When to plant mint in Oregon and Washington
In Portland: Plant young mint plants Mar 15 – May 10. In Bend: May 12 – Jul 7. Find your city below.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade
- Spacing
- One plant per pot, or 18 inches apart
- Planting depth
- Plant at the depth it grew in the nursery pot
- Frost
- Handles light frost
- First harvest
- Pick lightly the first summer, then as much as you like
Spreads aggressively by underground runners, so grow it in a pot or a bottomless bucket sunk in the ground.
Mint planting dates by city
| City | Plant in the garden |
|---|---|
| Astoria, OR | Apr 1 – May 27 |
| Baker City, OR | Apr 27 – Jun 22 |
| Bend and Redmond, OR | May 12 – Jul 7 |
| Burns, OR | May 14 – Jul 9 |
| Coos Bay and North Bend, OR | Apr 1 – May 27 |
| Eugene, OR | Mar 15 – May 10 |
| Gresham, OR | Mar 15 – May 10 |
| Klamath Falls, OR | May 12 – Jul 7 |
| Medford, OR | Mar 15 – May 10 |
| Pendleton, OR | Apr 1 – May 27 |
| Portland, OR | Mar 15 – May 10 |
| Roseburg, OR | Mar 15 – May 10 |
| Salem, OR | Mar 15 – May 10 |
| The Dalles, OR | Apr 1 – May 27 |
| Wilsonville and Canby, OR | Mar 15 – May 10 |
| Aberdeen and Hoquiam, WA | Apr 1 – May 27 |
| Bellingham, WA | Mar 15 – May 10 |
| Ellensburg, WA | Apr 15 – Jun 10 |
| Everett, WA | Mar 15 – May 10 |
| Forks, WA | Apr 1 – May 27 |
| Moses Lake, WA | Apr 1 – May 27 |
| Olympia, WA | Apr 1 – May 27 |
| Omak and Okanogan, WA | Apr 15 – Jun 10 |
| Seattle and Tacoma, WA | Mar 15 – May 10 |
| Spokane, WA | Apr 15 – Jun 10 |
| Tri-Cities (Pasco, Kennewick, Richland), WA | Apr 1 – May 27 |
| Vancouver, WA | Mar 15 – May 10 |
| Walla Walla, WA | Apr 1 – May 27 |
| Wenatchee, WA | Apr 1 – May 27 |
| Yakima, WA | Apr 10 – Jun 5 |
How to grow mint
- Pick a sunny spot with soil that drains well, and mix in an inch or two of compost.
- Plant young mint plants on your city's dates, One plant per pot, or 18 inches apart. Plant at the depth it grew in the nursery pot.
- Water regularly; mint likes moist soil. Cut it back hard in midsummer for a fresh flush of leaves.
- Harvest: Snip stems just above a pair of leaves. Regular cutting keeps plants bushy.
Varieties that do well in the Northwest
- Spearmint
- Peppermint
- Mojito mint
Watch out for
Mint spreads underground and takes over beds. Grow it in a container.