Homeowner shares satisfying before-and-after photos of daunting garden project: 'Today was a good day'

One Reddit user is learning the hard way that even the most innocent-looking herb can turn into a garden nightmare.

In a post shared to r/gardening, they offered a series of before-and-after images of a raised garden bed that was once completely overtaken by mint. "My sister came and helped me rip up all the plants," the original poster wrote. "We then tore through as many roots as we could find. I'm sure I will be fighting this for years to come, but today was a good day. Got some green peppers and marigolds in the garden now."

The story resonated with the community, especially those who've tangled with this notoriously invasive species. While many people enjoy mint as an herb, it also spreads through creeping roots and can dominate gardens, choking out other plants and becoming a nightmare to remove. Even a few stray roots can regenerate into new growth. "Literally the number one rule of gardening is don't plant mint in your garden," one commenter said.

For homeowners, dealing with invasive plants can mean hours of backbreaking labor and wasted garden space. That's why many turn to rewilding their yards with native plants, which saves time, cuts water bills, and helps pollinators — great news for us, since they are essential for our food supply.

Landscaping alternatives such as xeriscaping, upgrading to a natural lawn, and planting buffalo grass or clover are other eco-friendly, low-maintenance solutions. Even replacing a portion of your yard with natives can bring big benefits.

Commenters were quick to empathize and swap stories. "Phew! That is a lot! I'm glad mine is in a pot," one user said. Another chimed in with a warning: "My boss planted mint in one [of] our beds years ago [because] she needed a quick aggressive ground cover. She knew what would happen. I now spend some of my time ripping it out and trying to get out of the roses."

For anyone who really wants to grow mint, there are species native to specific ranges, including hairy mountain mint, which is edible and attractive to pollinators. Just remember it will require more maintenance to keep it under control. Growing it isolated in a raised bed or container garden can make maintenance easier.

"I've got [hairy] mountain mint that I'm … not ashamed to say that I've let run rampant. I think my pollinators are the happiest in the tri-county area," one commenter shared.

What's the hardest thing about taking care of your yard? Mowing the lawn 🏡 Controlling weeds 🌿 Keeping pests at bay 🐿️ I don't have a yard 🤷 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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