Overwintering Mint

16 years ago

Hi all! I know it's late in the season but I just came into possession of about 20 different mint plant starters. Hey, can you blame me for not passing up crazy awesome discount clearances ;) So, my question is...how can I keep these gals through the chilly VA winter until next season? Planting them outside with mucho mulch is out of the question due to usable space/land issues, I'm primarily a container gardener unfortunately :(. Ages ago I helped grow carnivorous plants and we would put rare/prized specimens in plastic baggies and store them in the fridge till the next season. I've got a basement that stays all of about 10F above the outside temperature in winter. Think they would survive the same treatment? If so, would they need any special soil, water, or antifungal (neem oil) treatment? Any other suggestions on what I could do to preserve these marvelous mints?!? Thanks in advance!!!

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Comments (6)

fatamorgana2121
16 years ago
Which mints? I'm sure many are hardy in your zone and can be planted directly in the ground or have their containers sunk in the ground for winter.

FataMorgana
morganrw989
Original Author
16 years ago
Ok, here we go...
Spearmint
Peppermint
Candy
Kentucky Colonel
Mojito
Chocolate
Scotch
Wintergreen
Blue balsam
Lavender
Ginger
Blackberry
Berries and cream
Pear
Lemon
Lime
Orange
Grapefruit
Pineapple
Apple
Banana

Whew! And I'm sure I'll run up on some of the other varieties later on ;) As I said before, space/land is an issue so I have to container garden most everything :( Oh well, just gotta deal with what I've got!
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fatamorgana2121
16 years ago
I pulled hardiness info from various vendor sites and there is a bit of variety amongst different vendors as to hardiness of the mints so proceed with caution if you are zone 4 or below.

But as for the OP, you're in Virginia and all these plants would be hardy in your zone. I'd winter outdoors and sink the pots into the ground or mulch around them for winter. Dig up when killing frosts are past in the spring else the mints will escape their prisons!

Spearmint - Zones 4-9
Peppermint - Zones 5-9
Candy
Kentucky Colonel - Zones 5-11
Mojito - Zones 5-9
Chocolate - Zones 4-9
Scotch - Zones 5-9
Wintergreen - Zones 6-11
Blue balsam - Zones 3-9
Lavender
Ginger - Zones 6-9
Blackberry
Berries and cream - Zones 5-9
Pear - Zones 3-9
Lemon - Zones 3-9
Lime - "Candy Lime" is Zones 5-9
Orange - Zones 4-9
Grapefruit - Zones 5-9
Pineapple - Zones 6-9
Apple - Zones 5-11
Banana - Zones 5-9

FataMorgana
morganrw989
Original Author
16 years ago
Wow! Thanks for all the zone info! Odds are I will either put all the tiny pots under the deck in a low area covered with mulch or put them in a big bin and cover with mulch to go in the basement, since it's almost freezing down there! Can't wait to clear out a tiny plot next spring so I can put them in the ground! And yes, I've seen the effects of uncontainered mint, it went everywhere! Thanks again!!!
MGPinSavannah
16 years ago
Great information! I've got 2 hanging baskets of mint that I was wondering what to do with over the winter. I'm going to try taking them down and mulching up around the pots. (I'll also probably start a few cuttings to keep inside under the lights just because I'm a "belt and suspenders" kind of girl!)
mintman303
15 years ago
would you want to trade some rootings?