How many different known kinds of edible mint would you say there are? Name all the species of Mentha you can think of. There are about 24 species and countless natural and cultivated hybrids; these include apple mint, spearmint, and watermint. All of these have so many uses, it would be an understatement to label them versatile.

They are also wonderful for the beginner gardener, many times over taking a large chunk of your garden. So when to plant mint and where do you start if you want to use mint seeds?

Get all of the basics on how to grow mint in your backyard in our guide here. How to Grow Mint Without it Overtaking the Ground ?

This post will cover seed propagation. Here are the general instructions for growing coriander, be it any variety. Also see: Popular Mentha hybrids like peppermint and chocolate mint are sterile, must be propagated by division or tissue culture and cannot be grown from seed. Finding out how to best plant it comes mostly down to the temperatures where you live. Mentha: Although mentha is a hardy plant, they can also suffer harsh winter weather in some areas.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

When to Plant Mint

Plant this perennial herb in the spring after any danger of frost has passed in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 9. This includes starting your own seeds at home either indoors or outdoors, in the ground or containers.

At the beginning of the third month until the last predicted freeze date for your area, start seeds indoors to be moved later. Outdoor PlantingOutdoor planting typically means waiting until the threat of frost has passed. However, for those areas where frost is not an issue, you can’t wait to plant seeds outdoors when the temperatures are in the minimum 55°F range all the time, and if you live in those areas that do not have winter time but warm throughout, if you are planning to sow in fall when temperatures drop a bit.

Mint: If you prefer to grow mint all year round, you may too, indoors. That’s for another guide. (coming soon!)

Starting Seeds Indoors

They are super teeny-tiny seeds, about an eighth of an inch long, that you either bought in a packet or collected yourself. A sewing helper is likely very useful.

This kind of device will prevent a large part of the seeds from gathering to ride in an area. Fill a plug tray with potting soil or a 2:1 mix of compost and perlite. Top up the cells and thoroughly water in, letting the water drain through before you plant.

Plug Tray

If watering brings the soil below about a 1/4 inch from the top of the cells, add more until they are level once more. Sprinkle two to three seeds per cell, directly on the surface of the potting medium, using your sowing device. Do not seal the containers – beans require light in order to germinate. Heat mat for 60°F. Place the tray in a location with direct sunlight, or use a grow light for a minimum of 6 hours a day. If the upper part of the substrate starts to dry, then you can use a sprayer to gently moisten until it becomes wet.

Germination should start showing in about two weeks. If multiple little ones spring up in each cell, you may have to pick or snip out the weakest one after the plants are a few weeks old and have a set of true leaves. When the seedlings have at least two sets of true leaves, they are ready to transplant, which will be in another eight to 10 weeks. Harvest your young plants, and to let them acclimate to new surroundings, introduce them to their new outdoor home for a couple of hours a day, over a week or so.

Sowing in Containers

A container might also be the best way to plant your herbs if you plant to have herbs inside your house or near your house, on the patio, so you can reach them more easily when you are cooking. By planting in containers, you can also offer protection from those low temperatures by getting the planter inside and out of the wind, and it keeps the creepers like mint from taking over the yard or garden. Start with a 4-6 inch pot on the bottom of which you have drainage holes.

Fill with potting soil (or a homemade mixture of two parts compost to one perlite) to three-quarters to one inch below the rim. Water the soil thoroughly before planting and remove any excess water. Fill in any lost depth as it settles. Sprinkle your seeder or take your thumb a couple of seeds and distribute them about 2 or 3 inches apart. Place the pot in a sunny location or under a grow light for at least 6 hours a day.

Water, on mist setting, when the growing medium begins to dry to the touch. After the seedlings are up, sort out the smallest ones so that you have one or two on a hill. The mint is an aggressive grower so after about 6-8 months, you will probably have to re-pot it in a bigger container. When you see roots poking out from the drainage holes underneath your pot, or if you notice stems near the rim of the pot, move on to a planter size up.

Sowing Seeds Outdoors

Select a sun or partial shade area of ground after the average last frost date in your area. Although mint likes good soil, most mints produce the best flavor when they are grown in leaner soils, not in soil that is very rich in organic matter.

While poor in organic matter, few types have deficient nitrogen, potassium, or phosphorus that would need to be provided to Mentha plants. If your garden soil is heavy clay or mostly sand, it is advisable to amend before planting. Find out how to read your soil and what to do about deficiencies at HornCribCafe. com. **

It is best to water down evictions before growing to avoid dislodging the seeds. Your soil needs moisture but should not be soaked with water.

Rake the ground where you are going to sow Sprinkle seeds lightly on the soil or use a seeder. Sprinkle a thin layer of vermiculite or sand over to hold them in position and leave them uncovered (do not press them in). If you are worried it’s going to rain and wash your Beets away you can use a light penetrating row cover until germination. Pin this handy seed spacing guide at Gardening Know How to keep on hand for those times when you plant your new seeds and forget how far apart they should be.

Thin out any seedlings that have sprouted too close together—for example, any that are coming up between the recommended 12- to 18-inch spacing. Thinning makes a gap between plants helps the air circulation so there is less chance of disease and other pests to spread from one to another.

Transplanting

Once the risk of frost has passed and your seedlings have been hardened, plant your tomatoes in a spot with full sun from six to eight hours per day. Mint will also do well growing in a site which gets partial shade through part of the day. Dig a hole thats as wide-depth as the pot and space 12 to 18 inches apart from each hole. Carefully remove the root ball from the pot and plant it in the ground, pressing lightly to secure it, and then plant the excess space with the soil.

Water in well. In active growth periods after the plant’s first year, pinch out the tops to help shape the wonderfully scented, creeping stems from becoming long and gangly.

Bud production at the stem tips may continue in increasingly significance from year two onwards. For keeping the plant from going to seed you can pinch these off.

A Hint About Mint

So whether you are using it to repel pests, are planning to snip off sprigs to add to dishes, or are just enjoying the gentle aroma drifting across the garden and underfoot, keep an eye on your minty patch.

It has a tendency to be invasive and can spread laterally by its rhizomes, so is discouraged under many circumstances. You might want to put it in a pot instead, but should you end up adding it to your yard or garden, you will easily have more than you could possibly ever require in no time for whatever it is you signify to utilize it for.

How do you like to use mint? Leave your remarks under the comments section!