I am giving it as much light as my budget can possibly allow. I have two desk lamps; a 30W 345lm halogen and a 5W 300lm LED chip, dedicated to Minty. I give it loads of TLC, I mean... I gave him a name! and gender.

You are right, it is winter here, was snowing earlier this week. Spring isnt coming. It is always winter in Scotland. We are north of the wall. No one else attempts to grow green stuff here. Trees are leafless and sad. I do not have access to an outdoor spot within my facility (poor student).

What should I do... what should I do.... :(

I would not give it light for that much time. Half a day should be fine. It needs to rest just like people do. Don't keep it too wet. Let it almost dry out before you water it. Stick your finger deep in the soil to see if it's wet or not. It won't be invasive in a pot. I grew some years ago and it spread about 3 feet in diameter. It wasn't happy in my sandy soil. I grow it in a pot outside now. Do you have a porch you can put it on in the summer?

Oh whattt! Why does Minty need to rest? I am the one running from lecture to lecture, and studying. he barely moves!!!! (serious question though, what do mint plants do while receiving light and while not receiving light?) I do the finger test before watering, and I feel that the soil is very damp compared to when Minty was in the old store-bought pot. Perhaps it is the pot size, or perhaps the compost my friend gave me retains more water. How long did your mint take to grow 3 feet? I would love to use your mint's growth rate to calculate how long mine might take to spread around the 8 inch pot :D

I do not have a porch or any outdoor area, and I am an international student, so I will most probably not be here over summer. I would leave Minty with a friend, but I hope Minty will be healthy and all grown up to look after himself, so any lazy friend can be a candidate. :D

James,

Most plants need a break--when taking them out of 'normal' growing conditions, you do want to try and mimic nature as much as possible. Plants are accustomed to a normal day/night cycle, therefore giving 24 hrs light doesn't mean more growth. My basic understanding of the process is that during the day, the take the light for photosynthesis, using that process to build up energy that they can use for growth, spending the energy more at night because during the day they're busy with the photosynthesis process. Somebody please correct me if I'm incorrect, as it's not something I've studied much.

Potted herbs take much more care than outdoor ones because you take them out of their preferred growth. But we do it, so that we can have them. Otherwise, here in Denver CO, I would only have my fresh herbs for 3 months per year, plus have to buy half my plants over every year because they can't overwinter in zone 5. You also can't compare Zackey's growth in humid Georgia to your conditions in Scotland. Lots more direct light, heat, etc. And it's an outdoor plant. Minty would probably survive outdoors, but you'd have a limited growth season. Mint is a fast growing plant, but in ideal conditions. In winter, with cooler temps and less light it will not grow fast. I think you're looking at at least a couple months before Minty can start hosting--right now you need to let the plant get over transplant shock before much true growth can happen.

Last, another thing that someone who knows more may weigh in on, but I believe that halogen lights are not the best for plants--don't produce much light for the plant compared to the energy consumed and heat produced. Personally, I use basic fluorescents for my indoor pots and seeds. LEDs can be good, if the spectrum is right. I would like to save up for a specialized LED grow light, but they're much more expensive on the front end cost, while fluorescents are cheap on the front end, but cost more over the long run in energy costs and bulb replacement.

Flora--you're the closest I can think of to Scotland--any additional tips for OP on when he can think of moving Minty outdoors for better growing? Here in CO, I wouldn't be able to completely for another couple months. During the day, but not nights.

Sorry--didn't see that you don't even have a porch. In that case, you really need to make sure your light is the proper spectrum. Several of my pots live indoors under light year round and thrive. I don't put some out because the bugs they bring back with them are impossible all winter. I'm ready to put some in a tent full of ladybugs!

I've never tried growing mint indoors and I've never grown anything under lights so I'm not much use on this one. In fact even outdoors I have not managed to grow really good mint in a container. I'd probably stick it on a windowsill and cross my fingers. The mint in the ground down here is three or four inches tall now. Minty would be perfectly hardy outdoors in Scotland but JL is restricted to indoor growing.

James - mint is a hardy perennial but it will die down to the ground in Winter and sprout back up in Spring. That's what people mean by it needing a Winter rest.

Hey Balloon and Floral, thank you! I will give Minty some daily rest... I am deciding between leaving Minty by the window, where he gets very miserable cloudy skies light, and he will have to deal with Scotland's wind (through the slightly opened window), or under the glow of an LED light and the warmth of my room... Where would you guys recommend? :)

If I were Minty, I'd take the warm room. I've never used grow lights. They prefer at least a 1/2 day of sun outdoors. AS it gets older and taller you can tap it out of the pot and see if it is root bound. If it is you can plant it in the next size pot.

Can you do both? He can get the indirect light from the window, but also utilize the LED. It may fill out the spectrum. Unless the air temp over there by the window is quite cold.

the temperature by the window is pretty cold, it is winter out there. but I have the heating on 24/7 as utilities are inclusive in my rent. Minty is not anywhere near root bound. He wasnt root bound in a 3 inch pot, when I repotted him two days ago. So he is definitely not root bound in the 8 inch pot. :D

Hey lovely people! I have another issue.... Some of the cuttings have I took several days ago have rooted... But they were in a glass and I left them by the window, and the evil wind blew them out of the glass and the roots seem to have dried up really quickly. Or at least they turned brown, they were white before... I have put them back in the glass and in a safe spot in my room now... Will they revive? <3

It is possible to provide mint with the absolute bare minimum or less in an unstable environment and have it not live. Who can tell if your miserable brown mint will revive? I suggest you try it and let us know if it does work.

BRILLIANT NEWS!!!

I am shifting house. The new home has a nice *relatively* sunny window where I will rehome Minty. He will also not have to deal with my messed up circadian rhythm, he can have his own room! The down side is that it is much colder in the new place, its about 17 degrees with the windows shut and heating on. I am suffering as well. The old place was 26 degrees with the window wide open and radiators shut. I am also taking a time lapse video of his puberty. Can't wait to see the results! Stay tuned Minty fans!

-PS the time lapse video means Minty gets an LED on him 24/7. So the images dont come up dark... :( I hope Minty can recover well from the harm he has to endure.

On another note, the brown roots never recovered. But more roots sprouted and I have potted the stem. Can't wait to see how MiniMinty does.

17 will be fine for mint.