How to Propagate a Peppermint Plant

Root-Cutting Propagation

• 1

  Select a site for the rooting bed with morning and afternoon sun and dappled shade during the hottest part of the day. Choose a spot with good drainage.

• 2

  Cultivate the soil to a depth of at least 5 inches using a hand cultivator or a rotary tiller, if available. Spread a 1-inch layer of coarse sand and a 1-inch layer of compost across the bed if the soil is especially clay-heavy. Work the sand and compost into the bed until the soil is loose. Water the bed to a 5-inch depth.

• 3

  Take the root cuttings early in the morning before the soil has warmed. Water the mother plant deeply approximately 30 minutes before taking the root cuttings.

• 4

  Dig up a 6-inch square portion of the mother peppermint plant using a garden trowel. Dig under it to a depth of approximately 8 inches. Lift out the peppermint division and lay it on the ground. Run water from a garden hose over the roots to wash away the soil.

• 5

  Locate the white rhizome that runs horizontally between the aerial stems. Cut the white rhizome on both sides of each aerial stem using a utility knife. Make sure at least two root nodes are present on each potion of rhizome.

• 6

  Trim the aerial stem back by half using the utility knife. Leave the remaining foliage intact.

• 7

  Dig a small planting hole for each rhizome cutting in the prepared bed using a garden trowel. Make the hole deep enough to bury the lower 1/2 inch of the aerial stems. Space the holes 10 inches apart.

• 8

  Place the rhizome cuttings in the planting holes and fill in around them with soil. Firm the soil. Water the rhizomes to a 4-inch depth every two days. New growth will appear in 14 days.

Stem-Cutting Propagation

• 9

  Select and prepare a planting bed as described in Steps 1 and 2 of Section 1.

• 10

  Select several stem cuttings from a vigorous peppermint plant in early morning before the air has warmed. Choose cuttings with thick, healthy stems and at least four sets of leaves.

• 11

  Measure 5 inches from the tip of the stem. Hold the stem steady and sever it at a 60-degree angle using a utility knife. Remove the leaves from the bottom 2-1/2 inches of each peppermint cutting.

• 12

  Place the cuttings in a large vase or other glass vessel filled with a mixture of 1 tablespoon 0.1-percent IBA rooting hormone and 2 cups of water. Place the vase near a source of bright light for 48 hours.

• 13

  Plant the peppermint cuttings out in the prepared bed. Poke a 2-1/2 inch deep planting hole for each cutting. Insert the cuttings into the holes so they are upright and firm the soil around them. Water the cuttings to a depth of 2 inches every other day. Look for growth after 14 days.