It’s fragrant, fast-growing, green, and complements fruits, vegetables and meats. It’s also its own ice cream flavor. So what’s not to love about mint? If you’ve ever grown the herb, you know where I’m going with this, but if you haven’t and are interested: read on for the dos and don’ts of successfully growing mint in your home garden or in a container.As well as kitchen companions, mints are used as garden accents, ground covers, air fresheners, and herbal medicines. They’re as beautiful as they are functional, and they’re foolproof to grow, thriving in sun and shade all over North America. Since mint can be vigorous spreaders, you simply have to be careful where you plant it.

All types of mint (including sweet mint, spearmint, peppermint, and chocolate mint) are fast-growing, spreading plants, so you must give them a place to spread without getting in the way, or plant them in a pot. Mint sends out runners that spread above and just below the ground, quickly forming large, lush green patches. In the right place it makes a pretty seasonal ground cover. You can also contain mint in tight places such as between pavers of a walkway where your feet will brush against the leaves to release its fragrance.

Mint practically grows itself! Not only does mint add fruity, aromatic flavor to foods and tea, but also it’s useful for health remedies such as aiding digestion and relieving headaches. All you need to do is confine this spreading perennial herb to a container or confined bed to keep it from taking over your yard! See tips on planting, growing, and controlling mint!

Mint is a perennial herb with very fragrant, toothed leaves and tiny purple, pink, or white flowers. There are many varieties of mint—all fragrant, whether shiny or fuzzy, smooth or crinkled, bright green or variegated. However, you can always tell a member of the mint family by its square stem.