When to plant mint in Seattle and Tacoma, WA

Plant young mint plants in Seattle and Tacoma Mar 15 – May 10.

Easy Plant young plants

Why these dates

Seattle and Tacoma's typical last spring frost is March 2. In the west-side valleys, the soil is usually ready for mint around March 15.

West-side valleys. The Willamette Valley, Puget Sound and southern Oregon valleys. Long frost-free seasons, but soil stays cold and wet into May, so warm crops wait for warm soil, not just the last frost.

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

Step by step

Pick a sunny spot with soil that drains well, and mix in an inch or two of compost.
Plant young mint plants Mar 15 – May 10, 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 here

Spearmint
Peppermint
Mojito mint

Watch out for

Mint spreads underground and takes over beds. Grow it in a container.

Spreads aggressively by underground runners, so grow it in a pot or a bottomless bucket sunk in the ground.

Common questions

When is the last frost in Seattle and Tacoma, WA?

Typically March 2. In 9 years out of 10, frost is over by March 23. These are 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Is it too late to plant mint in Seattle and Tacoma?

The spring planting window runs through May 10. Later plantings tend to struggle in summer heat.

How long until I can pick mint?

Pick lightly the first summer, then as much as you like. Snip stems just above a pair of leaves. Regular cutting keeps plants bushy.