How to Grow Pudina (Mint) in a Pot: Cuttings, Heat, Yellow Leaves (Video)

Transcript

Six stems can keep your mint thriving for years?

Six stems can keep your mint thriving for years?

Six stems can keep your mint thriving for years, and it’s easier than you think.

At a glance

Start with fresh market stems, not seeds. Let them root in water for about a week to two. Choose a wide, shallow pot about thirty centimeters across, and give the mint four to six hours of gentle morning sun, then shade it once it gets hot.

Grow mint from market stems

Pick six to eight thick stems, each ten to fifteen centimeters long. Snip just below a node with clean scissors, then strip the leaves from the bottom five centimeters so nothing sits under water. Place the stems in a glass with a few centimeters of tap water, and set it on a bright windowsill away from harsh direct sun.

Bottle or pot?

You can start the cuttings in a bottle, but water alone doesn’t feed the roots for long. Think of the bottle as a nursery. Once the roots are a few centimeters long, move the mint into soil where it can keep growing.

Pot, soil, and sun basics

Mint spreads by runners, so a wide pot lets those stems fill the space and form a thick carpet of leaves. Aim for a pot thirty to forty centimeters wide, shallow rather than deep. In the summer, give it morning sun and afternoon shade once temperatures climb above thirty-eight degrees.

Watering and feeding

Check the soil with your finger. If the top two centimeters feel dry, water deeply until it drains out, then empty the saucer. In summer you may need to do this each morning; in winter every four to five days is fine. Mint loves nitrogen, so a light feed of compost keeps the leaves bright.

Yellow, black, leggy mint

Yellow leaves often mean soggy soil or a hungry, root-bound pot. Let the top dry, improve drainage, and add a bit of compost. Black stems at the base signal rot, cut those parts away and re-root healthy tips in water. Leggy growth means it’s reaching for light; move it brighter and prune back to five centimeters.

Cutting back and harvesting

Mint loves a good haircut. Snip just above a pair of leaves; two new shoots will sprout from that node, making the plant bushier. Take the top third of the stems at a time, never everything, and let the plant recover for a week or two. Every couple of months, give it a full trim down to five centimeters, water, and add a little compost.

Myth: water and sun needs

There’s a myth that mint needs constant water and full sun all day. It does like steady moisture, but a pot without drainage can drown quickly. In cooler climates it can handle all-day sun, but in hot South Asian summers it needs afternoon shade. Remember, mint stems are square when you roll them, a trait it shares with other herbs.

Worth knowing first

A glass of water with cuttings can become a mosquito nursery, so change the water every couple of days and empty any saucers after watering. A few mint leaves are fine for cats or dogs, but concentrated mint oils can be harmful, so keep them away from pets.

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Read the full guide

For the full guide, with every detail and answers to common questions, visit thecareonline.com. You'll find more short videos like this one on our YouTube channel. This is general information, not medical advice, so check with your doctor about your own situation.