How to Harvest Mint Leaves

Mint grows well in most gardens with minimal care. This perennial herb grows so well it sometimes invades and takes over neighboring garden beds, so it is often grown as a container plant to prevent it from spreading too wildly. Frequent harvesting also helps control mint so it stays within the bounds of its bed or pot. Use the harvested mint in teas; to flavor vegetable, rice and meat dishes; or as a decorative yet flavorful garnish on food and drinks.

Shears

Instructions

- 1
  Snip stems from the outside of the plant, using shears, if you only need a few leaves for fresh use. Choose stems that are at least 4 inches long with fully mature leaves.
- 2
  Cut back the entire mint plant if you need large quantities of mint or are preserving it. Trim all the stems to within 1 inch of the ground. The plant grows back from the remaining stems.
- 3
  Harvest the entire mint plant a second time after it regrows and the stems reach a length of 6 to 8 inches long. Alternatively, harvest the entire plant right before the flowers open, when the leaves contain the most oils, if you plan to dry the leaves for later use.

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