Last updated on September 23rd, 2022 at 03:50 pm
As a gardener, you should know that the importance of mint can’t be overemphasized. And because it serves several purposes, you may want yours to grow all year round.
Therefore, new farmers and gardeners ask one popular question,
Does mint come back every year? Yes, Mint grows back every year. Mint is a perennial plant and can regrow numerous times within one year. Mint regrows vigorously on its own. Sometimes, you may have to prevent or stop your mint plant from overgrowing and covering large areas of the garden.
Is Mint a Perennial?
Mint can grow more than two times in a year. These herbs also live longer than two years. Some other plants have this ability. These plants are sage, rosemary, parsley, thyme, lavender, oregano, and lemon balm.
Because mint is a perennial plant, it regenerates after being planted once and grows for more than a year.
Unlike annual plants, perennial plants always come back. They keep growing and growing until they live for more than a year or two.
Perennial plants, for example, herbs like mint, grow and bloom over the spring and summer. They die during autumn and winter and then come back from their roots or other developed overwintering structures in the spring.
Perennials that exhibit such “resurrection” features are called herbaceous perennials. Mint goes through that process and is, therefore, a herbaceous perennial.
Furthermore, mint, and some perennial herbs, during the winter season, naturally grow unique reproductive structures. These structures allow them to adapt to living from one year to another through vegetative reproduction.
They do this to survive rather than seeding like most annual and biennial plants.
Does Mint Regrow Every Year?
Mint regrows every year. No matter how often the plant dies off, especially during winter, it always comes back.
After producing leaves and flowering and dying, mint always comes back to life with the proper care. Mint herb can keep growing for over five years or more.
You don’t even have to replant mint for it to grow again.
Mint grows year-round quickly in warmer climates. This growth is because it doesn’t need any dormancy period. It will stay alive in every season and thus every year.
Mint thrives in different climates, not caring if it’s cool or warm. It also regenerates, simultaneously retaining its potency of flavor.
How To Care For Mint So It Comes Back Every Year
If you enjoy having an excessive amount of mint in your garden, then you will never want it to die and stop growing.
Mint requires minimal care to survive. However, you’ll have to provide its essential needs such as water, sunlight, and good soil before it can do the rest of the work by itself.
So, how do you care for mint, so it grows back every year?
1. You can care for your mint by providing adequate spacing. Mint is not a shy grower. It grows and spreads quickly. For this plant to thrive, it needs space.
Mint won’t grow at total capacity when it is in a crowded space, competing for sunlight and nutrients.
You only need one or two mint plants since it is prone to spreading. If you choose to plant a lot, space them about two feet apart.
2. You should ensure your mint is exposed to enough sunlight—plant mint in a sunny location.
For example, if you plant mint in a portion of the garden that receives about five hours of sunlight per day, it will do perfectly fine.
If you are planting mint indoors, make sure you place the container near a sunny window.
3. Provide your plant with an adequate amount of water. Some people say mint is a constantly thirsty plant. Unfortunately, that statement is very true.
If you want your dormant mint to come back after winter, water it.
Regular watering is perhaps the only maintenance mint needs. It would be best to water the plant from the soil and keep it moist.
4. Plant your mint in good soil. Mint thrives in moist, well-aerated, and drained loamy soil. Rich soil for mint is a soft soil with a lot of natural nutrients.
Mint loves soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. To keep the soil moist, cover the soil with a bit of mulch.
However, mulching prevents the spreading of mint plants. So, it would be best to avoid it if you want your mint to spread around your garden.
5. Regularly trim your mint. Pruning is essential in herbs. It boosts the growth of more leaves and provides space for every part of the plant to receive adequate sunlight.
What Do You Do With Mint in the Winter?
Mint is primarily dormant during winter. Without proper care, the plant may die during that season.
If you want your mint plant to stay alive in the garden all year round and go through the winter, you should try clustering the plants under leaves or a sheet. Doing this keeps them stiff and warm.
You can use leaves or sheets to cover the mint plant during winter as a blanket. As long as the mint is not cold but relatively warm, it will keep producing and have a low chance of dying or dormant.
You could even keep harvesting fresh mint leaves as generally as you would in other seasons if you do this.
Also, if you plucked some mint leaves during the winter and you’re not ready to use them, you can preserve them by drying them up or freezing them.
Conclusion
Mint is one of the easiest herbs to grow, especially when planting them outdoors in a formal garden.
The mint plant needs little to no effort to regenerate. This process is natural to perennial herbs like mint, oregano, and thyme.
However, some little practices need to be done to ensure that your mint is constantly reproducing. Enjoy planting the ever-growing mint, and don’t forget to have a lot of space.