I have a peppermint plant that a friend bought for me already potted at a farmer's market. I've been keeping it barely alive for the last 4 months. Its leaves turn brown and dye, then the brown deadness creeps along the stalk until I have to cut back the whole stalk. Then it will recover for a month or so and seem to be fine. But now it's back to dying off again. What is this? Some sore of fungus? I don't know what to do. It was out on my porch for a while before it got sick, then I moved it under the eve and it seemed to improve, but now it's half dead and the only live part has leaned out away from the eve, so I moved it back out into the open. I'm really not sure what to do with this plant. And since the brown disease seems to spread, I'm hesitant to eat the leaves. Help me please. All the information I can find online tells me that mint is hardy and needs almost no maintenance. I can't find anything on what's wrong with it.
penquin: I really hope we'll have someone here who can help you. I have pepermint in my herb garden, it does very well. As I have just moved all my herbs to a new area and everything in my herb garden seems to be doing fine. Not sure why your plant would be turning brown. Welcome to the Stew.
There are some diseases that peppermint can contract. It sounds as though it may be wilt disease (verticillium wilt). There's a list of others as well, mint rust, leaf blight, spotted wilt. I really don't know too much about them, but I'd imagine once you've narrowed it down as to just what it may be, it'd be easier to find the solution. Good luck!
Not to worry, Penguin - I've murdered a mint plant or 2 in my time. Over-watering is my usual method.
spearmint here ......... Spearmint here and we cant kill it . Someone gave me chocolate mint this summer it seems well....... No special attention needed. Pennsylvania is the arean
I thought I wanted mint. I'd heard that it could be invasive but I didn't care. Then I found out just how invasive it could be!! WOW!!! They weren't kidding! Maybe yours is root bound or maybe it just needs a winter dormant period. Good Luck! Deanna :-D
I thought you might like to take a look at this website to see if it sheds any light on what could be ailing your mint. http://mint.ippc.orst.edu/frequestions.htm Hope it helps and that your plant survives. :-D
I had a chocolate mint for about a month. It died Maybe it overheated... we had a very hot, dry summer >_<
If all else fails If all else fails.. I can send some spearmint......Roots. My choclate isnt too big yet.. Maybe next year. LMK
Well, I'll try repotting it. As for less water, it's outside right now and getting what comes from the sky. I'll post any improvments or otherwise. Thanks!
Well, I finally got some potting soil, so I'll replant the mint today (why is dirt so expensive?). But I'm looking at my mint, and it seems to have become very vine-like. The stalks are too thin to stand up so I've got 7-8 long thin vines with mint leaves coming out of them. It USED to stand up on it's own. Is this a problem, should I stake it up or something? Thanks
Keep the stems cut back when they get leggy and the plant will get bushier. The stems you cut off can be cleaned and used in tea or if you make the melt and pour soap it is wonderful for that, turns the soap a pretty green. Love your avatar, is that Diana?
I'd be happy to cut back the stems, but none of the leaves start for at least 8 inches from the soil. Anybody from the NW know if my mint would be doing better if I brought it inside for the winter? And my avatar is Arthemis, which is an old name for Diana, so yes. Independent virgin goddess of the forest and moon. If I was going to be a goddess, that's who I'd be....now if only I could get some worshipers...
