How to Cut Mint in Containers Back for More Growth

Perennial mint plants provide a dependable, low-maintenance herb to the garden. The herb can quickly become invasive if it's planted directly in the garden bed. Instead, grow it in containers to prevent its spread. You can sink the containers into the bed to give the appearance of a garden plant, but the container prevents the roots from overtaking other plants. Frequent trimming also keeps the mint in bounds and helps it develop into a compact plant.

Shears

Instructions

- 1
  Harvest from the mint plant once it reaches 6 inches in height. Cut the outer leaf stems on the plant back to a 1-inch length, using small shears. Frequent harvesting keeps container plants small and compact.
- 2
  Cut back any overgrown stems or those trailing over the sides of the container as necessary to keep them in line with the rest of the compact growth on the mint. Trim these back to a 1-inch length, which encourages new growth and more branching.
- 3
  Prune back the entire plant to a 1-inch height in fall before the first frost. If growing mint in containers sunk into a garden bed, cut the mint back to the soil surface. Avoid cutting into the crown, which is where the stems attach to the root system below.
- 4
  Pinch the tips of the mint plant as it begins putting on new spring growth and once the stems reach a length of 3 to 4 inches. Pinch the top of each stem back to the topmost leaf to encourage branching and compact growth.

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