When to plant mint in The Dalles, OR

Plant young mint plants in The Dalles Apr 1 – May 27.

Easy Plant young plants

Why these dates

The Dalles's typical last spring frost is April 11. As a cool-season crop that handles light frost, this crop doesn't need to wait for that date. In the Columbia Basin and low eastern valleys, though, the soil usually isn't ready to work until about April 1.

Columbia Basin and low eastern valleys. Hot, dry summers and quick spring warm-up. Warm crops go in earlier than west of the Cascades, and irrigation matters more than rain.

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 Apr 1 – May 27, 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 The Dalles, OR?

Typically April 11. In 9 years out of 10, frost is over by April 28. These are 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals for The Dalles Municipal Airport (Dallesport, WA).

Is it too late to plant mint in The Dalles?

The spring planting window runs through May 27. 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.