Mint is a fast-growing, aggressive plant that can wreak havoc throughout your lawn. When not properly contained, the herb can overtake entire landscapes, suffocating the surrounding plants.
A homeowner based in Seattle reached out to Reddit's r/gardening forum to determine whether it would be safe to start planting mint along their fence. Though they wanted to fill the empty space with the aromatic herb, they were concerned the mint would spread into their neighbor's property.
Redditors advised against planting mint in the outdoor space and shared horror stories of the herb overrunning entire gardens.
"Nooooooooooo!!!" responded one user.
"It takes over and is impossible to kill," wrote another Redditor.
"Planting mint directly in the ground can lead to it spreading aggressively, especially in Seattle's climate," commented one user.
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Mint is an invasive plant that easily spreads because of its strong root system, which grows and sprawls into any nearby soil.
Instead of adding aggressive, fast-growing plants to your yard, consider filling empty spaces with native plants. As natural hubs for pollinators, native species attract bees and butterflies to your garden, promoting the health of the local ecosystem.
Native plants are also a cheaper alternative to grass lawns, as they require less upkeep and watering. Each year, you can save around $275 on water, $50 on fertilizer, and $50 on pesticides and weed control after switching to a native-plant lawn.
Other low-maintenance, eco-friendly lawn replacement options include xeriscaping, growing clover, or planting buffalo grass. Unlike grass, these types of alternative lawns require minimal mowing or no mowing altogether, reducing the total amount of planet-warming pollutants that end up trapped in the atmosphere from gas-powered lawn equipment.
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Redditors continued to discuss the struggles of containing mint.
"Mint is like bamboo," wrote one user. "My neighbor has bamboo so now I have bamboo too."
"It will take over all available space within two years," commented another Redditor.
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