My mint keeps dying help me please

[Premier00000]

I first bought a bag of peppermint root cuttings from a mint grower on eBay about a year ago or so, and it's never actually started growing like I hoped. It would start growing great, and then once it had about 4-6 sets of leaves they all start falling off and the plant seems to die. (It starts withering from the top down) I recently took the rest of the root out and placed it in a small glass of water to hopefully keep it alive until I can figure out the problem(s). It's in miracle grow potting mix and I only water it when the top inch or 2 feel dry as I do with other plants I've grown over the years. Which seems to be the right thing from what I've read online. I'm on my last bit of plant so I need to figure it out soon. I water it with water from my kids fish tank once every 4 watering and regular tap water for the others (after letting the chlorine breathe off for about a week).

Can the soil I have not be good? If so what should I get? It's even completely died after I planted it straight in the ground after thriving for a couple months or so.

[imafan26]

What kind of light is the mint getting? It can take partial shade to full sun but it needs bright light or it gets lanky. Mint likes to be evenly moist and not wet dry or it will go limp at mid day and brown at the tips . The pot should not be sitting in a tray of water. 6 mint sprigs in a 6 inch pot should fill the pot and be ready to divide in less than 6 months. MG potting soil should not be a problem. I only have problems with mint because it gets pot bound, then it can dry out if I miss a day of watering and it will strangle itself if it is not divided regularly. I really have not had a problem with the mint not growing if it gets enough water and light. I grow mine in shallow bowls and hanging baskets.

[rainbowgardener]

I don't know. It sounds like you are doing everything right and know how to grow plants. Given that mints are ordinarily very easy to grow, you should not be having this much trouble. It is possible the plants were just diseased when you got them and you might just need to start over with a new batch. Get them from a good garden store.

Incidentally, chlorine outgasses quickly. If you let your water sit for 24 hrs, that should be plenty.

[Premier00000]

It's in a south-eastern facing window that sees plenty sun between sunrise and about 3pm or so. I've had chocolate mint growing perfectly fine in the same spot before I tried the peppermint and that took over the pot I'm using quite quickly. The pot is a 12" pot so that should be perfectly fine for a while.

The root cuttings looked to be in great shape when I got them so I'm not sure what the problem could be... Other than bad water or bad soil. (It's MG Moisture control mix)

Is there anyone that could just send me some once theirs start to get too big? I contacted the person I purchased the cuttings from (on eBay) and I've heard nothing back.



I've seen some people selling "peppermint" seeds on eBay and while I know it won't yield true peppermint I may try it, I only have the mint growing for the smell, and because I like the way it looks when it's well established and thriving... And to keep away small pests.

[Premier00000]

Well it looks like the plant is completely dead. It's completely wilted. Any way I can get another plant or even some cuttingswithout spending a lot? Free is better and Unfortunately the only place local wants quite a bit for an established plant ($12).

Should I toss the potting soil and start with a fresh pot of the same stuff, or use something completely different altogether?

[Premier00000]

After doing some searching about the soil I have, I found this....

I planted chocolate mint, spearmint, ginger mint, thyme, and tarragon in pots with MiracleGro Moisture Control potting mix, and those all died extremely quickly (within a week - one of the mints turned completely brown and shriveled within two days).

I guess the potting mix is the problem, what would you guys recommend?

[applestar]

I don't like that moisture control stuff - it's the same plastic polymer as is used in disposable baby diapers. I didn't use those for my babies either.

I've been using Dr. Earth's in the orange bag. It says it contains yucca extract for moisture control. Not sure what that means. I've been cutting it with sand and shredded coir, experimenting with pumice gravel, etc. Have reluctantly concluded I have to use perlite instead for really heavy/large containers. I've also liked using Promix ultimate organic as well as Gardener's Gold organic in the past. All three contains compost and beneficial mycorrhiza and other microbes in the mix.

[rainbowgardener]

Don't you have any gardening friends? Anyone who has mint, has a lot of it and it is really easy to divide and in fact benefits from being divided every few years.

Growers exchange is selling peppermint plants for fall planting for $6

https://www.thegrowers-exchange.com/Flow ... =16&page=2

but I didn't check out shipping cost, so you might not come out much ahead.

[Premier00000]

I looked into ordering from them before, they want $10 to ship. It turns out one of my friends that I gave mint to still has some, and it's taking over his herb garden, so I might go pay him a visit later, and take some new soil home with me.

[Premier00000]

Went out and bought some new, cheaper soil and grabbed a couple cuttings of a friends [chocolate] mint plant, I have one that I'm going to see how it roots directly into the soil, and another that I'm rooting in a glass of water. He said he's had great success both ways.

Also I should be getting some root cuttings from some spearmint, peppermint, and chocolate mint. I'm thinking about seeing how they all grow together in the same pot.

[applestar]

Sounds like fun to grow all those different mints.

If I might make a suggestion though, it would be better to grow them in separate pots and clearly label them. That way, they won't all grow together and compete with each other, or make it harder for you to distinguish one from another. Also, their aromatic oils/essences won't "contaminate" each other.

[Premier00000]

I live in an apartment so space is at a premium. I figured I would use plexiglass or acrylic to make separate sections in the pot I have. And once it outgrows what it's in I'll take a cutting of each and start over... And replant the remaining mint outside since nothing seems to grow other than weeds anyway. I doubt anyone will care, it'll keep the mice and spiders away.

[Premier00000]

Found my old thread I started about 6 months ago.

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/vi ... 35&start=0

Glad to finally have it figured out.

[imafan26]

I get my peppermint from Walmart. It cost less than $2 for a 4 inch pot. It is not available all of the time, but since I go there so often I know the garden manager and if you request it and leave your name and number they will call their herb suppliers and ask them to bring some in. I have also found it at Lowe's and home depot, again it is not there all the time but they do bring it in.

I keep my mint in a six inch pot in full sun on my nursery bench. It is too dangerous to let it near the ground. I make my own soil mix 50% perlite 50% peat and I add some osmocote to the soil mix for a slow release fertilizer. I need to divide this plant every couple of months and I water it everyday. My pot has drain holes on the sides and the bottom of the pot. When I use hanging baskets, the first thing I do is ditch the saucers at the bottom of the pot and I do not use self (killing) watering pots. I use MG potting mix when I can't find enough perlite, but I use the regular not the moisture control mix. I water everyday.

Mint can take full sun to partial shade. It will be sparse and lanky in too much shade. As long as drainage is good, I water mint everyday. It will dry (it will actually get crispy) and black if it does not get enough water, but even when the top shrivels as long as the roots are alive it comes back.

[Premier00000]

The walmart near me only carries common mint, I checked lowes and they said it sells out fast when they get it in.

Luckily one of my friends has quite the variety growing in his yard.

I'm actually temped to plant some cuttings in the spot we had a tree but had to be taken out because it fell into the road early last year... And it seems grass even won't grow there.

[imafan26]

Mint actually is one of the herbs that likes a richer moister soil and it looks better in partial shade. It is dangerous to put it in the ground it gets very invasive.

[Premier00000]

So my mint recently got hit with, what I believe, was mint rust as well as some white dust looking mildew or something. So I cut it back to almost nothing and hopefully it bounces back better and stronger.

[rainbowgardener]

Imafan is in Hawaii where everything grows like crazy. I have mint in the ground. In a dry shade spot and with cold winters, it actually struggles to stay alive. My spearmint is not nearly as invasive as the lemon balm, a different mint family member which handles my conditions much better.

And yes, it is quite possible if you just cut it all down, it will grow back healthy from the roots. It is tough stuff.

[tenderloingardener]

Interesting to read this string. I got a bunch of peppermint to make tabouleh, which I keep in a vase in water like most fresh herbs. Always it's more than I need for a particular recipe-I dried some in my toaster oven then started doing other stuff- next thing I know some of these have put out roots. I stuck a few in with my lavender pot and my chive pot- not expecting much, but 3 survived and started to flourish.

Finally I had to take them out as this plant sometimes doesn't play well with others. I had to be pretty brutal ripping the roots that had become really intermingled with the other plants, and just popped them into another container- likely too small for the amount of mint I have now. Many of the leaves have died and come off, though new leaves are also coming in. My major concern is that some of the new growth coming in at the top of larger plants look a bit yellow- others are on long stems.

I'm hoping that another move into a bigger pot may be the cure. I am also considering removing some of the long, woody branches, even though some new leaves are coming in on them.

On a related matter I grabbed a lemon balm- roots included from a very neglected public planter that is now going to weeds. I checked it closely for bugs and I also put that in with my lavender. It stiffened up and started growing new leaves. During the peppermint extraction I did my best not to disturb it, but suddenly it's not doing so well. Wilty, and browning, as well as some kind of clear exudate- though I have a crazy upstairs neighbor who tosses all manner of stuff out if his window ( maybe even his cookies- ew!) and I'm hoping the little guy will buck up, but it doesn't look good.

I'm wondering if the mint strategy is a good one, and if the lemon balm would benefit from any direct action from me aside from regular watering. It's still in with lavender, but not too tight in the pot.

Thanks if anyone can advise, and thank you for reading this.

If nothing else, I'm showing that peppermint plants seem to root pretty easily in water so getting some shouldn't be too difficult. These were just from a bunch I got from a corner store that sells produce. If I'd moved them earlier I likely wouln't be having this yellowing issue at all.

Peace to us all

[imafan26]

Water roots are not the same as roots in the soil. The peppermint will grow new roots for the soil and the water roots will die off. There are ways to condition water rooted plants by encouraging the soil roots to grow before they are planted.

I don't water root much of anything anymore. Mints and basil are fairly easy to root from fresh cuttings. I cut the end of the cuttings at a 45 degree angle below a node and dip it in rooting powder or you can use dip n' grow then I put it in moist potting mix. It usually roots in about two weeks.

[rainbowgardener]

wilty and browning and some kind of clear exudate sounds like it could have an insect infestation -- aphids, scale insects, and mealybugs give off a clear, slightly sticky substance called "honeydew." Have you checked it carefully, including the undersides of the leaves?

Lemon balm and other mints (lemon balm is in the mint family) don't do well in a pot with lavender, because they have very different water requirements. Lavender likes dry sandy soil and to dry out thoroughly between waterings. Mint likes a lot more water.

[applestar]

Like rainbowgardener said, to keep the lavender happy, the mint would sacrificed, and to keep the mint happy, the lavender would be sacrificed.

In any cases it may not seem like it when the mint is small -- or actually you've seen how they do it -- mint and lemon balm grow rhizomes (thick underground shoots) when they are mature, and they do more of this during the cooler months while lavender is likely dormant. So they will bully and strangle the lavender in a confined container.

Out in the garden, I've followed mint rhizomes that can range 2 FEET in length along a root barrier edging.

Mints in containers should always be planted by ITself -- one variety to each container and divided or uppotted before they become root bound and strangle itself.

[tenderloingardener]

Thanks for all the info.
This is the funny thing- the only reason I moved the peppermint out was my awareness of what must be happening under the soil- the strangulation of my lavender roots. Aside from that rather important detail they were cohabitating nicely.

I grew the lavender from cuttings takien from a fairly large bush (rooted in soil). I suspect the lavender was a strain willing to deal with more mousture than usual. Generally, it's fairly wet here due to fog and humidity if not rain. Possibly I have damp tolerant lavender. It really started growing like crazy this spring. It's not in the least annoyed about the surgery.

Thanks for the heads up about the lemon balm. Are all the plants in the mint family rhizome, uh, creators? That is a structure that fixes nitrogen, right? I've wanted lemon balm for my teapot for a while- somehow it didn't occur to me that it would have the same inability to share root space as peppermint. It was fine. Then, after I pulled out the pepppermint it kind of got pale and wilt-y. There are some dark green leaves coming in at the bottom though, so if it gets a bit healthier I'll move it out sooner rather than later. Thanks.

The exudate isn't mealy bug or scale (soft or hard). I became very familiar with those particular pests one summer delousing the greenhouse at CCSF with 70% isopropyl alcolhol and cotton swabs. Please don't misunderstand- any advice is always welcome and I'm still totally and blissfully ignorant of a wide variety of garden pests, in fact, I don't even yet know of the existence of entire genre and hope I never do!
I suppose, since I cannot find any evidence of pests I'll just have to assume it's another assault from above. That dude is soooo lucky I'm on meds now. I had to move my rose bushes due to damage from falling debris.

I put the yellowing, irked mint into a larger pot today. I swear it was fine until I moved it. I felt that the previous pot was too small and it seemed too damp once I got in there as well. It rained a bit today so I didn't water it. New stuff is coming in as the older leaves drop off-I'll be a bit bummed if it dies just because I ate my tabouleh and kept the mint too, which is a mighty fine yarn in the "sticking it to the man" tradition, but even though the whole thing was unplanned happenstance, I suspect it is something that can happen again. If I was choosing I'd prefer spearmint. .

I'm going to check out the "grower's exchange." I do have a birthday coming up.

Thanks for taking the time with me- as always I appreciate it very much.

[rainbowgardener]

Go for it! People say never to plant mint in the ground, because it is so invasive. But I have a patch of spearmint in a dry shady spot where I pay little attention to it and it just stays alive. If conditions are bad enough it will slow the mint down from spreading too much, but it will still grow where little else will.