Divide mint and keep it contained

When to do it

When a healthy clump becomes crowded, during mild growing conditions.

What you need

• Draining pot
• Fresh suitable mix
• Clean knife or trowel

How to do it

1. Grow mint in its own container where spreading roots cannot readily escape into a bed.
2. Lift a crowded root ball and divide into several rooted leafy sections. Discard dead central material.
3. Replant one or more manageable sections at the previous depth in fresh mix, leaving growing room.
4. Water and keep in suitable light while roots establish. Check moisture regularly because contained mint can dry quickly.
5. Inspect drainage holes and trailing stems for escape roots. Lift or reposition the pot and trim escaped growth before it roots outside.

What success looks like

• Mint produces healthy shoots while remaining in its intended area.

Watch out for

• Burying a pot and assuming it can never escape.
• Letting the entire pot become a dry solid root mat.

Plant guides using this technique

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