Research on the benefits of peppermint oil has primarily focused on its potential to alleviate digestive problems like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a chronic gastrointestinal condition. Peppermint oil, a hybrid of spearmint and water mint, is known for its antioxidant properties and ability to reduce IBS symptoms. It can be taken in single doses of 180-400 mg (0.2-0.4 mL) and is safe to take up to three doses daily.
There is no recommended dose of peppermint or peppermint oil, but studies have evaluated various doses. For trials on indigestion, there are trials on a specific dose. Peppermint essential oil, extracted from the leaves of the peppermint plant, has antioxidant properties and has been shown to reduce IBS symptoms.
Peppermint can be found in various forms, including essential oil, leaves, spray, and tablets. The active ingredients in peppermint give the leaves their invigorating and energizing effect. Some studies suggest that peppermint oil can reduce abdominal pain, indigestion, and nausea.
Peppermint is also used in soap and candle making, bath and body products, and in oil burners. It contains anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiseptic, and astringent properties. Mystic Moments Peppermint Premium Essential Oil, a 10ml bottle, contains organic peppermint, cardamom, licorice root, essential basil, and clove leaf oils.
The main constituent of this true peppermint essential oil is menthol, a potent compound with many uses. It is recommended to use at least 30 drops (or 1.5 ml) for a fluid ounce of carrier oil when diluting in quantity.
📹 How to Grow TONS of Mint (And Not Let it Take Over)
00:00 – Intro 00:08 – Quick Mint Tips 00:42 – Mint Varieties 01:57 – Propagation By Division 04:12 – Propagation By Cuttings 06:45 …
Can eating too many peppermints be harmful?
It is probable that peppermint oil is safe when administered orally, whereas the leaf may be safe for up to eight weeks. Nevertheless, it remains uncertain whether the leaf is safe for extended periods. Peppermint has been associated with adverse effects, including heartburn, xerostomia, nausea, and emesis. Topical application of peppermint oil is likely to be safe.
How much peppermint oil to use instead of extract?
If you can’t find peppermint extract, you can substitute 1 teaspoon with 1/4 teaspoon peppermint oil and 1 tablespoon peppermint schnapps. Cooking with peppermint extract is similar to vanilla extract, but with a smaller amount for baked goods or chilled desserts like ice cream. The sharper flavor of peppermint extract makes it a good choice for those who prefer a lighter taste. Here are some popular ways to use peppermint extract:
Can you use too much peppermint extract?
Peppermint oil, derived from the flowers and leaves of the peppermint plant, is primarily used as an aromatic and flavoring agent. It contains up to 50 menthol, which has a minty odor and taste and a cooling effect on the skin. Studies show its effectiveness for irritable bowel syndrome in adults and abdominal pain in children. Peppermint oil is administered as oral enteric-coated capsules containing 180 mg of oil. It may be beneficial when applied to the skin for tension headaches and to the hair and scalp to prevent hair loss and improve hair growth.
Peppermint oil is often promoted as a treatment for several conditions, but its effectiveness has not yet been determined. Topical use for muscle aches, joint pain, and itching from eczema or psoriasis, as well as inhalation for cough, colds, muscle and nerve pain, nausea, stress, and mood improvement. It can also be used as a repellent for various insects and rodents.
How much peppermint oil per gallon of water?
Peppermint oil is a natural insect repellent that can be used to kill wasps and mosquitoes. It is a mixture of 2 oz. of oil with 1 gallon of water, which is then applied to the affected area. The oil is effective in repelling wasps and can also be used to cure mosquito bites. The effectiveness of peppermint oil in repelling insects is not yet known, but it is a potential solution for pest control.
Can you use too much peppermint oil?
Peppermint oil, derived from the flowers and leaves of the peppermint plant, is used as an aromatic and flavoring agent. It contains up to 50 menthol, which has a minty odor and a cooling effect on the skin. Studies show that peppermint oil is effective for irritable bowel syndrome in adults and abdominal pain in children. It is administered as oral enteric-coated capsules containing 180 mg of peppermint oil. It may also be beneficial when applied to the skin for tension headaches and to the hair and scalp to prevent hair loss and improve hair growth.
Peppermint oil is often promoted as a treatment for various conditions, but its effectiveness has not yet been determined. Topical use for muscle aches, joint pain, and itching from eczema or psoriasis, as well as inhalation for cough, colds, muscle and nerve pain, nausea, stress, and mood improvement, is also suggested. It can also be used as a repellent for insects and rodents.
What is the best dilution for peppermint oil?
Peppermint essential oil is not suitable for consumption in its undiluted or “neat” form. Beauty and health experts recommend diluting it with a carrier oil like Coconut, Jojoba, or Apricot kernel oil to enjoy its benefits without its more caustic side. Peppermint is an antibiotic powerhouse, with menthol inhibiting certain strains of microorganisms and demonstrating efficacy against certain bacteria.
To use peppermint essential oil in an at-home DIY spa, use only a small amount in mixtures and opt for products with organic, natural peppermint ingredients. In summary, while peppermint is a powerful plant, it’s essential to dilute it before use.
How often do you need to spray peppermint oil to keep mice away?
The repellent properties of peppermint oil are such that it should be reapplied several times a week in order to maintain its effectiveness in deterring mice. In the event that peppermint is not a preferred scent, alternative natural home remedies, such as repellents, can be employed to deter mice from infesting one’s domicile.
How much peppermint oil do I use?
Peppermint oil is typically prescribed for adults and children aged 12 and above. The recommended dosage is one capsule three times a day, to be taken until symptoms improve. In the event that the aforementioned dosage is not effective, two capsules may be taken three times per day. The maximum recommended duration of administration is two weeks, unless otherwise indicated by a physician. The optimal time for ingestion of the oil is approximately one hour before a meal.
How much peppermint extract?
This product is a triple-distilled extract of organic pure peppermint grown in Washington. It is suitable for home cooking and baking, with 1-2 teaspoons recommended for home use and 2 to 4 ounces per 5 gallons of mix for industrial applications. The product is clean, crisp, and excellent in ice creams, candies, icings, cookies, and beverages. The product showcases Cook’s history and innovation in creating flavorings from quality ingredients.
What is the dilution ratio for peppermint oil?
A teaspoon is commonly used to measure the number of essential oil drops needed, as it holds approximately 5 ml of oil, or 100 drops of carrier oil. To dilute to 2, add 2 drops of peppermint oil to 1 teaspoon of carrier oil, which can be easily done using a dropper. If desired, you can increase the dilution to 3 by adding another drop. When choosing a carrier oil to use with peppermint oil, check if it is either “cold-pressed” or “organic” to ensure minimal processing and high levels of minerals and vitamins.
How much peppermint oil do you mix with water?
To create a calorie-free and thirst-quenching beverage with peppermint oil, boil water and then mix in two to three drops of the oil. In the case of cold beverages, a single drop should be combined with cold water. It is possible to purchase peppermint tea bags, loose-leaf tea, and capsules ready for use. Additionally, peppermint oil is available for purchase in bottles, tea, and capsule form.
📹 Prune your Mint. Don’t be a plucker!
Don’t pluck leaves randomly from your mint plant, it’ll just strip it bare. Be strategic and double your growth. Cut just above the …
As a little girl, I grew up spending about half my time at a cabin in the woods. There was a creek running through the front yard, and all along the bank we would find wild mint growing (I think spearmint?). We used to pick and eat it right from there. Recently I stumbled across that same variety, and now I’m seeing this, and I can’t wait to fill a huge planter with it. I’m so happy to have a piece of my childhood back.
I planted some sweet mint in my front flowerbed when i first got my house. I planted it inside a pot knowing it was a plant that could take over. BUT i didn’t cover the drain hole, so the roots escaped, and has been spreading through my front flowerbed for years. I don’t mind it that much though because I just pull it up and give it to people each year, and dry some for my own mint tea.
I don’t know if previous owners planted it intentionally or not, but there’s mint growing all through the lawn in the backyard of my new house. I’m not sure what variety it is, but it has kind of a savoury quality alongside the usual mint flavour when you snack on it. Plus, it smells FANTASTIC when I mow the grass!
That one variety of mint that was shown (but not mentioned) is called Bergamot Mint. It’s VERY strong and tasts very much like a cross between Bee Balm and Peppermint. It is really a great combo of flavors if you like Earl Grey tea. It’s the one that has very round shiny leaves featured at the end. I discovered it in a friend’s garden and brought some home to plant.
I had mint growing once. It grows like crazy. It’s sort of weird, decided to remove it. It was growing on top of a composite pile too. Got rid of any sign of mint in the yard. But this is the crazy part, there was small little area on the outside of the yard where the mint just kept growing and growing but it never was a problem growing in the yard. Mint is an awesome plant. So easy. Grows like crazy. Interesting how, where it grows too.
In Germany there was a wonderful, mostly outdoor restaurant in Rathingen by an old mill near the water called Der Muhle. They always served cold mint drinks in mason jars with handles full of fresh mint sprigs, a little ice, a squeeze of lemon, and cold spring water with no added sugar and was sipped through a straw. It was so refreshing on a hot summer’s day and was by far their most popular drink.
Sometimes it spreading so quickly is a good thing. I use mint for termite and ant control (im in ouchita forest always wet wood out here). Anywho, I have mint around the entire structure of my home plus the base of some shade trees and fence lines as well. Thats the ying yang of mint i guess. I like the over growth. Now being retired is helpful because tending to my plants and chickens is now my full time job. Heck right bow I’m binging EPIC gardening like a part time job lol. Happy gardening season yall. This year gonna be special
Would you consider doing a article on mint as a ground cover? Which Lamiaceae plants work best? I’ve been trying to replace the grass with various mints, with varying degrees of success. The peppermint seems to grow the fastest. Creeping thyme works okay, but takes a while to get going, and is finicky to propagate. Oregano sort of works, but the Greek oregano survived while the golden oregano did not.
Your website is awesome !!! Thankyou for your thorough but very hands on and accessible teaching style ! As a teacher by trade, i can say you are good at this I was just looking at taking a community college level greenhouse botany course to build up some skills to be able to actually garden, when i found your website
I have a mint container garden on my deck. My favorite is “chewing gun mint” that is a type of mint that tastes like Double mint gum. I like it because it tastes very good with strawberries. No one turn me in, but I help nurseries prune their mint and come home and stick them in water to propogate them.
I’ve tried planting mint multiple times and it always gets infested with aphids. They dont transfer to other herbs around it. I tried growing it in the ground outdoors, in a pot indoors and in an aerogarden (hydroponic) grown from seed. All 3 times a terrible aphid infestation kills my mint or makes the plant very weak. Spraying with sopay water has helped but they always return. Any advice on what to do to avoid the aphid inefstations?
Mint once became my worst nightmare when i tried to recycle the soil from a container where i had old mint Tried to get rid of as many roots as possible and thought all were gone, so then i dumped it in my inground organic recycling bed. It spread around like crazy, one little root took over quite a large part during the winter while i didnt check up on it. And a year later, using some soil for my garlic resulted in it coming back again. Im guessing it seeded possibly. Ive dubbed the mint “zombie mint” since it orginally survived being waterlogged in a container that didnt have drainage holes, and it does really fit that name well😂
I had mint in pots in my backyard at my last home and they were raised 2 feet above a flower bed. Somehow it got a start down below in the flowerbed and it was a nightmare. It wreaked havic in that bed and it was impossible to stop without ultimately ripping everything out and starting over. It can in every nook in the brick wall that adjoined the planter as well
I grew mint for 9 years around my house to repel flies from a next door chickenhouse and it worked. I had no fly problem or really other inscect problem in the house. I would say have mint all around close to house but it is very invasive. It doeshave blooms that attract butterflies, hummingbirds and just a few wasps that you may have never seen before. The wasps wont be a problem and dont nest where you will be effected at all. Sweet smell and an herb you can use in culinary. Other than it being invasive, it is the perfect plant to have around your house💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯
You can also try California native mint relative like yerba buena and coyote mint. The taste varies by individuals but they have a unique taste similar to a mix of mint and oregano. Also I think the observation of the tastes of mint varieties blending might be explained by changes in subjective taste perception (new varieties taste unique at first and then they become more similar as you get used to them) because I cannot think of any way the different plants could actually physically change by being next to each other.
Kevin, I saw an older article of yours on cocktail herbs & it gave me an idea you might like. What about growing, then making a article on edible flowers? Many leafy greens, once they bolt, produce flowers that are not only appreciated by pollinators, but are quite delish. Then there are other flowers that can be grown both to enjoy in the garden & the kitchen (i.e. nasturtium, violets, pansies). Plus, you can even record making a yummy treat using them in a cooked, baked, fried, &/or infused item.
Over a dozen years ago, I bought some mint from Trader Joe’s. I was making mojitos. I took all the leaves off. I buried the stems. In ground compost. To my suprise, I now have a never ending supply of mojitos. Whatever mint is sold at Trader Joe’s for $0.79, I now have more than I could ever use. It doesn’t bother me. It’s good ground cover. Whenever I want to plant something, I can just pull out a bunch of mint, and plant where the mint was.
a 50cm pot with drilled holes all around 3mm 0r 4 1 to 1.5 inch apart plant it and it will grow out of the holes on the side as well the top the roots grow crazy and grow from whareve they find the light. will take 2to3 months to work its way down to the holes once it gets there it gives you more surface area from the pot to get it from.
These plants are so hardy! To my surprise, I found sprigs of mint growing between the cracks in my BRICK courtyard. I managed to pull them out, put them in a big pot, straight into WINTER as well, and they’re still pushing off leaves! I’m excited to see the plant explode once we hit spring here in Australia.
Hello Kevin and others! My mint plant is in a container and I keep the soil moist and water about every 7 days. There are fungus gnats though and I don’t know what to do to get rid of them because the usual stuff like hydrogen peroxide or neem oil would probably hurt the plant so I don’t want to try that. Any tips would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!
I have experience with mint flavour being affected. I had some peppermint, chocolate mint and strawberry mint in my front yard garden bed. All great tasting the first year when they were still small. But by year two when the borders between the mints were being crossed, I noticed the strawberry mint flavour (the most delicate flavour of my varieties) radically changed and became kind of gross tasting.
I stole my mint from a back alley and I’ve been growing it since giving it to my parents. This year my yard is full of strawberries which nobody tells you spread like crazy. I have a really ugly clay and root filled back alley that I’m trying to grow anything other than weeds. I’m try to put lots of perennial wildflowers back there hopefully they will eventually outcompete the burdock.
I have been growing spearmint in the shade on the side of my house with very little effort. I think the shade keeps it from spreading so fast. It gets about an hour to two hours of sun a day. I has been very manageable. I handle it once a year when I’m weeding the area. Some of it gets pulled up when I pull weeds but it always comes back. I’d love to add different varieties. Thanks for the idea.
I’ve actually had the opposite problem where my mint goes through a cycle of growing and then dying. I live in Hawaii and It gets ample sun. The one thing I did notice was that if I water the leaves it starts wilting. But if I water it directly in the dirt, not getting the leaves wet it started growing back again. Does anyone else run into the same issue?
I came to learn the best way To get it to infest my yard! We have a big mice and, ironically, cat problem (these cats must be lazy!). I researched multiple times and found that mint is the best plant to deter mice and other animals. We don’t have any pets but do have a garden (in beds and containers) and also want to deter deer and rabbits. Google says it deters cats, too. Does it?
Beginning of the article: how to grow mint. Me: yeah, tell us better how to KILL mint. When I started my first gardening attempts 2 years ago in my first ever backyard (at 40yo) I planted a box of mint. Completely ignored it. It grew in sun, shade, rainfalls, droughts. It just doesn’t care. Then I decided I have to move the box and just killed all mint and remove dirt and (you better sit down now) spread that dirt among other veggies boxes at the end of the season. Nope, I didn’t know better. Spring comes, thing started growing here and there in veggie boxes and faster than I knew all the boxes were overrun with it. Took me MONTHS to kill it. I love mint. Tea with mint is my favorite. So now I have a separate box of mint growing 6ft from a main garden.
Is it safe to use neem oil on mint? I’ve struggled for years with scale or caterpillars attacking my mint. The caterpillars attack when I had it outdoors, nearly ate the whole plant. The scales attacked when I try growing it indoors. After perusal this amazing article I think the scales come cause I probably let it dry out a bit too much. I’ve been scared to use neem oil on edible plants for pests since it’s a plant we consume and I’m not sure if it’s safe because of that
you said it – you have to be brutal with mint. when i first began gardening – a friend gave me a big clump of mint from her yard. i knew nothing about mint. that was 20 yrs or more ago and i have mint all over… i like it and want some. but every year i have to be firm and brutal about keeping it under control..
I think a mint lawn might be interesting…. but I’m pretty sure my neighbors would all chip in on an assassin 😂😂😂😂 Great article. However, I would like to correct one thing. You absolutely can start new plants via seeds. I have 12 starts right now. I grew from seeds from my own plant. I frequently have started mint from seeds. I’ve never propagated from another plant. Getting it to grow from seed is fairly easy. Especially with those Peat moss pellets. I know there’s some controversy there. Personally, I prefer coco coir. Technically, coco coir is more ph aligned. However for whatever reason I haven’t figured out yet is that I get better germination rates with Pete moss. As a general statement. So I use coco coir by default. Pete moss where it matters. Anyway. Put several seeds. Just barely tap them in. And make sure it stays wet. Usually I find the seeds sprout way before Pete moss dries out. I usually don’t need to water again until you bet the first set of leaves. Repot after you get adult leaves cause yeah… they will go find your tomatoes and sprout up in those starts. 😂 even as baby plants they are rude. 😂
My understanding is mint cross pollinates, so that is why you want to spread out varieties a decent distance from one another. I don’t know what the ideal distance is, but if growing multiple varieties for more than a season right next to eachother in the same planter, I could see why they could end up tasting similar or the same from one another.
I know mint takes over. I planted mine in a grow bag and I have the correct amount of respect and fear for it. And it STILL shocked me just how quickly it grows. I feel like you could sit and actually see it grow. I bought 2 plants a month ago and they’re already so big I have no idea what I’m going to do with it all!
I keep my peppermint in a container and it comes back year after year. It is extremely hard to kill. I am in growing zone 7 and during the winter we get really cold snaps and winter storms, but the mint comes back strong in the spring. I often have to snip the runners that grow over the sides of the container. In the summer, mint among other plants do a really good job and keeping pesky mosquitos at bay. Thank you for your great content!
Last year around November while cleaning up my container garden here in Western PA, I emptied the mint container at the end l edge of the lawn where the woods start. Today that section is a field of mint! I really didn’t think that would happen considering the winter, but it did. So a few weeks ago I went to the mint forest and propagated some and now I have containers of full, beautiful mint all around the house in containers. Buy one mint plant and you have endless for life😊
so I’m curious, I still have confusion about plants that you only plant one seed and that gives you the whole plant (like tomatoes or a courgette) vs sprinkling a bunch of seeds and they bush into “the whole plant” I know mint you sprinkle seeds and then you get the whole bushiness, but when taking cuttings, will planting out just one cutting into a larger pot eventually give you enough to have a bush of it then? Since they spread? I basically have had a tough time getting my mint seeds to germinate, I tend to eventually end up with just a few that sprout, I just hope that its enough to get it to eventually bush out. So far it seems to be going ok, but it still only has the one stem. After perusal the article, at least I’m pretty sure it’s down to underwatering, but I dunno, something about the concept about how certain plants need to be laid out for the final product still can baffle me.
Chocolate mint sun tea is freaking amazing. No extra anything no sugar. A gallon of brown tea 6-8 hours brewing in the sun with a handful of chocolate mint leaves. Amazing. I have full permission to harvest my neighbor’s mint anytime but finally planted one in my raised brick herb garden. Some say it’s too invasive. Well. I take good care of my herbs. No issues. I maintain them well as I use them for my food everyday. I will let the mint spread so I can break some off and make some pots and give to family and friends. I planted next to chives and yarrow root. We’ll see how that goes. (Garlic chives going strong for 13 years). This year is root crops, tomatoes, and vine crops.
That’s like too much mint….! Need a good recipe to utilize this amount of mints😀 Recipe: 1 ½ cups fresh squeezed lemon juice 6 cups of water sugar (as per taste) 2 cups of mint leaves .Black salt (as per taste) Ice, for serving Instructions: Juice the lemons. In a blender, combine the sugar, salt, mint leaves and water. Blend until fully combined. Strain the mixture twice (to get rid of the sediments). Add ice, serve Enjoy…..😀😀😀 8:19
My question is, can I use these plants around my door, keep carpenters Bee’s and wasp away from door and window? There out and about right now, they keep flying around my door, door way, window…. No nest yet, I have been checking every night though…. Last year I had 2… one of them was above the door…. 😰
I am not gonna lie, years ago I planted mint in the ground because I didn’t know better. The first year I was ecstatic at how well it was doing. The second year it grew in to my flower bed, several feet away, and decimated it. Every year after, it would find something new in my garden to strangle. Eventually, I gave up and turned that area into a chicken pen. The chickens took it out for me, thank goodness. I have since moved and the mint only goes into a raised bed now. Lesson learned.
Have a bunch of a different looking plants the leaves are wider and look almost like stretched hearts. I don’t think they grow by roots like others do, My mom wanted a little multi-herb garden pot and I told her it would be a bad idea since mint spreads by its roots and she said “It’ll be find” She then proceeded to only ever water and periodically fertilizing it while over picking the other herbs till they died at the roots or nodes while the Mint flourished and took over more than half the pot by the end of the season.
My garden is overgrown with mint and strawberries. Both just grow like weeds in my garden. I like my mojitos and mint chutneys but it really is a bit much. I actually wouldn’t mind it replacing the grass on my lawn as I’d just mow it. It is even somehow growing on my wooden fence and in paving cracks. Still at least you can eat it and it smells great.
This is just what I needed. All of my mint plants have survived the winter in my little unheated greenhouse, and they are coming back to life. I was hoping to repot them in fresh soil because, like your mint, the roots have filled the pots. I started all my mint plants from seed, and yes, even my spearmint. I even have a Mountain Mint that I started from seed 2 years ago. Those were the tiniest little seedlings that I have ever seen in my life, but they grew into a beautiful plant and now that’s my most favorite mint plant. Thank you so much for showing me how to repot these guys so I don’t have to root cuttings or start more seeds. ❤
I have a chocolate mint plant in a container but now I am noticing lots of little bugs. Not sure what kind but they dont look like the good kind of bugs. I am new to gardening and this just happened recently with the bugs because I look at them every other day. I only have SEVIN spray but I read its not good for herbs. so What can I use to get the bugs off my Mint and other herbs I have growing. My chocolate mint it by far mt favorite and I was really sad I seen so many invaders taking over my plant. Please help with any suggestions.
A lot of people hate on mint grown in ground, but, as I just finished another battle of me vs goat-head burs and bull nettle, I can’t help but think a yard of mint would be a welcome trade. It may be a nuisance but it doesn’t attempt to murder you for walking on it and I imagine it smells lovely when its mowed.
Hi. Thanks for the article. I am writing this in Korea. I have grown apple mint and got so frustrated here it goes. The reason why I think I failed is because everytime mint leaves do grow but too small. I googled it and people say I needed a bigger pot so I replaced the pot but still leaves are too small. I live in a building where the wall is made of glass so I assume they get plenty of sun even though they are kept indoors(temperature is also warm). Do you have a secret to have bigger leaves?
Awesome article, really helped me to master the mint. One tip that I will really recommend is if you want to propagate mint the best way to do it is stem. If you go out to the garden and harvest some mint you can cut the leaves off and save the stem, what you want is a stem that has a few leaf nodes 2 or 3 and then you lay it sideways into a pot. I popped my pot onto a heatmat and within five days baby mint leaves popped up. These work great as gifts. If you want a supercharged version of this you do the same thing, except when you harvest you want to grab a stem that has been laying on the ground and has roots already. That will help you get results even faster. Thanks for all the tips Kevin!
Yo could you do a article on growing carrot tops or a article on a topic of how to grow a fruit tree is it by clippings and how does that work or can you grow a fruit tree from the seeds of the fruit itself cuz I’m curious about it and all I’ve seen is one but not the other and I’m wondering if it’s true.
Friend at work and me cement from her mom’s yard to me it smells like backyard, vegetation the stuff that you walk through when you’re on an adventure as a little kid I can only get the smell of that and stuff like citronella and basil if I rub it and put it really close to my nose. I’m hoping that it does really well in my part so I can have Mojitos over the winter.
I have planted two types of mint together in a container spare mint and chocolate mint. The chocolate mint grows slower, so if you got spare mint and want to have the same amount of both varieties, you probably need to remove some spare mint when they really start growing so that the spare mint don’t take up most of the space because it grows like weeds 😅
I hate to tell you but I recently started spearmint from seed. I did not know that you couldn’t. Apparently you can! Not the easiest thing to start from seed but it did germinate and I’ve got little seed trays of it. I had some other mint from last year, repotted, and I used a bread knife. I agree it’s easier to propagate from cuttings.
My old neighbor moved and gave us a large old pot that had some root scraps and dead plants in it and a couple clumps of potting soil. Looking at it you wouldn’t think anything was alive in it. My wife and I just left it on our porch for a while until we could decide what to plant in it, and sure enough a bunch of plants started growing in it, and my wife picked a leaf and was like “it’s mint.” So we threw one in another little pot and now it’s a giant bush. Didn’t need to do anything with it except water here and there. Only thing I don’t know now is what to do with all of it.. we can only make so many mojitos.
It’s hard to kill mint once it’s in the ground. I love all kinds of mint though so I prefer it to weeds in any case. One ground cover that most don’t know about is something called Corsican mint. I don’t know if it’s edible but it had tiny leaves and looks a lot like baby tears but when you step on it you get this great minty scent. It’s heaven as a ground cover.
I’ve experienced the whole blending of flavors thing. I have what started out as peppermint and spearmint plants next to each other in a pot and I (sadly) can no longer taste a difference between them; neither is purely one or the other flavor anymore. It’s okay for making a fresh mint tea blend, but not okay if I wanted one or the other specifically. 🤷♀️