Cut a stem just below a node, strip the lower leaves, and put it in water or damp compost. Roots normally appear within seven to fourteen days.
Taking the cutting
- Choose a healthy non-flowering stem about ten centimetres long.
- Cut just below a leaf node. Nodes are where roots emerge, so a cut mid-stem roots more slowly.
- Strip leaves from the lower half so nothing sits below the waterline or soil surface.
- Place in a glass of water on a bright windowsill, or push into damp compost.
Water versus soil
| Water | Soil | |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | Faster to visible roots | Slower to visible roots |
| Root quality | Fine and brittle | Sturdier, adapted to soil |
| Transition shock | Noticeable | None |
| Best for | Watching progress, kitchen counters | Getting a strong plant quickly |
Water rooting is satisfying because you can see it working. Soil rooting produces a better plant. If you use water, move the cutting across once roots reach three to five centimetres, because longer water roots suffer more when transplanted.
Keeping water cuttings alive
Change the water every two or three days. Stagnant water goes cloudy, oxygen drops and the stem begins to rot from the cut end upward. If the water smells at all, it is already too late for that change interval and you should shorten it.
The containment problem
Mint spreads by underground runners and it is genuinely invasive in a border. The standard solution is to grow it in a pot. If you want it in the ground, sink a bottomless container so the rim sits a few centimetres proud of the soil surface, which blocks runners escaping over the top.
Even in a pot, mint becomes root bound within a year or two and the flavour weakens noticeably. Dividing it every spring keeps it vigorous, and cuttings from a tired plant will restart the cycle from scratch.
Getting better flavour
Pinch the growing tips regularly. It keeps the plant bushy and delays flowering, and flowering is the point at which the leaves turn bitter and thin. Once flower spikes appear, cut the plant back hard rather than picking around them. It will regrow with better leaves within a few weeks.