Growing Guide

You don't need a green thumb. You just need a windowsill.

Mint is one of the most forgiving plants on the planet. It grows in fields, in cracks in the sidewalk, in forgotten corners of gardens — and yes, in a glass of water on your kitchen counter. If you've ever killed a houseplant, mint is your redemption arc.

Everything we ship is grown in our field in Brattleboro, Vermont, harvested bare root, and sent to you clean and ready to grow. No soil. No pot. No mystery. Here's everything you need to know.

What's in your package

Your plants arrive bare root — stems with roots attached, wrapped in a moist medium to keep them alive in transit. There's no plastic pot, no excess packaging, just the plant. We ship this way because it's lighter, gentler on the plant, and generates almost no waste. The kraft paper and cardboard packaging is recyclable or compostable.

Step one: Give them a drink

The moment your plants arrive, unwrap them and place the stems in a glass or jar of water. Submerge the roots and lower stems up to the first set of leaves — not the leaves themselves, just below them. Set them somewhere with natural light and let them rest for 24–48 hours before planting.

This rehydrates the roots after their journey and gives you a chance to watch them perk up. Within a day most plants will visibly straighten and brighten. You'll know they're ready.

If you're not ready to plant yet, you can keep mint alive in a glass of water on a sunny windowsill for weeks. Change the water every few days. This isn't a temporary measure — mint genuinely thrives this way. It will root further into the water and may even produce new growth before you plant it.

Planting your mint

When you're ready to move it to soil, the process couldn't be simpler.

In a container (recommended for most people):

Choose a pot at least 6 inches deep with drainage holes. Fill with any standard potting mix. Dig a small hole, nestle the roots in, and cover with soil up to just below the first leaves. Water well and place in a sunny spot. That's it.

In the ground:

Pick a spot with at least partial sun and reasonably moist soil. Dig a hole slightly larger than the root ball, set the plant in, fill it back in, and water. One note: mint spreads. If you're planting near other things you care about, consider sinking a pot or barrier to contain the roots, or give it its own dedicated patch where it can do its thing.

Either way: mint is not demanding. Regular watering when the soil feels dry, a sunny windowsill or outdoor bed, and it will reward you generously.

How mint grows

Once established, mint spreads through underground runners called rhizomes. A single plant will become a cluster, then a patch, then a small colony if you let it. This is mostly a feature, not a bug — one order of bare root plants can fill a container, a raised bed, or a garden border within a single growing season.

Mint also regenerates after cutting. The more you harvest, the more it grows back. Snip stems just above a leaf node and the plant will branch and fill in. Regular harvesting actually keeps the plant healthier and more compact than leaving it alone.

In cold climates like Vermont, mint dies back to the ground in winter and returns reliably in spring from its root system. It's a perennial — plant it once and it keeps coming back.

A brief history of mint

Mint has been grown, traded, and argued over for thousands of years. Ancient Egyptians used it as an offering. Romans scattered it on floors to scent their homes. Medieval monks cultivated it in monastery gardens for medicine and cooking. It shows up in Greek mythology, in the Bible, in virtually every food tradition on earth.

The reason there are so many varieties comes down to mint's biology: it hybridizes freely and readily, producing new crosses wherever different species grow near each other. Peppermint itself is a natural hybrid of watermint and spearmint, first documented in England in the 1690s. Over centuries of cultivation and cross-pollination — intentional and accidental — hundreds of distinct varieties have emerged, each with its own flavor profile, growth habit, and aroma.

What we grow in Brattleboro is a small collection of the varieties we love most: the classic culinary mints, the curious ones, and the beautiful ones. Each one has its own character, but all of them share the same easygoing nature. They want to grow. Your job is just to let them.

Have fun with it

Mint is one of the most useful plants you can grow. Once you have more than you know what to do with — and you will — here are some ways to put it to work.

In the kitchen

Fresh mint transforms a lot of ordinary things: muddle it into cocktails and mocktails, steep a handful in hot water for tea, toss leaves into salads, blend into sauces and chutneys, or layer into desserts. Chocolate mint over vanilla ice cream is not optional. Pineapple mint makes a remarkable lemonade.

For your body

Mint has been used in personal care for centuries for good reason — it's cooling, aromatic, and naturally antimicrobial. Add fresh leaves to a bath, make a simple mint-infused oil for sore muscles, or dry and grind it into a scrub. A sprig of spearmint or peppermint tucked into your pillowcase is a surprisingly effective way to end a long day.

Around the house

Dried mint sachets in drawers and closets keep things smelling clean and deter moths naturally. A bundle of fresh mint hung to dry is both decorative and functional. Mint is also a natural pest deterrent — aphids, ants, and some rodents dislike it strongly. Tuck a pot near a doorway or window.

In the garden

Mint is a pollinator magnet when it flowers. Let a few stems go to bloom and watch the bees arrive. It's also a classic companion plant — grown near brassicas, tomatoes, or peppers it can confuse or repel common pests. And because it spreads so readily, you'll have more than enough to divide and give away. A bare root cutting in a damp paper towel makes an excellent gift.

Preserve it

When your patch is going strong, dry large batches by hanging stems upside down in a warm spot for a week. Store in a sealed jar and you'll have mint all winter for tea, cooking, and everything else. You can also freeze whole leaves flat on a baking sheet, then bag them — they hold their flavor remarkably well and go straight from freezer to pot.

Questions?

Reach us at hello@mint.monster — we're happy to help with anything from planting to troubleshooting to figuring out which variety belongs in your mojito.

Mint Monster LLC — Brattleboro, Vermont