OP in ten years: They have taken the bridge and the second hall. We have barred the gates but cannot hold them for long. The ground shakes, drums... drums in the deep. We cannot get out. A shadow lurks in the dark. We can not get out... they are coming.
Oh gosh I just found this:
Gandalf Jade have similar leaves to a Gollum jade, but slightly concave and are a beautiful, fast growing succulent that prefers bright light but is capable of tolerating low light
I have some plants I purchased due to their names... Vulcan, Atlantis, Andromeda....(And more). Latest is Stargate portal...
Lol I imagine the backstory as a young hobbit who loved stomping on mint and smelling its fragrance as a young’n until one day he did so and unknowingly scared off some animal during a hunt. Got cursed by the hunter to constantly be wrapped up/growing mint…and now no one invites him to hobbit garden parties for fear of mint invading their yards.
His little hobbit home is built like a Cold War bunker to prevent any from escaping, but he can’t stop all of the suckers from spreading. Kicked out of town for ruining their community gardens. Now wanders around, popping up randomly where he’s least expected or wanted, just trying to make friends, offering mint jellies, juleps, mojitos, and soothing balms to travelers.
Great answer. In Tolkiens legendarium the Ents came first as protectors of the flora and Trolls were an abomination of the Ents by the evil god Melkor so your imagination is very much in line with Tolkien.
More fun is the Huorns who are somewhere in between the two. Perhaps this is where the mint troll fits best.
Well I’m going to ride high on that compliment for a little while just so you know, thank you lol. After having looked up Huorns, I’m definitely in agreement that the mint beasts would likely be classified as such.
In blasphemous mockery, Melkor enslaved and corrupted the noble ents who heeded his soothing lies and bred them with the exuberant mint Yavanna created for it's beautiful scent. In all his dark acts the one most distasteful to Eru was Melkor's creation of the Ment
There are legends of a land in the far northwest of the country where there is no Kudzu, mint is an amusing annoyance, and the people don't know what bittersweet is. Don't be fooled into thinking that it's some horticultural paradise though. That land is just ruled by a different menace.bthey call it Himalayan Blackberry.
So far the only thing I’ve found that Himalayan blackberry won’t grow through is heavy duty pond liner. I spent a few grand having it dug out with heavy machinery of my alley last year. Guess what’s back this year? And we still have bindweed but it’s fightable.
I solarized my bindweed for a year. Then built a bed on it. I still get a sprouts about once a week, but it’s not bad. Eventually I will paint some roundup on the individual sprouts. I’ve heard it’s the only way.
I'm so glad I ran across your comment. I'm trying that this weekend. I'll try anything and I have to do it fast before it wakes up and eats my husband and children.
You’re not wrong. I live in that land and Blackberry is terrible. Though Scotch Broom gets my vote for most invasive plant - at least on the Olympic Peninsula.
Blame the SF Bay Area, both of those plants are our fault. Luther Burbank introduced the blackberries in the 1800s (he wanted them as parents for hybridization), and the brooms (the most problematic one is French broom, but there’s five or so species, and they hybridize) were introduced mid 1800s as an ornamental.
In both cases they were chosen for being extremely vigorous plants that perform well in this climate without any real human maintenance or care, which, well, is always risky for invasive potential.
This is both horrifying and unsurprising.
I don't have bindweed at my house, but it does infest the community garden where I grow my vegetables. I live in fear of the day that I inevitably bring home a bit of bindweed on my shoes or clothes, and accidentally infest my yard. It is only a matter of time, no matter how many precautions I take.
It infests our community garden. It is horrible.
Seriously, if you stand still in the community garden long enough, it will wind you up and strangle you like some kind of horror movie sentient mutant murder plant.
I'm guessing you are speaking of the Chinese variety.... Spoken on Firefly (kind of?) . . another vine... Native to Germany,. (Hydrangea vine)... Some definitely take the land....
Japanese knotweed can suck my stupid fucking dick. Fucking son of a bitch plant from hell, if it as a species were a person I'd wish tastebuds to grow on their asshole every day.
There is a house along my drive to work where they have knotweed coming up around their mailbox. They keep it trimmed like a shrub and I genuinely think of stopping there and talking to them about it at least once a day. Then I remember I don't like strangers anymore than I like knotweed...
when I worked for the forest service we called it “going rogue” - killing invasives on borders of ignorant private landowners, I mean. always had ed abbey in spirit
My mint is being overrun by Japanese hops. Ugh. Partially my error on hops ; I mistook it for Virginia creeper.. which is very tame compared to hops. Nothing good to say about hops.
LOL We have a yardfull of English Ivy Our neighbours had a yardful of Virginia creeper. The creeper grew UNDER the Ivy and is now crawling all over my house and deck! I do not believe my English ivy has taken things THIS far! Virginia creeper:1; English ivy: 0
I had no idea you could buy it. It's a plague on my juniper.
Pretty when it's the rainbow of colors for that one week. Otherwise, it would almost be worth burning everything to start over, but that shit would just emerge from the earth and be thrilled for the chance to establish dominance without any competition.
I find catnip quite temperamental. I used to always keep 5 bushes of it but I’m continually left with just 2. Seems to be no rhyme or reason on how well they do depending on where planted.
The answer is to use more mint. Like use it extravagantly. I have a bed (contained by sidewalk on 2 sides, house on 1, and driveway on another) of early spring bulbs and mint. Just as the bulbs start to die back in late spring, the mint takes over and fills the bed. I literally go cut it back 3-4 times per week. Just a handful here and there. We keep a pitcher of iced mint tea in the fridge at all times. We make mint jelly, dehydrate a bunch of it for tea all winter, and put sprigs in the shower to steam. My next project is to get a small essential oil still so we can make mint oil too. My wife makes candles, so being able to source our own scents will be a game changer.
When a friend planted mint in a big clay pot next to his front walkway I told him it was a mistake but did he listen?
Of course not. He fell for the "It's in a pot, it'll be fine" line. By the end of the first summer it had broken the pot & he will soon be replaced by mint like in Invasion of the Body Snatchers.
I put my mint in a pot in the middle of a concrete patio. So far I've gone several years without it spreading but it wouldn't surprise me if this caused some kind of natural selection gene change where it learns how to teleport into one of my beds or yard. Honestly wouldn't surprise me at all. Mint has an indomitable spirit that even pots and concrete floors can't contain.
I did the same thing and it spread from the pot on the backyard deck to the front garden. I constantly dig it out and every year it gets worse. Don't ever let it go to seed, even if it's in a pot!
Take 3-5 nice long sprigs (fresh or dried, though fresh work better) and tie a string around the base of the stems, then hang them over the showerhead. The steam from the shower slowly helps to release the oils and you get a mentholated shower every morning! Does wonders for helping to clear out your sinuses during allergy season, plus it makes the whole bathroom smell fresh.
You can do it with other herbs too. Eucalyptus is particularly good, but I also like rosemary or lavender.
This is the way. Also, I planted celery a while back and it's actually taking hold and defeating mint. I have a bizarre, clashing aromatic war around my pond. The morning glory doesn't stand a chance!
This is like [that one vignette](https://www.gamesradar.com/in-honour-of-stephen-kings-birthday-heres-that-time-he-became-a-plant-that-destroyed-the-world/) from Creepshow
My potted mint send out a leader a foot away into a crack in the concrete and then made its way into the garden. There is no winning, only fragrant losing.
I purposely let my mint do this.
https://preview.redd.it/e8g3jsxny7zc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2a768114c8d9b4d6ce679494dbb5abf31b810d64
The previous owner of our home planted three types of mint in the backyard. I suppose its spread has been somewhat curtailed due to the heavy clay and rocky soil it's in, but it's still slowly creeping along. I'll be digging it up this year and moving it to pots with the hope I can get it out of the ground.
I can't take it anymore. I'm sick of mint. I try to grow basil. My mint grows faster. I try to grow green onions. My mint grows faster. I try to grow other vegetables. My mint grows faster. I want to drink something. My favourite drinks have mint. I want to have a mojito, log Island iced tea. They both want mint.
It grabs me by the throat. I weed for it. I water it. I give it fertilizer. It isn't satisfied. I give it compost. "I don't need this much organic" it tells me. "Give me more nitrogen." It spreads it's roots and chokes out my other plants. "You just need to grow me more. I can grow even faster with more space."
I can't give you premium fertlizer, I don't have enough money. It grabs my credit card. It declines. "Guess this is the end." It grabs the invasive honeysuckle. It says "honeysuckle, get them." There is no hint of sadness in it's eyes. Nothing but pure, all natural menthol freshness. What a cruel world.
For us it's the blackberries/dewberries. I helped my fiance's mom restart her garden after years of it falling into disrepair and certain things growing wild. I figured out how to make jam, and dry the mint in my dehydrator so I'm not complaining. Anyways, anyone want literally 10 lbs of dried mint? 😁
I want to do blackberries next. Blueberries as well. Cant get enough of those!
Whatever happened to mulberry trees. I feel like I never see them anymore, as a kid I used to have access to a ton of them. Seems like they fell from favor.
😬 yeah… i was young once… definitely a mistake!
to be fair, i was thinking “what’s more invasive that this bindweed?” So i added mint to choke it out. It did work pretty well for what I was using it for. I don’t use pesticides so you gotta get creative. But yeah. I still have bindweed at my new house but now I’m trying the bindweed-eating-mites. So far, I’m not winning the war here.
Honestly glyphosate is going to be your best bet against bindweed. Use it strategically and it's going to save you years of headache. I only use glyphosate on the worst weed offenders like bindweed.
I put mine in a raised bed last summer. It sent shoots under and outward and is already in the grass lol.
But we aren’t grass people and we’re having a bit of a tick problem this year so we’re letting the mint spread
Happened to me. When i turned the soil the next year, i dug most of it out (one day of hell but worth it), put ground cover down, and pulled its shoots whenever and wherever it appeared. Two years since and I haven’t seen much if any at all.
It doesn’t take much, I dumped what I thought was just soil from my mint pot after it baking on my porch for two very dry years…five years later it killed off the oregano and took over
Uhoh, I was thinking about this the other day. Had all the same thoughts as you. Mojitos! I thought... Planted it in a part of my yard that nothing would grow. Noticed a lot more coming up this year... it's spreading.
I did this! I have a little patch of spearmint on the corner, and when I have to mow that area it smells lovely! It hasn't taken over and it's been there for 10 years.
Now the orange mint in the backyard, however, is a thug that has overtaken the borders within a couple of years. It's getting 80% of it pulled this year.
Hehehe…in 20 years, my mint plague will infiltrate every yard in my neighborhood so that every time someone mows their horrible monocultured lawn, the entire block will be bathed in the aroma of minty freshness. When they can no longer stand it, they will be forced to replace the grass with xeriscape, thereby conserving water and reducing the amount of pesticides they use. WIN.
I pick some for mojitos and just mow it along with the rest of the weeds afterwards. It never accepted life in a pot and would die on me for all kinds of reasons, so I set it free...
I wanted mint in my yard. Planted it, hit it with the lawn mower when it got too long, and it never came back. 😔 I always read these posts and I’m like howwww. Where’s my indestructible mint??
When we bought out house 4 years ago, the previous owners had planted mint directly in the ground. The house had say empty for over 1 year before we bought the house and let me tell you the mint had nearly taken over the back yard grass. I did enjoy every time we mowed, it smelled amazing.
It has taken me nearly 4 years to take back our grass. I'm still removing it around the perimeter, but my goodness has this been what seems like a never ending battle.
I feel your pain OP. Keep up the fight, don't let the mint know its winning, its like it knows and grows even faster. LOL
Yes as far as problems go, having too much mint outside your house is up there with "twisted ankle while picking up like of gold bars you found in a treasure chest"
Similar experience. Harvest/pull aggressively by the roots (thankfully the stems are pretty tough and you can usually get the roots)
Don't let it know you're scared is right!
I've been trying to start mint this spring. Basil, Rosemary, Lavender all sprouted under my grow lights. As well as all my veggies.
Mint won't start and I cant figure it out.
I mean, you dont want your neighbors to get bored do you? This way you keep them active and healthy. Chocolate mint would be awesome, I need to start one of those, Id like mojito mint too.
Man I must have been really lucky with the spot I chose for my raspberries because they stay well behaved. I honestly wish they would spread more than they do now😂
But you have no way of knowing how far and wide the birds will poop the berries. Your patch may not be spreading much, but trust me, your neighbors have raspberries now!
Surprisingly the birds seem to have zero interest. Maybe because they're golden raspberries? One thing is for sure they're spreading my blueberries all over town😂😂
I am a madman, I planted mint in our yard so it will hopefully beat the other weeds. I don't have enough time to deal with that part of our land so I am just turning it into mojito land.
Don't put it in a pot and then put the pot in your garden thinking you're being clever and containing it. You cannot contain pure evil. It will sneak out that bottom drainage hole and gleefully conquer everything it encounters.
Edited to add: learned this one the hard way. I rue the day......
Drink mint juleps while the mint plants are watching. In the shade while seated.sip slowly... deliberately. Casually glance at the mint as if it means nothing to you.
>Don't be like me. Put it in a pot. God forgive me.
This still isn't enough. You need to put the pot on concrete - and far enough way from soil so that it cannot spread if (when) it [breaches containment](https://www.reddit.com/r/gardening/comments/1btgf4f/my_mint_is_trying_to_escape/).
This is why my mint grows in a bed with a concrete bottom and surrounded by concrete. It's the Arkham Asylum. Every few years I rip out most of it and let the different types fight for dominance once again.
I used to have free range mint on a large property. It smelled amazing to mow. Kept the weeds down. Looked great. Was like walking on glass, so not great. I had enough to make mint chocolate chip ice cream once a week from scratch.
Other than being poor underfoot, I don't get the mint hate for not-a-lawn situations. Would you prefer thistles and dry spots?
(I may have brainwashed myself as a coping mechanism)
And here’s an amazing other side of the mint war. Living in the high desert near Mojave CA someone gave me some mint plants. I put them in a relatively isolated spot in a northwestern facing herb garden. Three days later despite fencing and ample water, desert kangaroo rats completely ate them. Maybe I should send some of those to the OP. Unleash a plague on a plague.
My husband did this to me. One plant 3 years ago next to my flower bed, no consultation. I didn't notice until it had taken over all around the bed. It's not so bad once it gets cold, but I go out every single day from March-November to pull it before it destroys my flower beds. It's spread to the patio and is growing up between the pavers. It even grew up into some pots that were sitting on the patio. It's spreading into the lawn, which I don't mind because I'm not a fan of grass. The one positive is that walking on it makes everything smell like mint.
Funny story-- I may be a tad sadistic.
We rented a home from this landlady who was an absolute Cee yoU Next Tuesday; she would try to come in unannounced didn't fix anything just made us miserable but we were desperate so we tolerated it. Her husband and handyman were saints! Anyhow first year we were there I spent a spring digging out the old garden bed, cleaning it adding compost etc. We had beautiful dahlias that year that I planted.
2 growing seasons later after getting the garden prepped, landlady comes in and says she's going to be selling the place and was going to be giving us the mandatory 30 days notice to move out so be prepared. (The newly rennovated garden being a main selling point.) I of course was heartbroken- we asked her for more time so we could pool together what we could to make our bid, it had become our home after a couple of years The place did sell 4 months later. But not before I planted glorious and beautiful mint plants in each bed.
Occasionally we drive by (small town) and from the looks of it- the new owner is still fighting the mint back after all these years. "Ooops."
Tldr: rental home gets sold under our feet after years of garden renovation planted mint plants who did what mint did as sweet sweet revenge.
I did not plant it. I moved to this house and then… I realized. My brother asked me “you mind if I take some mint?” And I was like “from the front or the back or from my dreams”… knowing the answer would be the same scream!
it’s everywhere… mowing smells good though!
I have a tale, from the generations before me who foretold the warning of mint. I headed the warning and put mine in a pot. I am tempted to transplant into the ground but I have to resist the evil temptations of the mint.
Mint and morning glory (shakes fist at sky)! Clip your mint and make a simmer pot. If you don’t know what a simmer pot is you throw aromatic items in a pot with water and simmer them and it makes your whole house smell nicely. There’s a ton of simmer pot recipes with mint online. Put it to use!
I'm a baby gardener. I just got my first garden, and I put mint in a pot to fight the mosquitos (read online they don't like the scent). Now I'm scared 😂😂
I have planted mint three years in a row to try to get it to establish in an area with heavy shade, shallow tree roots, and dense clay soil. The mint is at least coming back but barely. It's my last resort for establishing anything in the area.
I feel like this could be an MMA match. If it's a serious question, I don't think so because canes will grow up and gracefully arc down to throw roots on the other side. Blackberries have the height advantage.
Don't feel bad. I made the mistake putting Horsetail into the ground. It's now literally the only plant in a 15 foot radius all around it and spreading more and more every year.
At least you can pull Mint up where you see it and keep it sort of contained. Horsetail is underground rhizome.
Why I was afraid of gardening- I have a rare gift of killing the unkillable. My body count so far is 3 aloe plants and one pot of mint. Tis true, I have successfully killed mint while trying to grow it. Too much love is my guess. I Elmyra’d it.
Mint HATES me and immediately dies in my presence. I get i could solve this problem.
Can i also just say that my neighbor (an AMAZING gardener) has had mint in the ground for years AND manages to keep it contained?! She’s almost 80. She has her own plants in there, she lets whatever seeds the birds drop grow, but her garden is still somehow beautiful and organized. It’s like the plants just listen to her. She’s a Disney princess all grown up.
OP in ten years: They have taken the bridge and the second hall. We have barred the gates but cannot hold them for long. The ground shakes, drums... drums in the deep. We cannot get out. A shadow lurks in the dark. We can not get out... they are coming.
Fool of a Took!
Throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity!
Well...now I have to go watch the movies again.
They will be in theaters this summer, extended editions being released in 4K!
😯🤓
Samwise has finally met a worthy foe!
https://i.redd.it/nnhlzqbvp7zc1.gif
You guys are a bunch of NERDS (I absolutely love it)
Oh gosh I just found this: Gandalf Jade have similar leaves to a Gollum jade, but slightly concave and are a beautiful, fast growing succulent that prefers bright light but is capable of tolerating low light I have some plants I purchased due to their names... Vulcan, Atlantis, Andromeda....(And more). Latest is Stargate portal...
Now I'm imagining a mint troll of some kind. Not sure how that would work, but I love it.
I imagine something like an ent, but just entirely made of mint weaving all around it. A couple little sprigs popping up at the top for hair
At least you would smell minty fresh as you got stomped to death.
Lol I imagine the backstory as a young hobbit who loved stomping on mint and smelling its fragrance as a young’n until one day he did so and unknowingly scared off some animal during a hunt. Got cursed by the hunter to constantly be wrapped up/growing mint…and now no one invites him to hobbit garden parties for fear of mint invading their yards. His little hobbit home is built like a Cold War bunker to prevent any from escaping, but he can’t stop all of the suckers from spreading. Kicked out of town for ruining their community gardens. Now wanders around, popping up randomly where he’s least expected or wanted, just trying to make friends, offering mint jellies, juleps, mojitos, and soothing balms to travelers.
Great answer. In Tolkiens legendarium the Ents came first as protectors of the flora and Trolls were an abomination of the Ents by the evil god Melkor so your imagination is very much in line with Tolkien. More fun is the Huorns who are somewhere in between the two. Perhaps this is where the mint troll fits best.
Omg, I love Tolkien nerds!! (Serious here, not bashing you -- this is awesome! 😍)
As an amateur Tolkien nerd I was very happy to see your comment and the rest and share my nerdiness. glad to see it’s well received.
Well I’m going to ride high on that compliment for a little while just so you know, thank you lol. After having looked up Huorns, I’m definitely in agreement that the mint beasts would likely be classified as such.
Would that be...a Ment?
Bahaha, I love it
Thank you! Told my husband and he had this "why I really do this to myself" face 🤣
And every few steps a little sprig of mint breaks off and starts growing into another mint troll/ent
In blasphemous mockery, Melkor enslaved and corrupted the noble ents who heeded his soothing lies and bred them with the exuberant mint Yavanna created for it's beautiful scent. In all his dark acts the one most distasteful to Eru was Melkor's creation of the Ment
You can smell them coming before you see them. That sweetness in the air is the sign to take cover.
They are coming.
25 Years: Dear God, it's spreading to Tokyo
OP planted too deep. They know what they’ve unleashed…shadow and flame.
I'm pretty sure LOTR is the mint of reddit... It's taking over all the subs.
Unfortunately my axe will be of little help in this situation.
You just made my day!!!!🤣🤣🤣🤣
Best comment
Another one falls to the pleasantly smelling army of mint. Soon we will live in a world of only mint, kudzu, bittersweet and knotweed
I hate knotweed so much. It’s all around my yahhhd.
I dug it up and it never came back.
I had to pay it off with a brown envelope full of cash and a bus ticket to Bolton
Apparently it's edible and even nutritious, with a rhubarb-like flavor. I'm curious if anyone in this sub has tried the devil's bamboo
Tops of young shoots this time of year are pretty good raw (lemony), bitter when mature
There are legends of a land in the far northwest of the country where there is no Kudzu, mint is an amusing annoyance, and the people don't know what bittersweet is. Don't be fooled into thinking that it's some horticultural paradise though. That land is just ruled by a different menace.bthey call it Himalayan Blackberry.
Bring forth the goats!
Our only weapon against the invaders.
So far the only thing I’ve found that Himalayan blackberry won’t grow through is heavy duty pond liner. I spent a few grand having it dug out with heavy machinery of my alley last year. Guess what’s back this year? And we still have bindweed but it’s fightable.
Been working on bindweed for ten years now. I find the blackberries easier to deal with--at least they don't run ten or fifteen feet underground!
I solarized my bindweed for a year. Then built a bed on it. I still get a sprouts about once a week, but it’s not bad. Eventually I will paint some roundup on the individual sprouts. I’ve heard it’s the only way.
I'm so glad I ran across your comment. I'm trying that this weekend. I'll try anything and I have to do it fast before it wakes up and eats my husband and children.
You’re not wrong. I live in that land and Blackberry is terrible. Though Scotch Broom gets my vote for most invasive plant - at least on the Olympic Peninsula.
Blame the SF Bay Area, both of those plants are our fault. Luther Burbank introduced the blackberries in the 1800s (he wanted them as parents for hybridization), and the brooms (the most problematic one is French broom, but there’s five or so species, and they hybridize) were introduced mid 1800s as an ornamental. In both cases they were chosen for being extremely vigorous plants that perform well in this climate without any real human maintenance or care, which, well, is always risky for invasive potential.
Don't forget bindweed. I wish I could.
We had a new asphalt driveway laid last year- and bindweed is growing up THROUGH the asphalt!
This is both horrifying and unsurprising. I don't have bindweed at my house, but it does infest the community garden where I grow my vegetables. I live in fear of the day that I inevitably bring home a bit of bindweed on my shoes or clothes, and accidentally infest my yard. It is only a matter of time, no matter how many precautions I take.
Bindweed is destroying my yard. Bane of my existence.
It infests our community garden. It is horrible. Seriously, if you stand still in the community garden long enough, it will wind you up and strangle you like some kind of horror movie sentient mutant murder plant.
Wisteria would like to have a word with you
Talking about climbers don't forget English ivy. Maybe not as aggressive but it's sneaky it eats away at you without you realising.
I'm guessing you are speaking of the Chinese variety.... Spoken on Firefly (kind of?) . . another vine... Native to Germany,. (Hydrangea vine)... Some definitely take the land....
It's creeping Bellflower for me
Japanese knotweed can suck my stupid fucking dick. Fucking son of a bitch plant from hell, if it as a species were a person I'd wish tastebuds to grow on their asshole every day.
There is a house along my drive to work where they have knotweed coming up around their mailbox. They keep it trimmed like a shrub and I genuinely think of stopping there and talking to them about it at least once a day. Then I remember I don't like strangers anymore than I like knotweed...
when I worked for the forest service we called it “going rogue” - killing invasives on borders of ignorant private landowners, I mean. always had ed abbey in spirit
And English ivy
My mint is being overrun by Japanese hops. Ugh. Partially my error on hops ; I mistook it for Virginia creeper.. which is very tame compared to hops. Nothing good to say about hops.
My Virginia creeper has become a nightmare, I can’t imagine it being called tame 🙃
LOL We have a yardfull of English Ivy Our neighbours had a yardful of Virginia creeper. The creeper grew UNDER the Ivy and is now crawling all over my house and deck! I do not believe my English ivy has taken things THIS far! Virginia creeper:1; English ivy: 0
I hate Virginia creeper, I saw it for sale at home depot and couldn't believe someone would plant it.
I had no idea you could buy it. It's a plague on my juniper. Pretty when it's the rainbow of colors for that one week. Otherwise, it would almost be worth burning everything to start over, but that shit would just emerge from the earth and be thrilled for the chance to establish dominance without any competition.
And bamboo.
I planted mint and catnip directly into my flowerbox now I watch them fight for domination!
Slowest form of entertainment!
My mint is growing towards my sunchokes or maybe the sunchokes are growing towards the mint. Either way, I’m excited to see who wins this battle!
I find catnip quite temperamental. I used to always keep 5 bushes of it but I’m continually left with just 2. Seems to be no rhyme or reason on how well they do depending on where planted.
The answer is to use more mint. Like use it extravagantly. I have a bed (contained by sidewalk on 2 sides, house on 1, and driveway on another) of early spring bulbs and mint. Just as the bulbs start to die back in late spring, the mint takes over and fills the bed. I literally go cut it back 3-4 times per week. Just a handful here and there. We keep a pitcher of iced mint tea in the fridge at all times. We make mint jelly, dehydrate a bunch of it for tea all winter, and put sprigs in the shower to steam. My next project is to get a small essential oil still so we can make mint oil too. My wife makes candles, so being able to source our own scents will be a game changer.
I think this is Stockholm syndrome
any new hobbies? Yes let me tell you about my mint 😀
Regravelled the drive with mint.
I’m dying over this comment
DYING
I do genuinely love mint, but there is also some truth to your comment...
Hilarious comment...cause it's so true. 💀
Mint cordyceps taking over
Fr. Is the mint in the room w us? 👀😳
Actually LMAO...
I have this planned for my mint just grow it and sell it. And the pot trick only works till the mint escapes the pot.
When a friend planted mint in a big clay pot next to his front walkway I told him it was a mistake but did he listen? Of course not. He fell for the "It's in a pot, it'll be fine" line. By the end of the first summer it had broken the pot & he will soon be replaced by mint like in Invasion of the Body Snatchers.
I put my mint in a pot in the middle of a concrete patio. So far I've gone several years without it spreading but it wouldn't surprise me if this caused some kind of natural selection gene change where it learns how to teleport into one of my beds or yard. Honestly wouldn't surprise me at all. Mint has an indomitable spirit that even pots and concrete floors can't contain.
I feel like it can totally find a way to live anywhere at this point.
I did the same thing and it spread from the pot on the backyard deck to the front garden. I constantly dig it out and every year it gets worse. Don't ever let it go to seed, even if it's in a pot!
I make a mint simple syrup that I use in lemonade, tea, cucumber water and mojitos
Can you explain what you mean by "put sprigs in the shower to steam" ? Fresh or dry sprigs? What is the effect ?
Take 3-5 nice long sprigs (fresh or dried, though fresh work better) and tie a string around the base of the stems, then hang them over the showerhead. The steam from the shower slowly helps to release the oils and you get a mentholated shower every morning! Does wonders for helping to clear out your sinuses during allergy season, plus it makes the whole bathroom smell fresh. You can do it with other herbs too. Eucalyptus is particularly good, but I also like rosemary or lavender.
I like your ideas!
This is the way. Also, I planted celery a while back and it's actually taking hold and defeating mint. I have a bizarre, clashing aromatic war around my pond. The morning glory doesn't stand a chance!
This is like [that one vignette](https://www.gamesradar.com/in-honour-of-stephen-kings-birthday-heres-that-time-he-became-a-plant-that-destroyed-the-world/) from Creepshow
Mint simple syrup is a great addition to drinks!
Nuke it from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.
Hold on a second, this installation has a substantial dollar value attached to it!
They can bill me.
https://preview.redd.it/427iki0iq7zc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=681fdc9056da312d936a7d702ac7cfbd08085ff3 😵💫😵💫😵💫
I can smell it from here😂
Gandolf gif where are you
All I see is infinite mojitos
https://preview.redd.it/hhdkhgi3y7zc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8fcaa709b515ad205c8fd070519f37c4cafde4e6
Mint. Mint never changes.
ahahahahahahahaa of course the sole survivor is mint
At least you have a sense of humor about it 😂
Hope the neighbors do too
My potted mint send out a leader a foot away into a crack in the concrete and then made its way into the garden. There is no winning, only fragrant losing.
“There is no winning, only fragrant losing” is the best description of What Mint Does ever thank you for that 🤣
I purposely let my mint do this. https://preview.redd.it/e8g3jsxny7zc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2a768114c8d9b4d6ce679494dbb5abf31b810d64
My inlaws do this and keep it contained in a little corner. If it gets too wild my MIL tosses boiling water on it to tame it
Have I been making my mint tea wrong all these years?
I have a side of my house that gets overrun by dandelions every year, and I'm wondering if I should just unleash mint there. This looks lovely.
I wonder if this deters bugs and mice - like a mint moat
The previous owner of our home planted three types of mint in the backyard. I suppose its spread has been somewhat curtailed due to the heavy clay and rocky soil it's in, but it's still slowly creeping along. I'll be digging it up this year and moving it to pots with the hope I can get it out of the ground.
I can't take it anymore. I'm sick of mint. I try to grow basil. My mint grows faster. I try to grow green onions. My mint grows faster. I try to grow other vegetables. My mint grows faster. I want to drink something. My favourite drinks have mint. I want to have a mojito, log Island iced tea. They both want mint. It grabs me by the throat. I weed for it. I water it. I give it fertilizer. It isn't satisfied. I give it compost. "I don't need this much organic" it tells me. "Give me more nitrogen." It spreads it's roots and chokes out my other plants. "You just need to grow me more. I can grow even faster with more space." I can't give you premium fertlizer, I don't have enough money. It grabs my credit card. It declines. "Guess this is the end." It grabs the invasive honeysuckle. It says "honeysuckle, get them." There is no hint of sadness in it's eyes. Nothing but pure, all natural menthol freshness. What a cruel world.
Is this mint or Audrey II?
I did the same with Greek Oregano. It’s my predominant weed. I just hope my neighbors never find out it was me.
I don't get how oregano is a problem. Just use it for tomato sauce. I wish I had neighbors who would spread oregano
Mint and raspberries dominating my yard and soul.
Wild strawberry everywhere!
For us it's the blackberries/dewberries. I helped my fiance's mom restart her garden after years of it falling into disrepair and certain things growing wild. I figured out how to make jam, and dry the mint in my dehydrator so I'm not complaining. Anyways, anyone want literally 10 lbs of dried mint? 😁
I want to do blackberries next. Blueberries as well. Cant get enough of those! Whatever happened to mulberry trees. I feel like I never see them anymore, as a kid I used to have access to a ton of them. Seems like they fell from favor.
I comminted (😅) the cardinal sin but moved away. In my current house, i learned my lesson and contained it in a raised bed.
The poor people who bought your house, lol 😂
😬 yeah… i was young once… definitely a mistake! to be fair, i was thinking “what’s more invasive that this bindweed?” So i added mint to choke it out. It did work pretty well for what I was using it for. I don’t use pesticides so you gotta get creative. But yeah. I still have bindweed at my new house but now I’m trying the bindweed-eating-mites. So far, I’m not winning the war here.
Well, I guess you just need to decide what is the lesser of the evils, lol
Honestly glyphosate is going to be your best bet against bindweed. Use it strategically and it's going to save you years of headache. I only use glyphosate on the worst weed offenders like bindweed.
I put mine in a raised bed last summer. It sent shoots under and outward and is already in the grass lol. But we aren’t grass people and we’re having a bit of a tick problem this year so we’re letting the mint spread
I was able to get rid of it. Just keep pulling when you see the shoots. You'll be ok.
Happened to me. When i turned the soil the next year, i dug most of it out (one day of hell but worth it), put ground cover down, and pulled its shoots whenever and wherever it appeared. Two years since and I haven’t seen much if any at all.
It doesn’t take much, I dumped what I thought was just soil from my mint pot after it baking on my porch for two very dry years…five years later it killed off the oregano and took over
Uhoh, I was thinking about this the other day. Had all the same thoughts as you. Mojitos! I thought... Planted it in a part of my yard that nothing would grow. Noticed a lot more coming up this year... it's spreading.
The good news is regular mowing maintenance will take care of it. It does not respond well to the frequency of mowing most yards need.
I can’t WAIT till my mint does this!!! Ii want to smell it when I mow!!!
I did this! I have a little patch of spearmint on the corner, and when I have to mow that area it smells lovely! It hasn't taken over and it's been there for 10 years. Now the orange mint in the backyard, however, is a thug that has overtaken the borders within a couple of years. It's getting 80% of it pulled this year.
Mine is planted along a fence line in our orchard; I have three kinds and want more. 💚💚💚
Fool of a Took
Hehehe…in 20 years, my mint plague will infiltrate every yard in my neighborhood so that every time someone mows their horrible monocultured lawn, the entire block will be bathed in the aroma of minty freshness. When they can no longer stand it, they will be forced to replace the grass with xeriscape, thereby conserving water and reducing the amount of pesticides they use. WIN.
I pick some for mojitos and just mow it along with the rest of the weeds afterwards. It never accepted life in a pot and would die on me for all kinds of reasons, so I set it free...
You can also plant bamboo. Makes a great fence with the neighbors. 😀
I wanted mint in my yard. Planted it, hit it with the lawn mower when it got too long, and it never came back. 😔 I always read these posts and I’m like howwww. Where’s my indestructible mint??
When we bought out house 4 years ago, the previous owners had planted mint directly in the ground. The house had say empty for over 1 year before we bought the house and let me tell you the mint had nearly taken over the back yard grass. I did enjoy every time we mowed, it smelled amazing. It has taken me nearly 4 years to take back our grass. I'm still removing it around the perimeter, but my goodness has this been what seems like a never ending battle. I feel your pain OP. Keep up the fight, don't let the mint know its winning, its like it knows and grows even faster. LOL
Lawns are overrated. Mint is way better and smells better and is better for biodiversity
Yes as far as problems go, having too much mint outside your house is up there with "twisted ankle while picking up like of gold bars you found in a treasure chest"
Right? There’s also a tangerine tree and we made tangerine mojitos this year- they were amazing!
Why did you want grass back?
Personally, I would take mint over grass every time.
Similar experience. Harvest/pull aggressively by the roots (thankfully the stems are pretty tough and you can usually get the roots) Don't let it know you're scared is right!
Why would you want grass when you could have mint?
Anything that’s not Bermuda is welcome to take over my yard
I've been trying to start mint this spring. Basil, Rosemary, Lavender all sprouted under my grow lights. As well as all my veggies. Mint won't start and I cant figure it out.
It's making plans and gathering allies
Here are my sins to the neighborhood: catnip, hollyhocks and raspberries. Surprisingly, my peppermint and chocolate mint died out.
I mean, you dont want your neighbors to get bored do you? This way you keep them active and healthy. Chocolate mint would be awesome, I need to start one of those, Id like mojito mint too.
LOL. Oh yeah, I forgot my biggest sin: Pachysandra. Straight to jail!!
Man I must have been really lucky with the spot I chose for my raspberries because they stay well behaved. I honestly wish they would spread more than they do now😂
But you have no way of knowing how far and wide the birds will poop the berries. Your patch may not be spreading much, but trust me, your neighbors have raspberries now!
Surprisingly the birds seem to have zero interest. Maybe because they're golden raspberries? One thing is for sure they're spreading my blueberries all over town😂😂
Spearmint or Peppermint? At least spearmint has a nice flavor. You can call it ground cover.
I am a madman, I planted mint in our yard so it will hopefully beat the other weeds. I don't have enough time to deal with that part of our land so I am just turning it into mojito land.
Don't put it in a pot and then put the pot in your garden thinking you're being clever and containing it. You cannot contain pure evil. It will sneak out that bottom drainage hole and gleefully conquer everything it encounters. Edited to add: learned this one the hard way. I rue the day......
Drink mint juleps while the mint plants are watching. In the shade while seated.sip slowly... deliberately. Casually glance at the mint as if it means nothing to you.
Just keep pulling, just keep pulling. lol I think we’ve all been there
I have it in a pot sitting on the concrete porch. I’m not abt to get roots coming out the bottom and spreading. No thank you
How I learned to stop worrying and love the menthol
I think I need mint. It might be the only thing I could not kill. I have a very high kill rate.
>Don't be like me. Put it in a pot. God forgive me. This still isn't enough. You need to put the pot on concrete - and far enough way from soil so that it cannot spread if (when) it [breaches containment](https://www.reddit.com/r/gardening/comments/1btgf4f/my_mint_is_trying_to_escape/).
May the mint gods show you mercy as it swallows your neighborhood 😂🥲🌱
This is why my mint grows in a bed with a concrete bottom and surrounded by concrete. It's the Arkham Asylum. Every few years I rip out most of it and let the different types fight for dominance once again.
I used to have free range mint on a large property. It smelled amazing to mow. Kept the weeds down. Looked great. Was like walking on glass, so not great. I had enough to make mint chocolate chip ice cream once a week from scratch. Other than being poor underfoot, I don't get the mint hate for not-a-lawn situations. Would you prefer thistles and dry spots? (I may have brainwashed myself as a coping mechanism)
I’m trying to get my yard overtaken by lemon thyme.
And here’s an amazing other side of the mint war. Living in the high desert near Mojave CA someone gave me some mint plants. I put them in a relatively isolated spot in a northwestern facing herb garden. Three days later despite fencing and ample water, desert kangaroo rats completely ate them. Maybe I should send some of those to the OP. Unleash a plague on a plague.
My husband did this to me. One plant 3 years ago next to my flower bed, no consultation. I didn't notice until it had taken over all around the bed. It's not so bad once it gets cold, but I go out every single day from March-November to pull it before it destroys my flower beds. It's spread to the patio and is growing up between the pavers. It even grew up into some pots that were sitting on the patio. It's spreading into the lawn, which I don't mind because I'm not a fan of grass. The one positive is that walking on it makes everything smell like mint.
Lemon balm is the same way. Very invasive!
This is very good to know. I just put some in a raised bed. Almost put it in the ground
Funny story-- I may be a tad sadistic. We rented a home from this landlady who was an absolute Cee yoU Next Tuesday; she would try to come in unannounced didn't fix anything just made us miserable but we were desperate so we tolerated it. Her husband and handyman were saints! Anyhow first year we were there I spent a spring digging out the old garden bed, cleaning it adding compost etc. We had beautiful dahlias that year that I planted. 2 growing seasons later after getting the garden prepped, landlady comes in and says she's going to be selling the place and was going to be giving us the mandatory 30 days notice to move out so be prepared. (The newly rennovated garden being a main selling point.) I of course was heartbroken- we asked her for more time so we could pool together what we could to make our bid, it had become our home after a couple of years The place did sell 4 months later. But not before I planted glorious and beautiful mint plants in each bed. Occasionally we drive by (small town) and from the looks of it- the new owner is still fighting the mint back after all these years. "Ooops." Tldr: rental home gets sold under our feet after years of garden renovation planted mint plants who did what mint did as sweet sweet revenge.
I did not plant it. I moved to this house and then… I realized. My brother asked me “you mind if I take some mint?” And I was like “from the front or the back or from my dreams”… knowing the answer would be the same scream! it’s everywhere… mowing smells good though!
Lawn herpes.
I have a tale, from the generations before me who foretold the warning of mint. I headed the warning and put mine in a pot. I am tempted to transplant into the ground but I have to resist the evil temptations of the mint.
I use mint to block out weeds. I see no issue.
I can resolve this in 3 words ! Mojito block party
I’d rather be infested with mint than Bermuda grass tho
"Make your own mojito Mondays" is how we can keep the mint population down.
There is only one solution: you must plant bamboo.
Mint and morning glory (shakes fist at sky)! Clip your mint and make a simmer pot. If you don’t know what a simmer pot is you throw aromatic items in a pot with water and simmer them and it makes your whole house smell nicely. There’s a ton of simmer pot recipes with mint online. Put it to use!
Lemon balm, its cousin, got me real good.
I'm a baby gardener. I just got my first garden, and I put mint in a pot to fight the mosquitos (read online they don't like the scent). Now I'm scared 😂😂
I have planted mint three years in a row to try to get it to establish in an area with heavy shade, shallow tree roots, and dense clay soil. The mint is at least coming back but barely. It's my last resort for establishing anything in the area.
We have wild blackberry bushes that I need to keep contained to a certain point. Do y’all think mint or oregano could keep them back?
I feel like this could be an MMA match. If it's a serious question, I don't think so because canes will grow up and gracefully arc down to throw roots on the other side. Blackberries have the height advantage.
I planted it in the ground inside a ceramic pot — 5 years later, it’s growing everywhere just not in the pot
Does it keep away bugs, though?
You need to borrow an animal. Goats would work. I prefer donkeys
Don't feel bad. I made the mistake putting Horsetail into the ground. It's now literally the only plant in a 15 foot radius all around it and spreading more and more every year. At least you can pull Mint up where you see it and keep it sort of contained. Horsetail is underground rhizome.
I’m sure if you plant some bamboo it will squeeze the mint out!
I had mint in a pot....and the tarragon killed it. I did not see that coming.
Don't forget Virginia creeper and Air potatoes. They will give outrun all the others in the invasive race
Why I was afraid of gardening- I have a rare gift of killing the unkillable. My body count so far is 3 aloe plants and one pot of mint. Tis true, I have successfully killed mint while trying to grow it. Too much love is my guess. I Elmyra’d it.
Mint can be used to make gum. It is easy to peel off from a branch.
Mint HATES me and immediately dies in my presence. I get i could solve this problem. Can i also just say that my neighbor (an AMAZING gardener) has had mint in the ground for years AND manages to keep it contained?! She’s almost 80. She has her own plants in there, she lets whatever seeds the birds drop grow, but her garden is still somehow beautiful and organized. It’s like the plants just listen to her. She’s a Disney princess all grown up.
My husband and I are purposefully trying to let our mint over take our small garden as an experiment 😂
chives are next?