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Poorly mint

The mint in my garden grew really well in the early part of the summer, but now it has gone to flower. Insects that I don't usually see on other plants seem to like the flowers, so I've left them as they are for now, but the leaves of the mint look a bit poorly and there isn't much new growth.

I feel that at some stage I should prune the mint right back so that it come grow afresh next year. When is it best to do that?

Posts

  • Ladybird4Ladybird4 Posts: 36,233

    Hi again Thirtybyseven. You've got it exactly right. You cut the mint back down to the ground in Autumn - once flowers  are over. If you would like some of your own fresh mint over the Winter months, just find a few longish roots and put into a plant pot on your kitchen windowsill. The mint will soon grow to supply you.

    Cacoethes: An irresistible urge to do something inadvisable
  • CeresCeres Posts: 2,309

    Try cutting back half of the mint now and you might get a second flush of leaves before winter. I'm intending to do this with my overbearing plant.

  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 21,769

    I cut mine down about a month ago and it's all grown back, looks much better. I have three large pots of different sorts.

    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • Lou12Lou12 Posts: 1,149

    Or you can oven dry the leaves for use in winter. for cooking. I always fill up my herb containers with home dried herbs until the next season rather than buying supermarket dried herbs.

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