Spearmint (Mentha spicata) is a foliage plant that likes bright, indirect light and water every 3 days. Here is everything you need to keep it healthy.
| Botanical name | Mentha spicata |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Mint, Garden Mint |
| Plant type | Foliage plant |
| Light | Bright, indirect light |
| Watering | Water every 3 days |
| Fertilizing | Feed about once a month in the growing season |
| Grown | Indoor or outdoor |
| Type of plant | Edible |
Water Spearmint every 3 days as a baseline. Treat that as a reminder to check rather than a rule to follow blindly — push a finger an inch or two into the soil and water only if it feels dry at that depth.
Expect to water more often in warm, bright, or dry conditions, and noticeably less in winter when growth slows. A pot with drainage holes matters more than the exact interval: standing water is the most common way houseplants are lost.
Spearmint prefers bright, indirect light. It wants plenty of light without direct sun falling on the leaves — a spot near an east-facing window, or a few feet back from a bright south-facing one, works well.
If growth becomes stretched and leggy with long gaps between leaves, it is reaching for more light. Pale or bleached patches usually mean the opposite — too much direct sun.
Feed Spearmint about once a month through the growing season using a balanced liquid fertilizer at half the strength on the label. Pause over winter — an unfed plant recovers far more easily than one with fertilizer burn.
Grows vigorously — keep it in its own pot or it will take over. Check soil every couple of days; it prefers consistently moist conditions.
As a starting point, water Spearmint every 3 days, then adjust to your own conditions. Check the soil first: push a finger an inch or two down and only water if it feels dry at that depth. Most Spearmint problems come from watering on a fixed schedule rather than watering when the plant actually needs it.
Spearmint prefers bright, indirect light. It wants plenty of light without direct sun falling on the leaves — a spot near an east-facing window, or a few feet back from a bright south-facing one, works well.
Feed Spearmint about once a month during the active growing season (roughly spring through early autumn) with a balanced liquid fertilizer at half strength. Stop feeding in winter, when growth slows and unused nutrients build up in the soil.
Spearmint can be grown indoors or outdoors. Outdoors it will usually grow faster and need watering more often; indoors it needs the brightest spot you can offer.