Learning how to harvest and use fresh mint from the garden

Mint growing in my garden. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2021.

A few years back, I bought this packet of mint seeds to plant in my yard for fresh mint. Not only did I have no idea how to grow mint, but there was no thought given to how I would use the stuff when it started to grow…and grow it did!

​So, the first thing you should know is that mint is prolific!

​No, seriously, you'll have to keep on top of it so this plant doesn’t spread all over your yard. But it needs little care to keep it alive, and you get a lot of it for whatever uses you have in mind.

Which brings me to my second point…What can you do with fresh mint? ​

It’s been growing in my yard for a while now, and you’re probably like…how have you not yet figured out how to use this herb? It just comes down to time—as in not enough of it. So, this year, I am committed to learning how to use the plant for something other than pretty photos!

Mint leaves. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2021.

​I’m embarrassed to admit that I had allowed my mint to make itself at home in my yard for so long, not using it for anything, that I had forgotten exactly what type of mint I had grown. So the burning question became, how do I figure out what kind of mint I have? Well, a little research has turned up an answer—give it a taste. If it has a sharp, almost spicy taste, it’s probably peppermint. If the taste is more subtle and sweeter, it’s more likely to be spearmint. So I popped off a leaf and gave it a chew, and—sure enough—it had a sharp, almost peppery flavor! So, I can assume I am growing peppermint. Good to know! 

Now that I know what type of mint I have and how to grow it, it's time to learn how to harvest and use this leafy green herb. And so this will be the beginning of a continuing journey to delve deeper into how to grow, harvest, and use common herbs like mint. I’m no herbalist, but I like the idea of finding more natural ways of living, and growing herbs plays into that mode of thinking. So let's see if we can get our heads wrapped around a few beginner’s tips…

How and when to harvest mint…

While the mint plant benefits from frequent harvesting (increasing the yield of new growth), this is also an opportunity to keep the herb in check, pulling runners from spots where you don’t want the mint to grow. The actual act of harvesting is pretty simple—simply clip (with scissors, do not break) the top buds with the younger, more flavorful leaves (cut above the second set of leaves near the bottom), pluck a leaf at a time as needed, or cut large bunches just before the plant blooms (never harvest more than 2/3 of the plant). The mint plant can be harvested any time after maturity, but the best time is before it flowers. After the flowers bloom, the taste of the leaves gets more bitter. Also, as with most other herbs, harvest in the morning for the best concentration and flavor.

Mint flower. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2020.

Mint leaves harvested from my garden. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2022.

How to store mint…

Dried mint loses some flavor, so using mint when fresh from the garden is the optimal way to get the most flavor. That being said, there are still benefits to using properly dried mint. The best way to dry out this herb is to tie your cuttings together and hang them in a cool, dry, dark place (do not dry with heat). Store dried mint in a glass container, and make sure no moisture is left that could create mold (you can use absorbing packets). Wrap them in a damp paper towel or place them in a container with water and place them in the fridge for a week to 10 days if using within a few days. Mint leaves can also be frozen in freezer bags (freeze on wax paper first) or chopped up and frozen in ice cubes, ready for your next delicious beverage! Your mint will be kept in the freezer for up to three months.

Image by kerdkanno from Adobe Stock.

How to use mint…

Last year, I decided to try making homemade mint tea with fresh clippings from my yard. The results were somewhat unsatisfactory, but it was--after all--my first attempt! At some point, I’d like to try making mint tea again…but maybe iced tea this time. Once I play around with it a little more, I’ll post another article with the recipe…but in the meantime, I have discovered lemon and mint leaves in water. I started drinking water with lemon slices and some freshly squeezed lemon juice. Then I remembered I have fresh mint in my yard…so, of course, I had to throw in some fresh mint leaves, right?! This is an incredibly refreshing drink that screams summer! I make mine by the glass, but you can find recipes for making a pitcher of this wonderfully light and refreshing beverage. I’ve become seriously addicted to this drink! It’s a perfect excuse to drink more water.

Water with fresh lemon and homegrown mint leaves. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2022.

Image by Africa Studio from Adobe Stock.

Another delicious way to use fresh mint leaves is in a salad. Today’s lunch consisted of mixed salad greens, celery, cucumber, shredded cheese, fresh chive flowers and stems (from my garden), mint leaves (also from my garden), and balsamic vinaigrette. The peppermint has a sharp flavor that wakes up the rest of the greens and compliments the vinaigrette quite nicely. So that was a darn good lunch! And I will experiment with different kinds of salads during the summer months. If I stumble across something particularly delicious, I will post a blog about it so you can try it out yourself! 

In the meantime, you can check out this terrific blog post I uncovered during my research that is packed full of uses and benefits for using mint. Let me know if you have tried any recipes using fresh mint. And comment below with any recipe ideas or tips you have learned!

Mixed green salad with freshly picked mint leaves from my garden. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2022.

Same mixed salad with mint leaves...with more shredded cheese please! Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2022.

Related blogs you may want to read:
Tips for planting seeds indoors
How to repot a pothos plant
How to propagate bromeliad pups
Six herbs I planted indoors
Growing tomatoes and cucumbers for my garden
It’s planting season again

​This article may contain a few items or commercial mentions, but I only used them for demonstration purposes only. I am not endorsing any particular product or receiving any monetary gain for this blog.