When to Plant Mint
Mint is a hardy perennial herb. It can take a hard frost.
Plant it out from 2 weeks before the last spring frost to 2 weeks after it. The first harvest comes about 45 to 60 days after planting.
Example dates
The same rules in dates for three climates, using typical frost dates. Enter your ZIP code above for the dates where you live.
| Task | Last frost Mar 15first Nov 15 | Last frost Apr 15first Oct 25 | Last frost May 15first Sep 30 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plant | Mar 1 – 29 | Apr 1 – 29 | May 1 – 29 |
| Harvest | Apr 15 – Sep 2 | May 16 – Oct 3 | Jun 15 – Nov 2 |
Growing mint
Mint spreads aggressively by runners, so plant it in a container or a bed of its own.
- Spacing: 18 in apart, in rows 24 in apart. In a raised bed, 1 per sq ft at square-foot spacing.
- Days to harvest: 45 to 60 from planting, then about 20 weeks of picking.
- Traditional companions: broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, cherry tomato, collards, head lettuce, kale, kohlrabi, leaf lettuce, potato, romaine lettuce, tomato. See companion plants for mint.
Plan your beds with these dates
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Open the garden plannerQuestions
Can mint go in before the last frost?
Yes. Mint is hardy: plant it out from 2 weeks before the last spring frost to 2 weeks after it.
How long does mint take to grow?
About 45 to 60 days from planting to the first harvest, which then lasts about 20 weeks. Varieties differ: check the seed packet.
More planting dates
Sources
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (annual/seasonal, by station: freeze dates at 32 °F)
- Iowa State: Growing, Harvesting, and Drying Herbs
- University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners (UC ANR): Use and Culture of Culinary Herbs (table from the California Master Gardener Handbook)
- Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Texas A&M System (J. Masabni): Growing Herbs (E-561, 2009)
- University of Maryland Extension: Care of Herbs and Starting Herbs from Seed
- WSU Extension King County Master Gardeners: Tip Sheet #8: Growing Herbs
- University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension, Kenosha County: Companion Plants for the Vegetable Garden (column, 2012)
- Oregon State University Extension Service: Herbs and Flowers in the Vegetable Garden
- Utah State University Extension, Utah 4-H: Creating Sustainable School and Home Gardens: Companion Planting (2025)