Yes, mint grow in containers works great and most gardening experts now call it the best approach. You get fresh mint all season long without the garden takeover that comes from planting in the ground. Pots keep your mint right where you want it while giving you easy access for harvesting.
I learned this lesson the hard way over two summers of watching mint spread across my herb garden. A small starter plant turned into a monster that choked out my basil and oregano. My container mint growing setup stayed neat and tidy right next to that mess. The difference was so clear that I dug up all my ground mint and moved it into pots.
The real problem with ground mint comes from its underground root system. Mint sends out horizontal stems called rhizomes that travel under your soil. These runners pop up new plants several feet away from the mother plant. They spread fast and start new growth before you even spot what happened. When you grow mint in a pot, the container walls block those rhizomes from spreading any further.
Research from NDSU Extension shows how aggressive mint gets when you leave it alone. A single plant can cover 7-10 times its starting area within a few seasons. That cute herb garden addition becomes a mint jungle fast without any boundaries to stop it. Pots solve this problem with no extra work on your part since the walls do all the containing for you.
Caring for your potted mint plants takes just a few basic steps. Start with a pot at least 12 inches in diameter to give roots room to spread. You should drill drainage holes if your pot lacks them since standing water kills mint roots fast. Use bagged potting mix rather than garden soil since it drains better and gives your roots the air they need.
Water your mint when the top inch of soil feels dry to your finger. Give your plants 4-6 hours of direct sun each day for strong growth and good flavor. You should harvest stems often to promote bushy growth rather than tall leggy plants. Pinch off flower buds when you see them since blooming signals the plant to slow down leaf growth.
My neighbor tried a different approach with buried barriers around her garden mint. The rhizomes found gaps in her barrier within one season and spread into her tomatoes. She gave up on that method and switched to pots the next spring. You can learn from her mistake and skip straight to container growing from the start.
Your mint in pots success depends on getting a few basics right. Choose a container with good drainage and fill it with quality potting mix. Keep up with watering and give your plant enough sunlight to thrive. You get fresh mint whenever you want it without worrying about garden takeover or spreading problems.
Container growing turns mint from a potential garden problem into an easy herb garden staple. Those wandering rhizomes stay right where you put them inside the pot walls. You control the soil, the water, and the location to give your mint the best growing conditions. Pick a good pot, add some quality soil, and enjoy fresh mint from your container for years to come.
Read the full article: How to Grow Mint in Pots: A Complete Guide
