Indian mint not growing well

8 years ago

As you can see from the photo, it is showing more linear growth but little horizontal growth, leaves are also very small. what could be the reason. thanks.

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HighColdDesert

8 years ago

I'm growing Indian "pudina" mint in a Toronto-like cold climate, but actually in India. I keep it in a wide pot in the greenhouse. It looks half-dead for the winter, but I cut it right down and try not to look at the yellow and brown leaves too much, and in the spring it rebounds very well. It outgrows the pot every year or two (actually the roots push out and break the plastic bucket!) so I repot it. I have planted it outside, and some winters it survives, and some winters it doesn't, so if it doesn't I just plant out a chunk of root from the pot. Our minimum temperature is about -23C, or some years -25C.

Anyway, your photo looks like a plant that is "etiolated," ie, suffering from not getting enough light. I can't even tell if it's actually supposed to be pudina! If it is indeed mint it will be very hardy and even if the above-ground parts are half-dead for the winter, if you put it in a bigger pot with much better light in the springtime, it will probably rebound. Make sure the bigger pot has drainage holes, rich soil for a plant like mint, and mint likes frequent water, much more than most other plants.

Here's how it looked in October just before I cut it all down:

And here's how it looked the following July. (Was a little yellow, and I repotted it soon after and it turned lush and green.)

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Comments (6)

Embothrium
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Looks like something caused it to die back previously. Also it looks like it may not be getting enough light, and the pot is on the small side. Are these plants indoors? The roses aren't likely to do well as house plants and the other looks like it may be something that wants to be outside also - what is Indian mint botanically?

In which case there would presumably be the issue of winter protection in Toronto, due to the plants being in pots. And the small plant you are asking about looks like it has a bunch of tender new growth, that will be frost prone at this time of the year.

Finally if the plants are sitting in water between waterings you should dump the tray out each time, instead of having the bases of the pots immersed for extended periods. If roots are ever damaged by this that can result in effects being shown by a plant top.
susanzone5 (NY)
8 years ago
Mint doesn't grow well in pots. Can you plant it outdoors in the ground where it will thrive?
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gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
8 years ago
Mint grows perfectly well in pots!! In fact, many prefer to grow it in some sort of container simply to limit its spread. But like most other herbs and temperate climate plants, it will not do very well indoors for very long.
susanzone5 (NY)
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
I don't think the mint here is a temperate plant if it survives our frozen winters with intermittent spring thaws and freezes. It still grows with a vengeance! Maybe it started out in a temperate climate somewhere.

Thank you for letting me know it doesn't do well indoors. I have mints in pots outdoors that are looking just awful (roots trying to get out and encircling inside the pot till the plant looks awful, really awful.) I grew them in pots as insurance against the winter voles that ate last year's mint. But I do have 4 other plants in the ground, also as insurance, and they are all looking so splendid. I know they will be there in the garden forever! I'm already cutting the spreading runners. But the tea from those plants is worth it.
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
All mint species are from a temperate climate. Temperate just means it is from a moderate climate - not native or adapted to growing in either the polar or tropical locations of the planet. Virtually all of North America is considered a temperate climate, as is Europe.

As temperate climate plants will grow quite happily outdoors, they are ill-adapted to be grown indoors or as houseplants as indoor conditions tend to be too consistent temperature-wise and too dry and without sufficient light.