Mint is like that one guest who overstays their welcome — except it doesn't just crash on your couch; it takes over your whole yard. One new homeowner learned this the hard way and turned to r/gardening for help.
Their post set off a wave of sympathy, jokes, and solid advice.
The OP shared a photo of their raised garden bed, completely overrun by mint, and asked how to stop it from coming back without using herbicide. If you've ever dealt with mint, you know it spreads super fast thanks to its underground root system, called rhizomes.
"These rhizomes allow mint to quickly take over garden beds or planters if left unchecked," garden expert Tony O'Neill explains, according to Livingetc.
And that's not all — mint also spreads through above-ground runners, making it a two-front invasion.
One commenter joked about the struggle: "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. It's the mint's house now."
Others offered more serious strategies, including: "Nuke it from orbit. It's the only way to be sure… Seriously though, if you [dig] up roots whenever you see a green leaf you'll get it eventually."
A botanist jumped in with a science-backed method: "Insert a metal sheet as blockade at the edge of your growing zone… Cover with multiple layers of print and plastic free cardboard. Top with a couple inches of soil. Sprinkle with seeds of local wildflower or radish (quick germination) DENSELY." They also warned against using plastic tarps, which can leach microplastics into soil.
For those looking to keep mint under control without eradicating it, landscape designer Shayna Kay Orr shared a handy acronym: MINTS, or monitor, isolate, nip, trim, and savor. Monitor means keeping an eye on its growth, isolate means using containers or solid barriers (8-12 inches deep), nip means cutting off runners as soon as they appear, trim means regularly pruning to keep it from spreading, and savor means enjoying the mint in recipes.
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If you were to switch from a grass lawn to a more natural option, which of these factors would be your primary motivation?
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Making it look better 🌱 One of the coolest solutions? Replacing the mint patch with a wildflower meadow.
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"Personally, I planted a wildflower meadow which [choked] out like 80% of the mint. … On top of that, wildflowers are a great contribution to [a] healthy and thriving ecosystem that attracts many pollinators," another Redditor wrote.
This idea isn't just good for controlling mint — it's a game-changer for lawn care. Traditional grass lawns are water-guzzlers that need constant upkeep, but native plants, clover, buffalo grass, and xeriscaping offer low-maintenance, eco-friendly alternatives. They save time and money on mowing and watering while also creating a thriving habitat for pollinators, which are crucial for our food supply. Even swapping out part of your lawn for native plants can make a difference.
The takeaway? Mint might be stubborn, but so are gardeners. Whether you're battling an herb takeover or rethinking your entire yard, there's always a way to work with nature instead of against it.
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