Indoor and outdoor gardening has been a big part of my life for a long time. I have recipes that include mint as an ingredient. Therefore, I like to have fresh mint at my disposal whenever my recipes call for it. Here is what you need to know about how often to water mint.
Mint should be watered once per day and then as needed if drying occurs. Some pots hold moisture better than others. If unsure, feel the top inch or so of the soil and if it is dry, add some water. It is essential to keep a mint plant’s roots constantly hydrated.
Now, let’s dive a bit further into the details, and you’ll become a mint-growing pro in no time.
Watering Guidelines
Mint must be grown in continually moist soil. You will need to test things out and find what works best to accomplish this in your own plant’s environment. However, setting a specific time to water mint each day will ensure that the plant gets what it needs to survive.
Avoid Overwatering
While you want to water your mint plant daily, you must be careful not to overwhelm your mint with too much water. Before watering your plant each day, it is vital to check the soil’s moisture content. To test soil conditions, stick your finger into the soil near where the dirt and stem meet.
If the soil is dry, proceed to water the plant. On the other hand, if the soil is wet, skip watering your mint until the next day. It is just as important not to overwater the mint’s roots as it is to underwater.
Routinely overwatering your mint will lead to rot. Once the roots rot, the plant dies. It is important to check your mint plant daily for signs of overwatering in order to avoid root rot.
The best time to water mint is in the morning. Watering mint in the morning gives the afternoon sun a chance to dry up an overabundance of water.
If you regularly forget to water your mint plant, you may want to look into using self-watering containers. Self-watering containers draw water from a reservoir to keep the soil moist. You only need to refill the reservoirs occasionally, and these types of containers provide no opportunity for overwatering.
I recommend getting self-watering pots that are clear, like these found on Amazon, so that you can see when the water tank is running low.
Watering Outdoor vs. Indoor
You can grow mint plants indoors all year round. Plant your mint in a wide surface container as opposed to a deep one. Planting mint in a wide container ensures that the roots do not choke the plant.
Mint grown indoors needs to be set in a spot that receives indirect sunlight. Throughout the day, mint plants need to sit at an indoor temperature of 65-70 F (18-21 C). During the night, they need a slightly cooler indoor environment of 55-60 F (13-15 C).
Water mint in containers more often than those grown outdoors in the ground. You provide container plants with their only source of water, while outdoor plants receive additional watering from nature.
If growing mint in terracotta pots, water them more often than you would in any other container. Terracotta pots are porous, and water leaches out of them easily, causing the roots to dry out faster than if grown in other types of pots.
Between indoor watering sessions, it is important to mist your mint. Misting your plant helps deal with humidity.
When living outdoors, your mint plant will be at the mercy of nature. Where you live will have an impact on how often you have to water your mint. If you live in a location that is hot and receives sun daily, you will want to water your mint twice daily to deal with the amount of water evaporation that occurs. Alternatively, if you receive lots of rainfall, you may not have to water your outdoor mint often.
Pro Tip: If concerned about whether your indoor or outdoor plants are getting an adequate amount of water, be sure to check the moisture content of the soil before watering. Just sticking your finger an inch into the soil will let you know whether to water or not.
How Often to Water Mint Seeds
It takes about 10 to 15 days for mint to germinate from seeds. At this time, the soil needs to be kept slightly moist but not soggy. Do not cover the container in an effort to speed up germination. Mint plants must have light to germinate.
When a seedling develops two sets of true leaves, you can harden the plant off and transport your mint sprigs into containers. A new plant requires 1-2 inches of water per week in the growing season.
How to Prune Mint (and How to Know When to Prune)
Prune mint after its second year, right before it blooms. If the plant blooms, the leaves will have less flavor and fragrance. To prevent your mint from blooming, you will need to pinch or cut the buds 2-3 times during the second year of growth.
Cut your mint plant back by half if pruning during the growing season. Cutting the buds off will save the integrity of your mint. This process will net you an abundance of fresh mint to use.
At the end of the season, you must prune your plant back to an inch above the ground.
Final Thoughts
Mint plants need attention every day, whether being grown indoors or out. The main thing to remember is to check whether the soil is dry before watering by inserting your finger into the soil near the base of the plant. If it is dry, water; if it is wet, do not water. Easy peasy. Give it a try!
For more, don’t miss How Much Does a Tractor Cost? (New vs. Used With 20 Examples).
Anne James has a wealth of experience in a wide array of interests and is an expert in quilting, cooking, gardening, camping, mixing drinks (worked as a professional bartender), and making jelly.
Anne has a professional canning business, has been featured in the local newspaper as well as on the Hershey website, and has been her family canner for decades. Anyone growing up in the South knows that there is always a person in the family who has knowledge of the “old ways,” and this is exactly what Anne is.
With over 55 years of experience in these endeavors, she brings a level of hands-on knowledge that is hard to surpass. Amazingly, she doesn’t need to reference many resources due to her vast wealth of experience. She IS the source.
Anne wants nothing more than to pass on her extensive knowledge to the next generations, whether that be family or anyone visiting her website, her YouTube channel, or preservingsweetness.com.