Warning: my neighbor's overgrown mint patch taught me a hard lesson about invasive plants

I was helping my neighbor in Portland clear out her garden bed last spring, and she had a mint plant that had spread across a solid 8-foot section. I thought it was just a healthy herb, so I took a small piece home. Within 3 months, it had completely taken over my own herb pot and killed the basil and thyme. I had to dump the whole container and start fresh. Now I always plant mint in its own separate pot, no exceptions. Has anyone else had a plant completely wreck their garden setup like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

luna_shah1mo ago

Honestly I let mint run wild on purpose. It fills in empty spots and smells amazing when you walk past it. I just pull up what I don't want, it's not that hard to manage. People act like it's kudzu but it's just a tough herb.

emery7361mo ago

Tough herb" is a nice way to put it... my mint plot is basically a hostage situation.

shane_fisher371mo ago

My first apartment in Seattle had a mint takeover from the previous tenant. It took me two full weekends of digging to clear a 4 by 6 foot patch, and I still found runners the next year. I totally get the container rule now, it's the only safe way. That stuff is a garden bully for sure.