How to Grow Mint in Rows

Locate a well-draining soil in your yard or garden with full sun to partial shade. Loosen the soil to a depth of 6 inches, and incorporate 3 to 4 inches of composted manure and one-half teaspoon of 16-16-8 fertilizer into the soil. Rake the soil to level it.

Plant the mint seedlings 2 feet apart in a row to allow for growth. Dig each hole as deep as the root ball, but two times as wide. Set each seedling at the same depth as its nursery container. Tamp the soil around the base of each seedling to remove trapped air pockets.

Give each mint plant in the row 1 to 2 inches of water per week during the growing season. Provide a steady stream of water at the base of each plant, instead of overhead irrigation, until the soil is evenly moist. Avoid overwatering each mint seedling or causing water to pool around its base.

Feed each mint plant in the row 1 teaspoon of a balanced time-release 16-16-16 fertilizer in early spring. Follow label directions for fertilizer dosage method. Avoid overfertilizing the plants, because excess nutrients promote rust disease and reduce mint oil production.

Treat common pests such as aphids, cutworms and flea beetles with registered insecticides. Follow label directions for applying the insecticide on only the infested plant in the row or over all the plants if the infestation is severe.

Divide the mint plants every two to four years to prevent them from overcrowding the site. Cut the stems of each mature mint plant in half, using sharp, sterilized pruning scissors. Insert a garden fork in the soil 6 to 8 inches from each plant to loosen, and lift it out of the soil. Loosen the root ball with your fingers, and pull the white roots apart to divide the plant into multiple plants. Transplant each division into a new site.