I'm sure you'll get some different opinions but I'd stick it in the ground and let it grow. If it grows where it is not wanted, then those parts are tea. The more growth, the more tea. Regular clipping makes nearly every mint bushier and more attractive in the garden - not to mention, more tea.

Now as far as drying mints, I dry them on screens. Even though I have a food dehydrator, I don't use it for the simple ones like mints. I like the air dry better. Keep your screens in a well-ventilated, out of direct sunlight place. You can get some screening and some wood (nothing pressure treated!) from your local home store and add staple gun and you have an inexpensive way to dry any herb. I lay paper towels over my screens because I do harvest many medicinals and I don't want any cross-contamination. Don't wash your herbs before drying. It only encourages mold. If your harvested mint has large stems, I find it doesn't dry well and I need to remove the leaves and dry them.

I hope this helps!

FataMorgana

Frankly, I think dried mint tastes just like dried hay - bland and boring. I think you'd be better to freeze it. You can just pop it into a plastic bag or container as is, or chop it and flatten out the heap to a thin pancake. Freeze pancakes in layers with plastic between layers. It's easy to snap off small amounts of the pancake as required.

However, if you must dry it, it can be done in several ways. You can zap it in short time increments in the microwave. Put a heap onto a plate which has several layers of paper towelling on it. Depending on your quantities, start with, say, 1 minute in HIGH. At this point you'll need to change the paper, which will be saturated. Then zap for, say, 30 seconds, change the paper again if needed, and stir the herb around a bit. Judge the dryness and begin zapping in 10-20 second increments, stirring occasionally, and watching carefully for signs of burning, until there is no more steam coming off, and the herb is nice and crispy. Allow to cool, crumble if desired, then bottle, label and store.

Or you can simply spread out in a thin layer onto some paper towelling on a rack and allow to air-dry in a cool, shaded, airy, dry place.

Or you can hang it up in small bunches. It's a good idea to put the bunches inside brown paper bags which have been punched several times to make holes for air circulation. If any bits drop, they'll drop into the bag, and the bag also helps keep out bugs and dust.

I would never recommend putting mint into the garden. It really does have a yearning to take over the planet. I'd leave the pots where they are, but take some cuttings to keep indoors if your winters are severe and there's a risk of losing the 'mothers'.

thank you very much for both suggestions. I have enough mint I can at least try both ways. (freezing and drying on screens).
I did want to make some screens anyways because I want to start growing lavender, and got the suggestion of drying it this way.
I love mint, and normally I just pick it and steep it. If you freeze it, does it turn black?

Kris

I started with one mint cutting from a neighbor and planted it last summer, this year I had two square feet of mint. Thankfully I planted it in an area of weeds so it is more attractive than the weeds anyway. My suggestion is if you do plant it in the garden, choose an area where it wont crowd out anything you really like- because it grows fast! I do dry my mint upside down. Haven't had a problem even though I wash it first. Although I dry it with paper towels before hanging it upside down. Jessie

I'm agreeing with Daisy as to the taste of dried mint... not much taste. I live in a State where I have mint available all year, so I haven't tried freezing it... interesting.