Hi petalique, how is your mint doing? I have read many accounts of people successfully cutting down and flaming their mint, and the plant seems to grow back well. I've tried that a few days ago, have a case of rust too, just waiting to if it really works before I validate this for other people ;)

I wish that I had seen this earlier, petalique. Your illustration shows typical damage from the Fourlined Plant Bug (CLICK HERE TO SEE). Though it feeds on many different kinds of plants, those in the mint family are their favorite.

I am back & want to thank you Alisa amd Rhizo for responding. Good points.

I assumed that the brown marks were rust because I am on a north slope, in damp woods and wetlands and we'd had a wet spring. The year before I had noticed the same Dave on some ofy mint. Those areas only get about 5 to 6 hours of sunlight . I let the garden mint grow in sections of my garden. I use a lot of it. Had it all be pretty and neat, I would have traded bunches of it for credit at a local Southeast Asian market.

Thinking that it was mint rust, and our town's burning season having passed, I considered buying one of those propane torches on a wand. Bit the price was prohibitive. So I opted to try a town dump swap shop (free) wallpaper steamer. I hooked the steamer up to a heavy duty extension cord and checked the wattage and amperage. OK. However, I had to go for a good distance. I knew the resistance might make the heavy duty extension cords heat up. It worked for about 50 minutes before melting the little plug on the steamer.

Later on in the season, it seemed that the brown marks (?mold, rust?) was gone. But it might have just been due to the weather, OR to the brown dots being from the Four Lined Plant Bug all along.

In July I bought a different spearmint plant and kept that in a window box with a new sage plant. I use most of the mint in Thai and Vietnamese cooking (salads, fresh rolls) and other foods such as tabouleh, spanikopita, or mojitos, iced tea, lemonade, pizza.

Rhizo, how do I protect against the four lined bug? It looks like a cucumber or bean beetle -- maybe I've seen it. I don't do well in heat and always have back pain, so many days can pass between my trips to the garden.

Alisa, I think I may burn that garden section next spring. I haven't any straw, but can use hot coals or fine something similar. I will try to remember to update this thread so that you will know. But, as Rhizo suggested, the brownarks could have been from the four line big. I will look for that insect next year.

So, Alisa, cool -- you're in Singapore? Do you have mint rust? For what do you use the mint?

BTW, I have some 'crispa' mint right next to the garden/common spearmint and that did not get infected or chomped on. The crisps is growing like crazy, but I am not as fond of the mouth feel (a bit fuzzy), and it seems a bit less aromatic. I believe it's used a lot in Morocco or ?______. In drinks?

i have to go find my other comment a d photo about this be ause I asked what it was, only lasted to find out that it is 'crispa'. I took a lot of photos.

Another thing - the crisps mint does not seem to get leggy or develop flower and seed heads. It has a soft, somewhat feathery appearance and with various shades of green - almost frosted looking. Very pretty.

pretty, isn't it.