Herbs
Mint
Leafy stems for regular picking while the crown keeps growing.
Sowing & planting windows in Australia
Planting timing varies by broad Australian gardening zone. Local weather, unusual seasons and your garden’s microclimate can shift timing.
Cool
Sow · Sep–Dec
Core months: September, October, November, December
Temperate
Sow · Aug–Dec
Core months: August, September, October, November, December
Possible / shoulder months: January
Subtropical
Sow · Aug–Nov
Core months: August, September, October, November
Possible / shoulder months: July
Tropical
Sow · Apr–Jun
Core months: April, May, June
Possible / shoulder months: July
Arid
Sow · Jun
Core months: June
Getting started
Species mint can be raised from seed, but divisions or cuttings are faster and keep a named cultivar true; contain spreading roots.
The right conditions
Choose sun to part shade and moisture-retentive soil; use a container or barrier where its spreading roots need control.
As it grows
Keep soil evenly moist, trim regularly and grow in a container or root barrier where spreading rhizomes would be a problem.
Ready to harvest
Snip leafy stems before flowering and harvest often; avoid removing the whole crown if continued growth is wanted.
Related how-to guides
Take softwood herb cuttings
Choose healthy material from a correctly identified plant.
Divide a healthy clumping perennial
Confirm the plant forms a divisible clump; a single woody trunk or taproot is not a clump to split.
Harvest herbs and pinch basil for more growth
Identify the culinary herb and edible part.
Divide mint and keep it contained
Grow mint in its own container where spreading roots cannot readily escape into a bed.
Plant guidance: Desk-reviewed; not field-tested. Planting windows are a guide rather than a rule.