Mint Companion Plants
Herb60 days to maturity
Mint (Mentha spp.) is a vigorous, fast-spreading perennial herb prized for the menthol aroma of its leaves, used in teas, cocktails, and cooking. Its strong scent confuses and repels many common pests, but the same runners that make it useful also make it dangerously invasive in open beds. Most gardeners grow mint in pots or sunken containers to keep it from swallowing the garden.
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Companion Planting Strategy for Mint
Mint's chief value as a companion is its powerful menthol scent, which repels aphids, flea beetles, ants, and cabbage moths. Because it spreads aggressively by underground runners, the safest way to companion-plant mint is to keep it in a buried pot or container set near the crops you want to protect.
Best Companion Plants for Mint
These plants grow well alongside Mint — providing pest control, attracting pollinators, or making better use of your garden space.
Mint's strong menthol scent repels cabbage moths, flea beetles, and aphids that attack brassicas, masking the plants from egg-laying pests.
Mint deters aphids and ants near tomatoes, though it should be kept in a pot so its runners do not overrun the bed.
Mint's pungent foliage helps repel aphids and other soft-bodied pests that feed on tender pea shoots.
How to Grow Mint
- Botanical name
- Mentha spp. (e.g., Mentha spicata, Mentha x piperita)
- Family
- Mint (Lamiaceae)
- Sun
- Full sun to partial shade
- Water
- Keep soil consistently moist, about 1-2 inches per week
- Soil
- Rich, moist, well-draining soil, pH 6.0-7.0
- Spacing
- 18-24 inches apart; best grown in containers to control its spread
- Planting depth
- Sow seed 1/4 inch deep, or set divisions and cuttings at soil level
- Germination
- 10-15 days at 65-70F
- Days to maturity
- About 90 days from seed; harvest leaves anytime once established
- When to plant
- Plant after the last spring frost; a hardy perennial that spreads aggressively by runners
- Harvest
- Pinch sprigs regularly before the plant flowers, when leaf flavor and oil content are highest
Common Mint Problems
Mint rust (orange or rusty pustules on leaf undersides)
A fungal disease. Remove and destroy infected stems, improve airflow, avoid wetting the foliage, and cut the plant back hard if it spreads.
Invasive spread by underground runners
Grow mint in a container or in a pot sunk into the ground with the rim above soil level, and cut it back before it flowers to limit reseeding.
Powdery mildew (white film on leaves)
Improve air circulation by thinning crowded stems, water at the base instead of overhead, and remove affected foliage.
Aphids and spider mites
Blast pests off with a strong spray of water and follow with insecticidal soap or neem oil if infestations persist.
Mint Companion Planting FAQ
What are the best companion plants for mint?
Mint is a strong pest-repelling companion for cabbage and other brassicas, where it deters cabbage moths and flea beetles, and for tomatoes and peas, where it wards off aphids. For best results, sink mint in a pot near these crops rather than planting it loose.
What should you not plant with mint?
Mint has no classic chemical enemies, but its real danger is invasiveness, since its runners will crowd out almost any neighbor. Avoid planting it loose among shallow-rooted or slow-growing crops and keep it contained instead.
How do you keep mint from spreading?
Grow mint in a container or in a pot sunk into the ground with the rim above soil level so runners cannot escape. Cutting it back before it flowers and harvesting often also slows its spread.
Does mint grow better in sun or shade?
Mint tolerates both but grows best in full sun to partial shade with consistently moist soil. In hot climates, a little afternoon shade keeps the leaves tender and flavorful.
More herb companions
Plan Your Mint Garden
Use our interactive tools to design the perfect garden with Mint and its companions.