing Indoors
There are a few items needed for mint’s ongoing maintenance while growing it indoors. Your indoor mint plant needs a few things in order to thrive as much as possible.
Location and Sunlight
Mint needs a highly bright indoor environment. Mint can withstand some light shade while growing outside. However, the more light there is, the better. In the absence of light, the plant will squint and grow leggy and pallid.
Choose a location that can get that much solar and has good airflow. If you can keep it on a windowsill or balcony that is close to a window or entrance, that would be ideal!
If you don’t have a window that faces north and gets daylight for the most of the day, think about buying a tiny grow light to put over your mint plant.
Water
Watering is one of the simplest things to think about while learning how to grow mint indoors. Mint is a very low-maintenance plant, unlike several other herbs and indoor plants.
Mint prefers damp soil, but not excessively so. When watering a plant, you should exercise caution (particularly in the winter) and avoid soaking it both in the morning and the evening. Just make sure the plant is well-watered and wet. It is best to prevent both underwatering and overwatering.
Fertilizer
Heavy fertilization will cause herbs grown indoors or elsewhere to lose taste. It should be sufficient to sometimes feed the mint plant using water-soluble all-purpose fertilizer. Compost or manure can also be used to mulch the pot’s top layer.
Pinching and Pruning
It takes regular “haircuts” to keep your mint plant looking good all the time.
To stimulate the plant to produce more branches and develop a bushier shape, pinch off the tips often. To keep the plant in good form, routinely prune off the lanky, spindly, and dry branches.
Temperature
Mint prefers a comfortable temperature; frigid air should be avoided. Keep it away from warm, dry air if you reside in a warm, tropical area. Additionally, you must routinely water the plant. At least 65-70 F (18-21 C) should be the minimum interior temperature during the day and 55-60 F (13-15 C) at night.
Harvesting Mint Indoors
Trim off entire stems for drying or fresh usage, or pluck individual leaves as needed, to harvest your indoor mint plants. Don’t be scared to severely prune the plant a couple times a year. This promotes bushy growth habits and the growth of tasty new growth.
In the middle of spring, you may just trim your plants all the way down to the earth. A few weeks later, this forces the growth of brand-new, delicious, deep green leaves. Just before the plant’s most active development period, it revitalizes the plant.
A productive and enjoyable endeavor is growing mint year-round indoors. Mint is genuinely one of the simplest plants to cultivate indoors, as you’ll quickly discover.