Grow Mint in Water Indoors (Pudina): No Soil, Just a Jar
A bunch of mint (Pudina) from the sabzi wala, a jar and a bright window: that’s the whole kit. To grow mint in water, strip the lower leaves from a few firm stems, stand them in two inches of water, and change that water every two to three days. Roots show within a fortnight. What follows is the step by step, how long a jar honestly lasts, and how to fix green water, smells and stems that refuse to root.
In brief
- Container: a jar or mug holding about half a litre, 4 to 5 inches tall, ideally dark or opaque
- Light: bright window; 2 to 4 hours of gentle direct sun is ideal
- Best months to start (plains): February to April and September to November
- Roots appear: 7 to 14 days
- First picking: 3 to 4 weeks, a few leaves at a time
- Water change: every 2 to 3 days, without fail
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How to grow pudina in water, step by step
- Choose the stems. From a fresh bunch pick 5 or 6 stems that are firm, green and 5 to 6 inches (12 to 15 cm) long. Skip any that are limp, blackened or woody and brown at the base.
- Make a fresh cut with clean scissors just below a leaf joint (the small bump where leaves meet the stem). Roots grow from these joints.
- Strip the lower half. Pull off every leaf that would sit under water. Leave 4 to 6 leaves at the top.
- Fill the jar with about 2 inches (5 cm) of room temperature water, enough to cover two bare joints.
- Stand the stems in loosely. Five or six to a jar, not a tight bouquet.
- Place it on a bright sill out of harsh afternoon sun.
- Change the water every 2 to 3 days and rinse the jar each time.
- Wait. White threads appear at the joints in 7 to 14 days. Start picking leaves once roots are 1 to 2 inches long and new top growth is clearly coming.
Rooting other herbs the same way is covered in our guide to free herbs from cuttings.
The jar matters more than you’d think: go dark
Clear glass looks pretty and grows algae. Light passing through the water feeds a green film that coats the roots and competes with them. Use an opaque mug, a steel glass, a brown bottle, or wrap a clear jar in paper or foil up to the water line. Roots stay white, the water stays cleaner between changes, and you can still slide the wrap down to check progress.
How much light does indoor mint need?
More than a kitchen counter in the middle of the room can give. Mint copes with partial shade outdoors, but indoors “shade” is far dimmer than it looks to our eyes. Put the jar within a foot or two of a window. East facing is ideal; a south window works in winter; a west sill in May will cook the water, so pull the jar back or draw a thin curtain after noon.
No direct sun at all? It will survive on a very bright sill, with longer gaps between leaves and a weaker smell. In a windowless kitchen it slowly fades. For herbs that tolerate dimmer rooms, see windowsill herbs for low light.
Turn the jar a quarter turn each time you change the water, so the stems don’t lean one way.
Can mint grow in water forever?
No, and it’s better to know that at the start. Tap water carries almost no plant food. For the first four to eight weeks the cuttings live on what’s stored in their stems and look wonderful. Then the new leaves come smaller and paler, the lower ones yellow, and the scent thins.
A liquid plant feed stretches this. Use any general purpose liquid fertiliser at about a quarter of the strength printed on the label, added once every two weeks with fresh water. Stronger is not better: full strength feed in a small jar scorches the roots and turns the water green overnight. With weak feeding and good light a jar can stay useful for several months.
It still won’t match a pot. Mint in soil spreads by runners and thickens every month, while mint in a jar stays a small bunch of stems. Think of the jar as a living garnish for chai, raita and lemonade, not as your chutney supply.
Did you know? Roots formed in water are finer and more brittle than roots formed in soil. That’s why water rooted cuttings wilt for a few days after potting: they’re growing a tougher set.
When should you move it to a pot?
Pot it when roots are 2 to 3 inches long, or the moment leaves start to pale despite good light. Don’t wait for a long tangled beard of roots, which breaks during planting.
- Use a wide pot, at least 10 to 12 inches across and 6 inches deep, holding 8 to 10 litres, with drainage holes.
- Plant gently, burying the roots and one bare joint.
- Water thoroughly and keep the pot in bright shade for a week.
- Keep the soil moist for the first fortnight while the roots adapt, then follow the normal routine in how often to water potted plants.
Everything after that, from runners to summer care, is in our guide to growing pudina in a pot. Keep one or two cuttings back in the jar and you have a constant supply of new plants.
Green water, bad smell or no roots: what went wrong?
| Sign | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Green film or green water | Algae from light, or feed too strong | Dark jar; scrub; weaker feed |
| Sour or rotten smell | Leaves under water, stale water | Strip leaves; change water every 2 days |
| Black, mushy stem ends | Rot from old or bruised stems | Recut above the black; fresh water |
| No roots after 3 weeks | Woody stems, cold, or dim spot | Younger stems; brighter, warmer sill |
| Pale, small new leaves | Stored food used up | Weak feed, or pot it |
| Wilting in the jar | Too many leaves, hot sun | Remove a few leaves; move from afternoon sun |
Season plays a part. In a Lahore or Delhi January, rooting can take three weeks; in May and June the water heats and stems rot faster, so change it daily. Hills and coast: in cold hill winters keep the jar off icy window glass at night, and in humid Karachi or Mumbai expect quick rooting but quicker algae.
Any jar of still water indoors can breed dengue mosquitoes. Changing the water every two to three days and scrubbing the inside wall, where eggs stick, is not optional; if you’re travelling, empty the jar or pot the mint before you go. Never eat leaves from a jar that smells rotten or has slimy stems: discard, wash the jar with hot water and start again. Rinse picked leaves under running water. Keep fertiliser bottles locked away from children and pets, and stand glass jars where a cat, a curtain or a small hand can’t knock them off the sill.
Mint in water: what people ask
Can mint grow in water forever?
Not in plain water. It thrives for one to two months on stored food, then weakens. With weak liquid feed and good light it lasts several months, but a pot of soil is the long term home.
How do I grow pudina in water at home?
Take 5 inch stems from a fresh bunch, strip the lower leaves, and stand them in 2 inches of water on a bright window. Change the water every two to three days. Roots form in one to two weeks.
Why are my mint cuttings not rooting in water?
The stems are usually too old and woody, or the spot is too dark or cold. Use young green stems, recut just below a leaf joint, and move the jar to a brighter, warmer sill.
Can I grow mint indoors without sunlight?
It needs strong light even if not direct sun. A very bright window works. A dim counter or windowless kitchen gives thin, pale growth that fades within weeks.
How often should I change the water for mint?
Every two to three days, and daily in peak summer. Rinse the jar each time. Fresh water carries oxygen to the roots and breaks the mosquito breeding cycle.
How long does mint take to root in water?
Usually 7 to 14 days in mild weather. In midwinter it can take three weeks. If nothing shows after that, start again with fresher stems.
Can I root mint bought from the market?
Yes, that’s the easiest source. Choose the freshest bunch, put stems in water the same day, and avoid any that have been stored wet and gone black at the base.
Do I need fertiliser for mint in water?
Not for the first month. After that, a general liquid plant feed at a quarter of the label strength every two weeks keeps leaves green. Skip it entirely if you plan to pot the mint soon.
Why is the water turning green?
That’s algae, fed by light and by fertiliser. Switch to a dark or wrapped jar, scrub it at each water change, and reduce the feed.
Should mint leaves touch the water?
No. Submerged leaves rot within days and foul the jar. Only bare stem and roots belong below the water line.
Is tap water fine for growing mint?
Yes, ordinary tap or filtered water at room temperature works. Avoid very cold water straight from the fridge and water from a softener that adds salt.
When can I start picking leaves?
Once roots are an inch or two long and new top growth appears, about 3 to 4 weeks in. Pinch the tip pair of leaves; the stem then branches below the pinch.
Want another jar on the sill? Spring onions regrow in water even faster. More ideas for a thriftier kitchen are in Zero-Waste Kitchen.
Sources
- Royal Horticultural Society: How to grow mint (rooting stems in a jar of water, light, potting up)