Reviving a pot of mint

Reviving a Pot of Mint

Mint is the ideal plant for beginner gardeners. It comes in so many varieties and grows vigorously with almost no attention.

Despite being easy to grow, mint will produce tall, leggy stems over time that aren't great for harvesting. Luckily, it's easy to reinvigorate your mint annually in summer, encouraging it to grow fresh, flavourful shoots.

• Squeeze or tap the sides of the existing container to dislodge the root ball.
• Place some wool at the bottom of the pot over the drainage holes to conserve moisture.
• Holding the plant over the container, loosen all the old soil into the container. Mint thrives on poor soil, so you don't need to use new compost.
• Cut off and discard all the stems. Use them in the kitchen or add them to your green bin.
• Using florist's scissors, cut up the thick roots into two-inch pieces. Pack the pieces in the pot, and don't worry about them touching. Discard any old pieces that don't have new root growth. The more pieces you cut, the more new shoots you'll have.
• Cover the pieces with about two inches of the old soil and water. In a month, they will resprout again.