Hi, list,

I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of this cursed plant once and for all??

Stephanie
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Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .

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Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
)

Hi, list,

I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of this cursed plant once and for all??

Stephanie
_______________________________________________
Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
email to .

Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .

List management page: http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.

Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
)
On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel
<>wrote:

> Hi, list,
>
> I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now,
> I want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted
> some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It
> behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this
> year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the
> bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant
> coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected
> it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have
> pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming
> back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of
> this cursed plant once and for all??



That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed,
pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it
happened to you.

It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just
have to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier
around its roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out.

I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house
foundation, and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under
control. And I wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...


Meg Muckenhoupt

Hi, list,

I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of this cursed plant once and for all??

Stephanie
_______________________________________________
Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
email to .

Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .

List management page: http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.

Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
)
On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel
<>wrote:

> Hi, list,
>
> I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now,
> I want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted
> some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It
> behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this
> year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the
> bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant
> coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected
> it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have
> pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming
> back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of
> this cursed plant once and for all??



That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed,
pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it
happened to you.

It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just
have to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier
around its roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out.

I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house
foundation, and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under
control. And I wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...


Meg Muckenhoupt


Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the invasive
from Hell.  I've been yanking it out since March and everytime I think I have it
all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y glory!!

Laura




________________________________
From: Meg Muckenhoupt <>
To: Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
Cc:
Sent: Thu, April 28, 2011 12:08:25 PM
Subject: Re: [menotomygardeners] Help! Chocolate Mint Invasion!




On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
wrote:

Hi, list,
>
>I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I
>want to seek advice and give a warning to others...  last year I planted some
>chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's.  It behaved
>itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it.  But this year, it has
>come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the bed in the grass.
> I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant coming back in the
>original spot in looks and minty smell!  I never expected it to come back at
>all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have pulled up anything I
>saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming back. Is there anything to
>do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of this cursed plant once and for
>all??


That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed,
pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it happened to
you.

It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just have
to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier around its
roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out. 

I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house foundation,
and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under control.  And I
wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...


Meg Muckenhoupt

Hi, list,

I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of this cursed plant once and for all??

Stephanie
_______________________________________________
Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
email to .

Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .

List management page: http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.

Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
)
On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel
<>wrote:

> Hi, list,
>
> I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now,
> I want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted
> some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It
> behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this
> year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the
> bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant
> coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected
> it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have
> pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming
> back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of
> this cursed plant once and for all??



That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed,
pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it
happened to you.

It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just
have to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier
around its roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out.

I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house
foundation, and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under
control. And I wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...


Meg Muckenhoupt


Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the invasive
from Hell.  I've been yanking it out since March and everytime I think I have it
all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y glory!!

Laura




________________________________
From: Meg Muckenhoupt <>
To: Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
Cc:
Sent: Thu, April 28, 2011 12:08:25 PM
Subject: Re: [menotomygardeners] Help! Chocolate Mint Invasion!




On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
wrote:

Hi, list,
>
>I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I
>want to seek advice and give a warning to others...  last year I planted some
>chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's.  It behaved
>itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it.  But this year, it has
>come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the bed in the grass.
> I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant coming back in the
>original spot in looks and minty smell!  I never expected it to come back at
>all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have pulled up anything I
>saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming back. Is there anything to
>do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of this cursed plant once and for
>all??


That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed,
pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it happened to
you.

It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just have
to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier around its
roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out. 

I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house foundation,
and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under control.  And I
wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...


Meg Muckenhoupt

I never knew! Thanks, list. I'm still pretty new at this. The first batch has gone into my yard waste bin. I can pull it out if you want some, Meg, or just let you know when I pull the next time, since I guess there will be a next time... > : [
On Apr 28, 2011, at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly wrote:

> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime I think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y glory!!
>
> Laura
>
> From: Meg Muckenhoupt <>
> To: Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
> Cc:
> Sent: Thu, April 28, 2011 12:08:25 PM
> Subject: Re: [menotomygardeners] Help! Chocolate Mint Invasion!
>
>
>
> On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <> wrote:
> Hi, list,
>
> I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of this cursed plant once and for all??
>
>
> That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed, pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it happened to you.
>
> It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just have to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier around its roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out.
>
> I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house foundation, and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under control. And I wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...
>
>
> Meg Muckenhoupt

Hi, list,

I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of this cursed plant once and for all??

Stephanie
_______________________________________________
Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
email to .

Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .

List management page: http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.

Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
)
On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel
<>wrote:

> Hi, list,
>
> I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now,
> I want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted
> some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It
> behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this
> year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the
> bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant
> coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected
> it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have
> pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming
> back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of
> this cursed plant once and for all??



That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed,
pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it
happened to you.

It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just
have to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier
around its roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out.

I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house
foundation, and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under
control. And I wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...


Meg Muckenhoupt


Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the invasive
from Hell.  I've been yanking it out since March and everytime I think I have it
all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y glory!!

Laura




________________________________
From: Meg Muckenhoupt <>
To: Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
Cc:
Sent: Thu, April 28, 2011 12:08:25 PM
Subject: Re: [menotomygardeners] Help! Chocolate Mint Invasion!




On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
wrote:

Hi, list,
>
>I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I
>want to seek advice and give a warning to others...  last year I planted some
>chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's.  It behaved
>itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it.  But this year, it has
>come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the bed in the grass.
> I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant coming back in the
>original spot in looks and minty smell!  I never expected it to come back at
>all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have pulled up anything I
>saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming back. Is there anything to
>do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of this cursed plant once and for
>all??


That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed,
pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it happened to
you.

It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just have
to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier around its
roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out. 

I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house foundation,
and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under control.  And I
wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...


Meg Muckenhoupt

I never knew! Thanks, list. I'm still pretty new at this. The first batch has gone into my yard waste bin. I can pull it out if you want some, Meg, or just let you know when I pull the next time, since I guess there will be a next time... > : [
On Apr 28, 2011, at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly wrote:

> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime I think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y glory!!
>
> Laura
>
> From: Meg Muckenhoupt <>
> To: Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
> Cc:
> Sent: Thu, April 28, 2011 12:08:25 PM
> Subject: Re: [menotomygardeners] Help! Chocolate Mint Invasion!
>
>
>
> On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <> wrote:
> Hi, list,
>
> I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of this cursed plant once and for all??
>
>
> That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed, pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it happened to you.
>
> It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just have to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier around its roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out.
>
> I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house foundation, and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under control. And I wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...
>
>
> Meg Muckenhoupt



We did exactly that for the Peirce Science Garden two years ago - we planted
mint inside a 16-inch deep hollow log. It worked great, and the mint stayed
exactly where we wanted it. Unfortunately, wasps made a nest in the hollow
log as well, and we had to dump it all.



But for the mint, the deep barrier is the key (and don't underestimate the
ability of the mint to "find" the crack in the barrier!).



Eric



_____

From: all-
[mailto:all-] On Behalf Of Meg
Muckenhoupt
Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2011 12:08 PM
To: Stephanie Marlin-Curiel
Cc:
Subject: Re: [menotomygardeners] Help! Chocolate Mint Invasion!





On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
wrote:

Hi, list,

I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I
want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted
some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It
behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this
year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the
bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant
coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected
it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have
pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming
back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of
this cursed plant once and for all??





That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed,
pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it
happened to you.



It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just
have to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier
around its roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out.



I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house
foundation, and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under
control. And I wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...





Meg Muckenhoupt

Hi, list,

I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of this cursed plant once and for all??

Stephanie
_______________________________________________
Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
email to .

Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .

List management page: http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.

Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
)
On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel
<>wrote:

> Hi, list,
>
> I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now,
> I want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted
> some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It
> behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this
> year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the
> bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant
> coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected
> it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have
> pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming
> back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of
> this cursed plant once and for all??



That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed,
pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it
happened to you.

It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just
have to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier
around its roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out.

I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house
foundation, and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under
control. And I wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...


Meg Muckenhoupt


Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the invasive
from Hell.  I've been yanking it out since March and everytime I think I have it
all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y glory!!

Laura




________________________________
From: Meg Muckenhoupt <>
To: Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
Cc:
Sent: Thu, April 28, 2011 12:08:25 PM
Subject: Re: [menotomygardeners] Help! Chocolate Mint Invasion!




On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
wrote:

Hi, list,
>
>I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I
>want to seek advice and give a warning to others...  last year I planted some
>chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's.  It behaved
>itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it.  But this year, it has
>come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the bed in the grass.
> I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant coming back in the
>original spot in looks and minty smell!  I never expected it to come back at
>all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have pulled up anything I
>saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming back. Is there anything to
>do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of this cursed plant once and for
>all??


That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed,
pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it happened to
you.

It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just have
to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier around its
roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out. 

I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house foundation,
and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under control.  And I
wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...


Meg Muckenhoupt

I never knew! Thanks, list. I'm still pretty new at this. The first batch has gone into my yard waste bin. I can pull it out if you want some, Meg, or just let you know when I pull the next time, since I guess there will be a next time... > : [
On Apr 28, 2011, at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly wrote:

> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime I think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y glory!!
>
> Laura
>
> From: Meg Muckenhoupt <>
> To: Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
> Cc:
> Sent: Thu, April 28, 2011 12:08:25 PM
> Subject: Re: [menotomygardeners] Help! Chocolate Mint Invasion!
>
>
>
> On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <> wrote:
> Hi, list,
>
> I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of this cursed plant once and for all??
>
>
> That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed, pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it happened to you.
>
> It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just have to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier around its roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out.
>
> I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house foundation, and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under control. And I wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...
>
>
> Meg Muckenhoupt



We did exactly that for the Peirce Science Garden two years ago - we planted
mint inside a 16-inch deep hollow log. It worked great, and the mint stayed
exactly where we wanted it. Unfortunately, wasps made a nest in the hollow
log as well, and we had to dump it all.



But for the mint, the deep barrier is the key (and don't underestimate the
ability of the mint to "find" the crack in the barrier!).



Eric



_____

From: all-
[mailto:all-] On Behalf Of Meg
Muckenhoupt
Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2011 12:08 PM
To: Stephanie Marlin-Curiel
Cc:
Subject: Re: [menotomygardeners] Help! Chocolate Mint Invasion!





On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
wrote:

Hi, list,

I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I
want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted
some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It
behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this
year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the
bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant
coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected
it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have
pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming
back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of
this cursed plant once and for all??





That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed,
pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it
happened to you.



It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just
have to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier
around its roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out.



I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house
foundation, and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under
control. And I wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...





Meg Muckenhoupt



On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <> wrote:

> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime I
> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y glory!!
>

Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.

At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.


Meg

Hi, list,

I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of this cursed plant once and for all??

Stephanie
_______________________________________________
Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
email to .

Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .

List management page: http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.

Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
)
On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel
<>wrote:

> Hi, list,
>
> I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now,
> I want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted
> some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It
> behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this
> year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the
> bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant
> coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected
> it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have
> pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming
> back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of
> this cursed plant once and for all??



That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed,
pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it
happened to you.

It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just
have to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier
around its roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out.

I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house
foundation, and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under
control. And I wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...


Meg Muckenhoupt


Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the invasive
from Hell.  I've been yanking it out since March and everytime I think I have it
all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y glory!!

Laura




________________________________
From: Meg Muckenhoupt <>
To: Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
Cc:
Sent: Thu, April 28, 2011 12:08:25 PM
Subject: Re: [menotomygardeners] Help! Chocolate Mint Invasion!




On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
wrote:

Hi, list,
>
>I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I
>want to seek advice and give a warning to others...  last year I planted some
>chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's.  It behaved
>itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it.  But this year, it has
>come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the bed in the grass.
> I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant coming back in the
>original spot in looks and minty smell!  I never expected it to come back at
>all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have pulled up anything I
>saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming back. Is there anything to
>do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of this cursed plant once and for
>all??


That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed,
pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it happened to
you.

It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just have
to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier around its
roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out. 

I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house foundation,
and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under control.  And I
wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...


Meg Muckenhoupt

I never knew! Thanks, list. I'm still pretty new at this. The first batch has gone into my yard waste bin. I can pull it out if you want some, Meg, or just let you know when I pull the next time, since I guess there will be a next time... > : [
On Apr 28, 2011, at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly wrote:

> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime I think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y glory!!
>
> Laura
>
> From: Meg Muckenhoupt <>
> To: Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
> Cc:
> Sent: Thu, April 28, 2011 12:08:25 PM
> Subject: Re: [menotomygardeners] Help! Chocolate Mint Invasion!
>
>
>
> On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <> wrote:
> Hi, list,
>
> I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of this cursed plant once and for all??
>
>
> That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed, pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it happened to you.
>
> It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just have to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier around its roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out.
>
> I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house foundation, and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under control. And I wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...
>
>
> Meg Muckenhoupt



We did exactly that for the Peirce Science Garden two years ago - we planted
mint inside a 16-inch deep hollow log. It worked great, and the mint stayed
exactly where we wanted it. Unfortunately, wasps made a nest in the hollow
log as well, and we had to dump it all.



But for the mint, the deep barrier is the key (and don't underestimate the
ability of the mint to "find" the crack in the barrier!).



Eric



_____

From: all-
[mailto:all-] On Behalf Of Meg
Muckenhoupt
Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2011 12:08 PM
To: Stephanie Marlin-Curiel
Cc:
Subject: Re: [menotomygardeners] Help! Chocolate Mint Invasion!





On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
wrote:

Hi, list,

I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I
want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted
some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It
behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this
year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the
bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant
coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected
it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have
pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming
back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of
this cursed plant once and for all??





That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed,
pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it
happened to you.



It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just
have to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier
around its roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out.



I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house
foundation, and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under
control. And I wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...





Meg Muckenhoupt



On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <> wrote:

> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime I
> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y glory!!
>

Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.

At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.


Meg


Same thing happened here...

I planted it in pots since I knew that it's an escape artist, but the
thing put it's minty suckers down to the ground (and through the hole in
the bottom of the pot) and was starting to invade the garden.

Even though I really like mint, I didn't want an entire garden of it, so
went in the trash - not the compost!

Nick


> On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <>
> wrote:
>
>> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
>> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime
>> I
>> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y
>> glory!!
>>
>
> Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
> Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.
>
> At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.
>
>
> Meg
> _______________________________________________
> Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
> email to .
>
> Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>
> List management page:
> http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
> or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>
> Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
>


_______________________________________________
Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
email to .

Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .

List management page: http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.

Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
)

Hi, list,

I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of this cursed plant once and for all??

Stephanie
_______________________________________________
Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
email to .

Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .

List management page: http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.

Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
)
On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel
<>wrote:

> Hi, list,
>
> I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now,
> I want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted
> some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It
> behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this
> year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the
> bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant
> coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected
> it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have
> pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming
> back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of
> this cursed plant once and for all??



That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed,
pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it
happened to you.

It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just
have to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier
around its roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out.

I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house
foundation, and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under
control. And I wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...


Meg Muckenhoupt


Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the invasive
from Hell.  I've been yanking it out since March and everytime I think I have it
all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y glory!!

Laura




________________________________
From: Meg Muckenhoupt <>
To: Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
Cc:
Sent: Thu, April 28, 2011 12:08:25 PM
Subject: Re: [menotomygardeners] Help! Chocolate Mint Invasion!




On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
wrote:

Hi, list,
>
>I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I
>want to seek advice and give a warning to others...  last year I planted some
>chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's.  It behaved
>itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it.  But this year, it has
>come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the bed in the grass.
> I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant coming back in the
>original spot in looks and minty smell!  I never expected it to come back at
>all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have pulled up anything I
>saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming back. Is there anything to
>do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of this cursed plant once and for
>all??


That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed,
pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it happened to
you.

It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just have
to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier around its
roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out. 

I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house foundation,
and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under control.  And I
wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...


Meg Muckenhoupt

I never knew! Thanks, list. I'm still pretty new at this. The first batch has gone into my yard waste bin. I can pull it out if you want some, Meg, or just let you know when I pull the next time, since I guess there will be a next time... > : [
On Apr 28, 2011, at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly wrote:

> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime I think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y glory!!
>
> Laura
>
> From: Meg Muckenhoupt <>
> To: Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
> Cc:
> Sent: Thu, April 28, 2011 12:08:25 PM
> Subject: Re: [menotomygardeners] Help! Chocolate Mint Invasion!
>
>
>
> On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <> wrote:
> Hi, list,
>
> I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of this cursed plant once and for all??
>
>
> That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed, pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it happened to you.
>
> It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just have to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier around its roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out.
>
> I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house foundation, and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under control. And I wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...
>
>
> Meg Muckenhoupt



We did exactly that for the Peirce Science Garden two years ago - we planted
mint inside a 16-inch deep hollow log. It worked great, and the mint stayed
exactly where we wanted it. Unfortunately, wasps made a nest in the hollow
log as well, and we had to dump it all.



But for the mint, the deep barrier is the key (and don't underestimate the
ability of the mint to "find" the crack in the barrier!).



Eric



_____

From: all-
[mailto:all-] On Behalf Of Meg
Muckenhoupt
Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2011 12:08 PM
To: Stephanie Marlin-Curiel
Cc:
Subject: Re: [menotomygardeners] Help! Chocolate Mint Invasion!





On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
wrote:

Hi, list,

I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I
want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted
some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It
behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this
year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the
bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant
coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected
it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have
pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming
back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of
this cursed plant once and for all??





That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed,
pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it
happened to you.



It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just
have to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier
around its roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out.



I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house
foundation, and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under
control. And I wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...





Meg Muckenhoupt



On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <> wrote:

> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime I
> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y glory!!
>

Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.

At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.


Meg


Same thing happened here...

I planted it in pots since I knew that it's an escape artist, but the
thing put it's minty suckers down to the ground (and through the hole in
the bottom of the pot) and was starting to invade the garden.

Even though I really like mint, I didn't want an entire garden of it, so
went in the trash - not the compost!

Nick


> On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <>
> wrote:
>
>> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
>> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime
>> I
>> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y
>> glory!!
>>
>
> Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
> Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.
>
> At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.
>
>
> Meg
> _______________________________________________
> Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
> email to .
>
> Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>
> List management page:
> http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
> or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>
> Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
>


_______________________________________________
Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
email to .

Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .

List management page: http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.

Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
)


Oh, and I thought my pot idea was clever. I must needs re-think
this. I really like fresh mint....


At 01:34 PM 4/28/2011, wrote:
>Same thing happened here...
>
>I planted it in pots since I knew that it's an escape artist, but the
>thing put it's minty suckers down to the ground (and through the hole in
>the bottom of the pot) and was starting to invade the garden.
>
>Even though I really like mint, I didn't want an entire garden of it, so
>went in the trash - not the compost!
>
>Nick
>
>
> > On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <>
> > wrote:
> >
> >> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
> >> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime
> >> I
> >> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y
> >> glory!!
> >>
> >
> > Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
> > Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.
> >
> > At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.
> >
> >
> > Meg
> > _______________________________________________
> > Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
> > email to .
> >
> > Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
> >
> > List management page:
> > http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
> > or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
> >
> > Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
> >
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
>email to .
>
>Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>
>List management page:
>http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
>or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>
>Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org



_______________________________________________
Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
email to .

Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .

List management page: http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.

Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
)

Hi, list,

I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of this cursed plant once and for all??

Stephanie
_______________________________________________
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)
On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel
<>wrote:

> Hi, list,
>
> I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now,
> I want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted
> some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It
> behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this
> year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the
> bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant
> coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected
> it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have
> pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming
> back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of
> this cursed plant once and for all??



That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed,
pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it
happened to you.

It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just
have to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier
around its roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out.

I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house
foundation, and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under
control. And I wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...


Meg Muckenhoupt


Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the invasive
from Hell.  I've been yanking it out since March and everytime I think I have it
all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y glory!!

Laura




________________________________
From: Meg Muckenhoupt <>
To: Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
Cc:
Sent: Thu, April 28, 2011 12:08:25 PM
Subject: Re: [menotomygardeners] Help! Chocolate Mint Invasion!




On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
wrote:

Hi, list,
>
>I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I
>want to seek advice and give a warning to others...  last year I planted some
>chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's.  It behaved
>itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it.  But this year, it has
>come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the bed in the grass.
> I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant coming back in the
>original spot in looks and minty smell!  I never expected it to come back at
>all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have pulled up anything I
>saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming back. Is there anything to
>do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of this cursed plant once and for
>all??


That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed,
pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it happened to
you.

It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just have
to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier around its
roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out. 

I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house foundation,
and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under control.  And I
wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...


Meg Muckenhoupt

I never knew! Thanks, list. I'm still pretty new at this. The first batch has gone into my yard waste bin. I can pull it out if you want some, Meg, or just let you know when I pull the next time, since I guess there will be a next time... > : [
On Apr 28, 2011, at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly wrote:

> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime I think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y glory!!
>
> Laura
>
> From: Meg Muckenhoupt <>
> To: Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
> Cc:
> Sent: Thu, April 28, 2011 12:08:25 PM
> Subject: Re: [menotomygardeners] Help! Chocolate Mint Invasion!
>
>
>
> On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <> wrote:
> Hi, list,
>
> I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of this cursed plant once and for all??
>
>
> That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed, pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it happened to you.
>
> It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just have to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier around its roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out.
>
> I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house foundation, and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under control. And I wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...
>
>
> Meg Muckenhoupt



We did exactly that for the Peirce Science Garden two years ago - we planted
mint inside a 16-inch deep hollow log. It worked great, and the mint stayed
exactly where we wanted it. Unfortunately, wasps made a nest in the hollow
log as well, and we had to dump it all.



But for the mint, the deep barrier is the key (and don't underestimate the
ability of the mint to "find" the crack in the barrier!).



Eric



_____

From: all-
[mailto:all-] On Behalf Of Meg
Muckenhoupt
Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2011 12:08 PM
To: Stephanie Marlin-Curiel
Cc:
Subject: Re: [menotomygardeners] Help! Chocolate Mint Invasion!





On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
wrote:

Hi, list,

I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I
want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted
some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It
behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this
year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the
bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant
coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected
it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have
pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming
back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of
this cursed plant once and for all??





That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed,
pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it
happened to you.



It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just
have to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier
around its roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out.



I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house
foundation, and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under
control. And I wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...





Meg Muckenhoupt



On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <> wrote:

> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime I
> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y glory!!
>

Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.

At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.


Meg


Same thing happened here...

I planted it in pots since I knew that it's an escape artist, but the
thing put it's minty suckers down to the ground (and through the hole in
the bottom of the pot) and was starting to invade the garden.

Even though I really like mint, I didn't want an entire garden of it, so
went in the trash - not the compost!

Nick


> On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <>
> wrote:
>
>> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
>> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime
>> I
>> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y
>> glory!!
>>
>
> Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
> Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.
>
> At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.
>
>
> Meg
> _______________________________________________
> Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
> email to .
>
> Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>
> List management page:
> http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
> or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>
> Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
>


_______________________________________________
Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
email to .

Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .

List management page: http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.

Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
)


Oh, and I thought my pot idea was clever. I must needs re-think
this. I really like fresh mint....


At 01:34 PM 4/28/2011, wrote:
>Same thing happened here...
>
>I planted it in pots since I knew that it's an escape artist, but the
>thing put it's minty suckers down to the ground (and through the hole in
>the bottom of the pot) and was starting to invade the garden.
>
>Even though I really like mint, I didn't want an entire garden of it, so
>went in the trash - not the compost!
>
>Nick
>
>
> > On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <>
> > wrote:
> >
> >> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
> >> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime
> >> I
> >> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y
> >> glory!!
> >>
> >
> > Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
> > Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.
> >
> > At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.
> >
> >
> > Meg
> > _______________________________________________
> > Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
> > email to .
> >
> > Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
> >
> > List management page:
> > http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
> > or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
> >
> > Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
> >
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
>email to .
>
>Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>
>List management page:
>http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
>or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>
>Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org



_______________________________________________
Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
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Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .

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Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
)
Wouldn't it work if you put the pot in one of those saucer-type thingies
they sell with them? If it sent out its roots, you could see them and
chop 'em off before they got anywhere.

The other thought is the hell strip between sidewalk and street, if you
have one. It could spread to its heart's content without actually
getting into the lawn or garden areas.

Jane


On 4/28/2011 1:53 PM, Diane Davidson wrote:
>
>
> Oh, and I thought my pot idea was clever. I must needs re-think this. I
> really like fresh mint....
>
>
> At 01:34 PM 4/28/2011, wrote:
>> Same thing happened here...
>>
>> I planted it in pots since I knew that it's an escape artist, but the
>> thing put it's minty suckers down to the ground (and through the hole in
>> the bottom of the pot) and was starting to invade the garden.
>>
>> Even though I really like mint, I didn't want an entire garden of it, so
>> went in the trash - not the compost!
>>
>> Nick
>>
>>
>> > On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <>
>> > wrote:
>> >
>> >> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
>> >> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime
>> >> I
>> >> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y
>> >> glory!!
>> >>
>> >
>> > Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
>> > Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.
>> >
>> > At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.
>> >
>> >
>> > Meg
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
>> > email to .
>> >
>> > Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>> >
>> > List management page:
>> >
>> http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
>> > or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>> >
>> > Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
>> >
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
>> email to .
>>
>> Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>>
>> List management page:
>> http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
>> or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>>
>> Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
> email to .
>
> Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>
> List management page:
> http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org or
> http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>
> Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
>
_______________________________________________
Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
email to .

Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .

List management page: http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.

Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
)

Hi, list,

I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of this cursed plant once and for all??

Stephanie
_______________________________________________
Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
email to .

Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .

List management page: http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.

Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
)
On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel
<>wrote:

> Hi, list,
>
> I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now,
> I want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted
> some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It
> behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this
> year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the
> bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant
> coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected
> it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have
> pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming
> back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of
> this cursed plant once and for all??



That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed,
pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it
happened to you.

It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just
have to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier
around its roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out.

I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house
foundation, and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under
control. And I wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...


Meg Muckenhoupt


Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the invasive
from Hell.  I've been yanking it out since March and everytime I think I have it
all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y glory!!

Laura




________________________________
From: Meg Muckenhoupt <>
To: Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
Cc:
Sent: Thu, April 28, 2011 12:08:25 PM
Subject: Re: [menotomygardeners] Help! Chocolate Mint Invasion!




On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
wrote:

Hi, list,
>
>I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I
>want to seek advice and give a warning to others...  last year I planted some
>chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's.  It behaved
>itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it.  But this year, it has
>come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the bed in the grass.
> I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant coming back in the
>original spot in looks and minty smell!  I never expected it to come back at
>all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have pulled up anything I
>saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming back. Is there anything to
>do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of this cursed plant once and for
>all??


That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed,
pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it happened to
you.

It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just have
to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier around its
roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out. 

I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house foundation,
and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under control.  And I
wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...


Meg Muckenhoupt

I never knew! Thanks, list. I'm still pretty new at this. The first batch has gone into my yard waste bin. I can pull it out if you want some, Meg, or just let you know when I pull the next time, since I guess there will be a next time... > : [
On Apr 28, 2011, at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly wrote:

> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime I think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y glory!!
>
> Laura
>
> From: Meg Muckenhoupt <>
> To: Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
> Cc:
> Sent: Thu, April 28, 2011 12:08:25 PM
> Subject: Re: [menotomygardeners] Help! Chocolate Mint Invasion!
>
>
>
> On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <> wrote:
> Hi, list,
>
> I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of this cursed plant once and for all??
>
>
> That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed, pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it happened to you.
>
> It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just have to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier around its roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out.
>
> I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house foundation, and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under control. And I wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...
>
>
> Meg Muckenhoupt



We did exactly that for the Peirce Science Garden two years ago - we planted
mint inside a 16-inch deep hollow log. It worked great, and the mint stayed
exactly where we wanted it. Unfortunately, wasps made a nest in the hollow
log as well, and we had to dump it all.



But for the mint, the deep barrier is the key (and don't underestimate the
ability of the mint to "find" the crack in the barrier!).



Eric



_____

From: all-
[mailto:all-] On Behalf Of Meg
Muckenhoupt
Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2011 12:08 PM
To: Stephanie Marlin-Curiel
Cc:
Subject: Re: [menotomygardeners] Help! Chocolate Mint Invasion!





On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
wrote:

Hi, list,

I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I
want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted
some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It
behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this
year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the
bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant
coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected
it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have
pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming
back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of
this cursed plant once and for all??





That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed,
pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it
happened to you.



It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just
have to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier
around its roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out.



I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house
foundation, and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under
control. And I wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...





Meg Muckenhoupt



On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <> wrote:

> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime I
> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y glory!!
>

Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.

At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.


Meg


Same thing happened here...

I planted it in pots since I knew that it's an escape artist, but the
thing put it's minty suckers down to the ground (and through the hole in
the bottom of the pot) and was starting to invade the garden.

Even though I really like mint, I didn't want an entire garden of it, so
went in the trash - not the compost!

Nick


> On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <>
> wrote:
>
>> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
>> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime
>> I
>> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y
>> glory!!
>>
>
> Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
> Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.
>
> At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.
>
>
> Meg
> _______________________________________________
> Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
> email to .
>
> Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>
> List management page:
> http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
> or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>
> Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
>


_______________________________________________
Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
email to .

Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .

List management page: http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.

Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
)


Oh, and I thought my pot idea was clever. I must needs re-think
this. I really like fresh mint....


At 01:34 PM 4/28/2011, wrote:
>Same thing happened here...
>
>I planted it in pots since I knew that it's an escape artist, but the
>thing put it's minty suckers down to the ground (and through the hole in
>the bottom of the pot) and was starting to invade the garden.
>
>Even though I really like mint, I didn't want an entire garden of it, so
>went in the trash - not the compost!
>
>Nick
>
>
> > On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <>
> > wrote:
> >
> >> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
> >> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime
> >> I
> >> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y
> >> glory!!
> >>
> >
> > Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
> > Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.
> >
> > At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.
> >
> >
> > Meg
> > _______________________________________________
> > Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
> > email to .
> >
> > Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
> >
> > List management page:
> > http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
> > or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
> >
> > Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
> >
>
>
>_______________________________________________
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)
Wouldn't it work if you put the pot in one of those saucer-type thingies
they sell with them? If it sent out its roots, you could see them and
chop 'em off before they got anywhere.

The other thought is the hell strip between sidewalk and street, if you
have one. It could spread to its heart's content without actually
getting into the lawn or garden areas.

Jane


On 4/28/2011 1:53 PM, Diane Davidson wrote:
>
>
> Oh, and I thought my pot idea was clever. I must needs re-think this. I
> really like fresh mint....
>
>
> At 01:34 PM 4/28/2011, wrote:
>> Same thing happened here...
>>
>> I planted it in pots since I knew that it's an escape artist, but the
>> thing put it's minty suckers down to the ground (and through the hole in
>> the bottom of the pot) and was starting to invade the garden.
>>
>> Even though I really like mint, I didn't want an entire garden of it, so
>> went in the trash - not the compost!
>>
>> Nick
>>
>>
>> > On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <>
>> > wrote:
>> >
>> >> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
>> >> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime
>> >> I
>> >> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y
>> >> glory!!
>> >>
>> >
>> > Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
>> > Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.
>> >
>> > At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.
>> >
>> >
>> > Meg
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
>> > email to .
>> >
>> > Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>> >
>> > List management page:
>> >
>> http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
>> > or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>> >
>> > Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
>> >
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
>> email to .
>>
>> Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>>
>> List management page:
>> http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
>> or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>>
>> Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
> email to .
>
> Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>
> List management page:
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> http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>
> Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
>
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)
This brings up a question I've had. I'd like to grow some things, mint included, in pots on my deck as part of the deck garden, but would rather not have to repot them every year. (Right now I'm popping them into the garden in the fall and digging them back up again in spring to pot again) I prefer stone pots to plastic. How can I keep the plants in the stone pots without them freezing up and cracking? Is there a trick? For instance, lots of people and shops have potted plants and trees in stone planters, how do they keep them from cracking?


On Apr 28, 2011, at 1:53 PM, Diane Davidson wrote:

>
>
> Oh, and I thought my pot idea was clever. I must needs re-think this. I really like fresh mint....
>
>
> At 01:34 PM 4/28/2011, wrote:
>> Same thing happened here...
>>
>> I planted it in pots since I knew that it's an escape artist, but the
>> thing put it's minty suckers down to the ground (and through the hole in
>> the bottom of the pot) and was starting to invade the garden.
>>
>> Even though I really like mint, I didn't want an entire garden of it, so
>> went in the trash - not the compost!
>>
>> Nick
>>
>>
>> > On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <>
>> > wrote:
>> >
>> >> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
>> >> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime
>> >> I
>> >> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y
>> >> glory!!
>> >>
>> >
>> > Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
>> > Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.
>> >
>> > At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.
>> >
>> >
>> > Meg
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
>> > email to .
>> >
>> > Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>> >
>> > List management page:
>> > http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
>> > or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>> >
>> > Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
>> >
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
>> email to .
>>
>> Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>>
>> List management page: http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>>
>> Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
> email to .
>
> Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>
> List management page: http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>
> Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org

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)

Hi, list,

I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of this cursed plant once and for all??

Stephanie
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)
On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel
<>wrote:

> Hi, list,
>
> I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now,
> I want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted
> some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It
> behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this
> year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the
> bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant
> coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected
> it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have
> pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming
> back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of
> this cursed plant once and for all??



That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed,
pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it
happened to you.

It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just
have to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier
around its roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out.

I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house
foundation, and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under
control. And I wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...


Meg Muckenhoupt


Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the invasive
from Hell.  I've been yanking it out since March and everytime I think I have it
all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y glory!!

Laura




________________________________
From: Meg Muckenhoupt <>
To: Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
Cc:
Sent: Thu, April 28, 2011 12:08:25 PM
Subject: Re: [menotomygardeners] Help! Chocolate Mint Invasion!




On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
wrote:

Hi, list,
>
>I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I
>want to seek advice and give a warning to others...  last year I planted some
>chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's.  It behaved
>itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it.  But this year, it has
>come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the bed in the grass.
> I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant coming back in the
>original spot in looks and minty smell!  I never expected it to come back at
>all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have pulled up anything I
>saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming back. Is there anything to
>do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of this cursed plant once and for
>all??


That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed,
pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it happened to
you.

It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just have
to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier around its
roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out. 

I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house foundation,
and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under control.  And I
wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...


Meg Muckenhoupt

I never knew! Thanks, list. I'm still pretty new at this. The first batch has gone into my yard waste bin. I can pull it out if you want some, Meg, or just let you know when I pull the next time, since I guess there will be a next time... > : [
On Apr 28, 2011, at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly wrote:

> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime I think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y glory!!
>
> Laura
>
> From: Meg Muckenhoupt <>
> To: Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
> Cc:
> Sent: Thu, April 28, 2011 12:08:25 PM
> Subject: Re: [menotomygardeners] Help! Chocolate Mint Invasion!
>
>
>
> On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <> wrote:
> Hi, list,
>
> I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of this cursed plant once and for all??
>
>
> That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed, pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it happened to you.
>
> It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just have to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier around its roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out.
>
> I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house foundation, and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under control. And I wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...
>
>
> Meg Muckenhoupt



We did exactly that for the Peirce Science Garden two years ago - we planted
mint inside a 16-inch deep hollow log. It worked great, and the mint stayed
exactly where we wanted it. Unfortunately, wasps made a nest in the hollow
log as well, and we had to dump it all.



But for the mint, the deep barrier is the key (and don't underestimate the
ability of the mint to "find" the crack in the barrier!).



Eric



_____

From: all-
[mailto:all-] On Behalf Of Meg
Muckenhoupt
Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2011 12:08 PM
To: Stephanie Marlin-Curiel
Cc:
Subject: Re: [menotomygardeners] Help! Chocolate Mint Invasion!





On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
wrote:

Hi, list,

I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I
want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted
some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It
behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this
year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the
bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant
coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected
it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have
pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming
back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of
this cursed plant once and for all??





That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed,
pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it
happened to you.



It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just
have to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier
around its roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out.



I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house
foundation, and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under
control. And I wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...





Meg Muckenhoupt



On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <> wrote:

> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime I
> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y glory!!
>

Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.

At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.


Meg


Same thing happened here...

I planted it in pots since I knew that it's an escape artist, but the
thing put it's minty suckers down to the ground (and through the hole in
the bottom of the pot) and was starting to invade the garden.

Even though I really like mint, I didn't want an entire garden of it, so
went in the trash - not the compost!

Nick


> On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <>
> wrote:
>
>> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
>> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime
>> I
>> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y
>> glory!!
>>
>
> Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
> Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.
>
> At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.
>
>
> Meg
> _______________________________________________
> Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
> email to .
>
> Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>
> List management page:
> http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
> or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>
> Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
>


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Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .

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Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
)


Oh, and I thought my pot idea was clever. I must needs re-think
this. I really like fresh mint....


At 01:34 PM 4/28/2011, wrote:
>Same thing happened here...
>
>I planted it in pots since I knew that it's an escape artist, but the
>thing put it's minty suckers down to the ground (and through the hole in
>the bottom of the pot) and was starting to invade the garden.
>
>Even though I really like mint, I didn't want an entire garden of it, so
>went in the trash - not the compost!
>
>Nick
>
>
> > On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <>
> > wrote:
> >
> >> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
> >> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime
> >> I
> >> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y
> >> glory!!
> >>
> >
> > Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
> > Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.
> >
> > At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.
> >
> >
> > Meg
> > _______________________________________________
> > Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
> > email to .
> >
> > Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
> >
> > List management page:
> > http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
> > or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
> >
> > Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
> >
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
>email to .
>
>Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>
>List management page:
>http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
>or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>
>Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org



_______________________________________________
Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
email to .

Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .

List management page: http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.

Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
)
Wouldn't it work if you put the pot in one of those saucer-type thingies
they sell with them? If it sent out its roots, you could see them and
chop 'em off before they got anywhere.

The other thought is the hell strip between sidewalk and street, if you
have one. It could spread to its heart's content without actually
getting into the lawn or garden areas.

Jane


On 4/28/2011 1:53 PM, Diane Davidson wrote:
>
>
> Oh, and I thought my pot idea was clever. I must needs re-think this. I
> really like fresh mint....
>
>
> At 01:34 PM 4/28/2011, wrote:
>> Same thing happened here...
>>
>> I planted it in pots since I knew that it's an escape artist, but the
>> thing put it's minty suckers down to the ground (and through the hole in
>> the bottom of the pot) and was starting to invade the garden.
>>
>> Even though I really like mint, I didn't want an entire garden of it, so
>> went in the trash - not the compost!
>>
>> Nick
>>
>>
>> > On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <>
>> > wrote:
>> >
>> >> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
>> >> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime
>> >> I
>> >> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y
>> >> glory!!
>> >>
>> >
>> > Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
>> > Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.
>> >
>> > At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.
>> >
>> >
>> > Meg
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
>> > email to .
>> >
>> > Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>> >
>> > List management page:
>> >
>> http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
>> > or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>> >
>> > Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
>> >
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
>> email to .
>>
>> Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>>
>> List management page:
>> http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
>> or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>>
>> Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
> email to .
>
> Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>
> List management page:
> http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org or
> http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>
> Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
>
_______________________________________________
Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
email to .

Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .

List management page: http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.

Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
)
This brings up a question I've had. I'd like to grow some things, mint included, in pots on my deck as part of the deck garden, but would rather not have to repot them every year. (Right now I'm popping them into the garden in the fall and digging them back up again in spring to pot again) I prefer stone pots to plastic. How can I keep the plants in the stone pots without them freezing up and cracking? Is there a trick? For instance, lots of people and shops have potted plants and trees in stone planters, how do they keep them from cracking?


On Apr 28, 2011, at 1:53 PM, Diane Davidson wrote:

>
>
> Oh, and I thought my pot idea was clever. I must needs re-think this. I really like fresh mint....
>
>
> At 01:34 PM 4/28/2011, wrote:
>> Same thing happened here...
>>
>> I planted it in pots since I knew that it's an escape artist, but the
>> thing put it's minty suckers down to the ground (and through the hole in
>> the bottom of the pot) and was starting to invade the garden.
>>
>> Even though I really like mint, I didn't want an entire garden of it, so
>> went in the trash - not the compost!
>>
>> Nick
>>
>>
>> > On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <>
>> > wrote:
>> >
>> >> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
>> >> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime
>> >> I
>> >> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y
>> >> glory!!
>> >>
>> >
>> > Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
>> > Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.
>> >
>> > At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.
>> >
>> >
>> > Meg
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
>> > email to .
>> >
>> > Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>> >
>> > List management page:
>> > http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
>> > or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>> >
>> > Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
>> >
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
>> email to .
>>
>> Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>>
>> List management page: http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>>
>> Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
> email to .
>
> Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>
> List management page: http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>
> Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org

_______________________________________________
Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
email to .

Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .

List management page: http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.

Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
)
How about a window box? I think that even mint won't be able to bridge a
3-foot gap.

Eric

-----Original Message-----
From: all-
[mailto:all-] On Behalf Of Diane Davidson
Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2011 1:54 PM
To: menotomy Gardeners
Subject: Re: [menotomygardeners] Help! Chocolate Mint Invasion!



Oh, and I thought my pot idea was clever. I must needs re-think
this. I really like fresh mint....


At 01:34 PM 4/28/2011, wrote:
>Same thing happened here...
>
>I planted it in pots since I knew that it's an escape artist, but the
>thing put it's minty suckers down to the ground (and through the hole in
>the bottom of the pot) and was starting to invade the garden.
>
>Even though I really like mint, I didn't want an entire garden of it, so
>went in the trash - not the compost!
>
>Nick
>
>
> > On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <>
> > wrote:
> >
> >> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
> >> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime
> >> I
> >> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y
> >> glory!!
> >>
> >
> > Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
> > Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.
> >
> > At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.
> >
> >
> > Meg
> > _______________________________________________
> > Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
> > email to .
> >
> > Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
> >
> > List management page:
> >
http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
> > or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
> >
> > Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
> >
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
>email to .
>
>Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>
>List management page:
>http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
>or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>
>Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org



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)

Hi, list,

I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of this cursed plant once and for all??

Stephanie
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)
On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel
<>wrote:

> Hi, list,
>
> I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now,
> I want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted
> some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It
> behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this
> year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the
> bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant
> coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected
> it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have
> pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming
> back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of
> this cursed plant once and for all??



That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed,
pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it
happened to you.

It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just
have to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier
around its roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out.

I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house
foundation, and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under
control. And I wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...


Meg Muckenhoupt


Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the invasive
from Hell.  I've been yanking it out since March and everytime I think I have it
all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y glory!!

Laura




________________________________
From: Meg Muckenhoupt <>
To: Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
Cc:
Sent: Thu, April 28, 2011 12:08:25 PM
Subject: Re: [menotomygardeners] Help! Chocolate Mint Invasion!




On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
wrote:

Hi, list,
>
>I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I
>want to seek advice and give a warning to others...  last year I planted some
>chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's.  It behaved
>itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it.  But this year, it has
>come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the bed in the grass.
> I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant coming back in the
>original spot in looks and minty smell!  I never expected it to come back at
>all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have pulled up anything I
>saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming back. Is there anything to
>do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of this cursed plant once and for
>all??


That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed,
pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it happened to
you.

It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just have
to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier around its
roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out. 

I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house foundation,
and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under control.  And I
wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...


Meg Muckenhoupt

I never knew! Thanks, list. I'm still pretty new at this. The first batch has gone into my yard waste bin. I can pull it out if you want some, Meg, or just let you know when I pull the next time, since I guess there will be a next time... > : [
On Apr 28, 2011, at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly wrote:

> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime I think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y glory!!
>
> Laura
>
> From: Meg Muckenhoupt <>
> To: Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
> Cc:
> Sent: Thu, April 28, 2011 12:08:25 PM
> Subject: Re: [menotomygardeners] Help! Chocolate Mint Invasion!
>
>
>
> On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <> wrote:
> Hi, list,
>
> I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of this cursed plant once and for all??
>
>
> That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed, pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it happened to you.
>
> It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just have to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier around its roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out.
>
> I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house foundation, and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under control. And I wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...
>
>
> Meg Muckenhoupt



We did exactly that for the Peirce Science Garden two years ago - we planted
mint inside a 16-inch deep hollow log. It worked great, and the mint stayed
exactly where we wanted it. Unfortunately, wasps made a nest in the hollow
log as well, and we had to dump it all.



But for the mint, the deep barrier is the key (and don't underestimate the
ability of the mint to "find" the crack in the barrier!).



Eric



_____

From: all-
[mailto:all-] On Behalf Of Meg
Muckenhoupt
Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2011 12:08 PM
To: Stephanie Marlin-Curiel
Cc:
Subject: Re: [menotomygardeners] Help! Chocolate Mint Invasion!





On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
wrote:

Hi, list,

I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I
want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted
some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It
behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this
year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the
bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant
coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected
it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have
pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming
back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of
this cursed plant once and for all??





That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed,
pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it
happened to you.



It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just
have to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier
around its roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out.



I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house
foundation, and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under
control. And I wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...





Meg Muckenhoupt



On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <> wrote:

> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime I
> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y glory!!
>

Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.

At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.


Meg


Same thing happened here...

I planted it in pots since I knew that it's an escape artist, but the
thing put it's minty suckers down to the ground (and through the hole in
the bottom of the pot) and was starting to invade the garden.

Even though I really like mint, I didn't want an entire garden of it, so
went in the trash - not the compost!

Nick


> On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <>
> wrote:
>
>> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
>> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime
>> I
>> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y
>> glory!!
>>
>
> Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
> Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.
>
> At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.
>
>
> Meg
> _______________________________________________
> Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
> email to .
>
> Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>
> List management page:
> http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
> or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>
> Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
>


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Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .

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Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
)


Oh, and I thought my pot idea was clever. I must needs re-think
this. I really like fresh mint....


At 01:34 PM 4/28/2011, wrote:
>Same thing happened here...
>
>I planted it in pots since I knew that it's an escape artist, but the
>thing put it's minty suckers down to the ground (and through the hole in
>the bottom of the pot) and was starting to invade the garden.
>
>Even though I really like mint, I didn't want an entire garden of it, so
>went in the trash - not the compost!
>
>Nick
>
>
> > On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <>
> > wrote:
> >
> >> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
> >> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime
> >> I
> >> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y
> >> glory!!
> >>
> >
> > Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
> > Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.
> >
> > At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.
> >
> >
> > Meg
> > _______________________________________________
> > Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
> > email to .
> >
> > Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
> >
> > List management page:
> > http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
> > or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
> >
> > Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
> >
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
>email to .
>
>Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>
>List management page:
>http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
>or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>
>Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org



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email to .

Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .

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)
Wouldn't it work if you put the pot in one of those saucer-type thingies
they sell with them? If it sent out its roots, you could see them and
chop 'em off before they got anywhere.

The other thought is the hell strip between sidewalk and street, if you
have one. It could spread to its heart's content without actually
getting into the lawn or garden areas.

Jane


On 4/28/2011 1:53 PM, Diane Davidson wrote:
>
>
> Oh, and I thought my pot idea was clever. I must needs re-think this. I
> really like fresh mint....
>
>
> At 01:34 PM 4/28/2011, wrote:
>> Same thing happened here...
>>
>> I planted it in pots since I knew that it's an escape artist, but the
>> thing put it's minty suckers down to the ground (and through the hole in
>> the bottom of the pot) and was starting to invade the garden.
>>
>> Even though I really like mint, I didn't want an entire garden of it, so
>> went in the trash - not the compost!
>>
>> Nick
>>
>>
>> > On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <>
>> > wrote:
>> >
>> >> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
>> >> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime
>> >> I
>> >> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y
>> >> glory!!
>> >>
>> >
>> > Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
>> > Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.
>> >
>> > At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.
>> >
>> >
>> > Meg
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
>> > email to .
>> >
>> > Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>> >
>> > List management page:
>> >
>> http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
>> > or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>> >
>> > Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
>> >
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
>> email to .
>>
>> Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>>
>> List management page:
>> http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
>> or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>>
>> Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
> email to .
>
> Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>
> List management page:
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> http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>
> Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
>
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)
This brings up a question I've had. I'd like to grow some things, mint included, in pots on my deck as part of the deck garden, but would rather not have to repot them every year. (Right now I'm popping them into the garden in the fall and digging them back up again in spring to pot again) I prefer stone pots to plastic. How can I keep the plants in the stone pots without them freezing up and cracking? Is there a trick? For instance, lots of people and shops have potted plants and trees in stone planters, how do they keep them from cracking?


On Apr 28, 2011, at 1:53 PM, Diane Davidson wrote:

>
>
> Oh, and I thought my pot idea was clever. I must needs re-think this. I really like fresh mint....
>
>
> At 01:34 PM 4/28/2011, wrote:
>> Same thing happened here...
>>
>> I planted it in pots since I knew that it's an escape artist, but the
>> thing put it's minty suckers down to the ground (and through the hole in
>> the bottom of the pot) and was starting to invade the garden.
>>
>> Even though I really like mint, I didn't want an entire garden of it, so
>> went in the trash - not the compost!
>>
>> Nick
>>
>>
>> > On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <>
>> > wrote:
>> >
>> >> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
>> >> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime
>> >> I
>> >> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y
>> >> glory!!
>> >>
>> >
>> > Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
>> > Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.
>> >
>> > At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.
>> >
>> >
>> > Meg
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
>> > email to .
>> >
>> > Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>> >
>> > List management page:
>> > http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
>> > or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>> >
>> > Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
>> >
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
>> email to .
>>
>> Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>>
>> List management page: http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>>
>> Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
> email to .
>
> Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>
> List management page: http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>
> Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org

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)
How about a window box? I think that even mint won't be able to bridge a
3-foot gap.

Eric

-----Original Message-----
From: all-
[mailto:all-] On Behalf Of Diane Davidson
Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2011 1:54 PM
To: menotomy Gardeners
Subject: Re: [menotomygardeners] Help! Chocolate Mint Invasion!



Oh, and I thought my pot idea was clever. I must needs re-think
this. I really like fresh mint....


At 01:34 PM 4/28/2011, wrote:
>Same thing happened here...
>
>I planted it in pots since I knew that it's an escape artist, but the
>thing put it's minty suckers down to the ground (and through the hole in
>the bottom of the pot) and was starting to invade the garden.
>
>Even though I really like mint, I didn't want an entire garden of it, so
>went in the trash - not the compost!
>
>Nick
>
>
> > On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <>
> > wrote:
> >
> >> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
> >> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime
> >> I
> >> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y
> >> glory!!
> >>
> >
> > Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
> > Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.
> >
> > At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.
> >
> >
> > Meg
> > _______________________________________________
> > Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
> > email to .
> >
> > Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
> >
> > List management page:
> >
http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
> > or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
> >
> > Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
> >
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
>email to .
>
>Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>
>List management page:
>http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
>or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>
>Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org



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)
A few years ago I learned, I think from someone on this list, what to do.

I lined a large plastic pot with weed block remaining from another project
and put the bee balm in that. Then I submerged the pot in the ground so
unless you look closely you can't tell a pot is there.

Every year I dig some bee balm out and add more soil so it doesn't get too
crowded - none has escaped.

Jeremy

-----Original Message-----
From: all-
[mailto:all-] On Behalf Of Diane Davidson
Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2011 1:54 PM
To: menotomy Gardeners
Subject: Re: [menotomygardeners] Help! Chocolate Mint Invasion!



Oh, and I thought my pot idea was clever. I must needs re-think
this. I really like fresh mint....


At 01:34 PM 4/28/2011, wrote:
>Same thing happened here...
>
>I planted it in pots since I knew that it's an escape artist, but the
>thing put it's minty suckers down to the ground (and through the hole in
>the bottom of the pot) and was starting to invade the garden.
>
>Even though I really like mint, I didn't want an entire garden of it, so
>went in the trash - not the compost!
>
>Nick
>
>
> > On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <>
> > wrote:
> >
> >> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
> >> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime
> >> I
> >> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y
> >> glory!!
> >>
> >
> > Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
> > Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.
> >
> > At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.
> >
> >
> > Meg
> > _______________________________________________
> > Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
> > email to .
> >
> > Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
> >
> > List management page:
> >
http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
> > or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
> >
> > Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
> >
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
>email to .
>
>Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>
>List management page:
>http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
>or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>
>Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org



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Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .

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http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org or
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)

Hi, list,

I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of this cursed plant once and for all??

Stephanie
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)
On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel
<>wrote:

> Hi, list,
>
> I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now,
> I want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted
> some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It
> behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this
> year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the
> bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant
> coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected
> it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have
> pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming
> back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of
> this cursed plant once and for all??



That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed,
pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it
happened to you.

It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just
have to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier
around its roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out.

I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house
foundation, and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under
control. And I wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...


Meg Muckenhoupt


Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the invasive
from Hell.  I've been yanking it out since March and everytime I think I have it
all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y glory!!

Laura




________________________________
From: Meg Muckenhoupt <>
To: Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
Cc:
Sent: Thu, April 28, 2011 12:08:25 PM
Subject: Re: [menotomygardeners] Help! Chocolate Mint Invasion!




On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
wrote:

Hi, list,
>
>I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I
>want to seek advice and give a warning to others...  last year I planted some
>chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's.  It behaved
>itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it.  But this year, it has
>come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the bed in the grass.
> I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant coming back in the
>original spot in looks and minty smell!  I never expected it to come back at
>all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have pulled up anything I
>saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming back. Is there anything to
>do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of this cursed plant once and for
>all??


That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed,
pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it happened to
you.

It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just have
to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier around its
roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out. 

I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house foundation,
and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under control.  And I
wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...


Meg Muckenhoupt

I never knew! Thanks, list. I'm still pretty new at this. The first batch has gone into my yard waste bin. I can pull it out if you want some, Meg, or just let you know when I pull the next time, since I guess there will be a next time... > : [
On Apr 28, 2011, at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly wrote:

> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime I think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y glory!!
>
> Laura
>
> From: Meg Muckenhoupt <>
> To: Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
> Cc:
> Sent: Thu, April 28, 2011 12:08:25 PM
> Subject: Re: [menotomygardeners] Help! Chocolate Mint Invasion!
>
>
>
> On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <> wrote:
> Hi, list,
>
> I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of this cursed plant once and for all??
>
>
> That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed, pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it happened to you.
>
> It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just have to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier around its roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out.
>
> I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house foundation, and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under control. And I wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...
>
>
> Meg Muckenhoupt



We did exactly that for the Peirce Science Garden two years ago - we planted
mint inside a 16-inch deep hollow log. It worked great, and the mint stayed
exactly where we wanted it. Unfortunately, wasps made a nest in the hollow
log as well, and we had to dump it all.



But for the mint, the deep barrier is the key (and don't underestimate the
ability of the mint to "find" the crack in the barrier!).



Eric



_____

From: all-
[mailto:all-] On Behalf Of Meg
Muckenhoupt
Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2011 12:08 PM
To: Stephanie Marlin-Curiel
Cc:
Subject: Re: [menotomygardeners] Help! Chocolate Mint Invasion!





On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
wrote:

Hi, list,

I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I
want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted
some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It
behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this
year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the
bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant
coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected
it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have
pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming
back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of
this cursed plant once and for all??





That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed,
pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it
happened to you.



It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just
have to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier
around its roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out.



I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house
foundation, and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under
control. And I wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...





Meg Muckenhoupt



On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <> wrote:

> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime I
> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y glory!!
>

Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.

At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.


Meg


Same thing happened here...

I planted it in pots since I knew that it's an escape artist, but the
thing put it's minty suckers down to the ground (and through the hole in
the bottom of the pot) and was starting to invade the garden.

Even though I really like mint, I didn't want an entire garden of it, so
went in the trash - not the compost!

Nick


> On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <>
> wrote:
>
>> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
>> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime
>> I
>> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y
>> glory!!
>>
>
> Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
> Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.
>
> At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.
>
>
> Meg
> _______________________________________________
> Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
> email to .
>
> Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>
> List management page:
> http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
> or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>
> Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
>


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)


Oh, and I thought my pot idea was clever. I must needs re-think
this. I really like fresh mint....


At 01:34 PM 4/28/2011, wrote:
>Same thing happened here...
>
>I planted it in pots since I knew that it's an escape artist, but the
>thing put it's minty suckers down to the ground (and through the hole in
>the bottom of the pot) and was starting to invade the garden.
>
>Even though I really like mint, I didn't want an entire garden of it, so
>went in the trash - not the compost!
>
>Nick
>
>
> > On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <>
> > wrote:
> >
> >> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
> >> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime
> >> I
> >> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y
> >> glory!!
> >>
> >
> > Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
> > Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.
> >
> > At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.
> >
> >
> > Meg
> > _______________________________________________
> > Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
> > email to .
> >
> > Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
> >
> > List management page:
> > http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
> > or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
> >
> > Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
> >
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
>email to .
>
>Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>
>List management page:
>http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
>or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>
>Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org



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)
Wouldn't it work if you put the pot in one of those saucer-type thingies
they sell with them? If it sent out its roots, you could see them and
chop 'em off before they got anywhere.

The other thought is the hell strip between sidewalk and street, if you
have one. It could spread to its heart's content without actually
getting into the lawn or garden areas.

Jane


On 4/28/2011 1:53 PM, Diane Davidson wrote:
>
>
> Oh, and I thought my pot idea was clever. I must needs re-think this. I
> really like fresh mint....
>
>
> At 01:34 PM 4/28/2011, wrote:
>> Same thing happened here...
>>
>> I planted it in pots since I knew that it's an escape artist, but the
>> thing put it's minty suckers down to the ground (and through the hole in
>> the bottom of the pot) and was starting to invade the garden.
>>
>> Even though I really like mint, I didn't want an entire garden of it, so
>> went in the trash - not the compost!
>>
>> Nick
>>
>>
>> > On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <>
>> > wrote:
>> >
>> >> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
>> >> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime
>> >> I
>> >> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y
>> >> glory!!
>> >>
>> >
>> > Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
>> > Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.
>> >
>> > At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.
>> >
>> >
>> > Meg
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
>> > email to .
>> >
>> > Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>> >
>> > List management page:
>> >
>> http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
>> > or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>> >
>> > Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
>> >
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
>> email to .
>>
>> Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>>
>> List management page:
>> http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
>> or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>>
>> Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
> email to .
>
> Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>
> List management page:
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> http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>
> Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
>
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)
This brings up a question I've had. I'd like to grow some things, mint included, in pots on my deck as part of the deck garden, but would rather not have to repot them every year. (Right now I'm popping them into the garden in the fall and digging them back up again in spring to pot again) I prefer stone pots to plastic. How can I keep the plants in the stone pots without them freezing up and cracking? Is there a trick? For instance, lots of people and shops have potted plants and trees in stone planters, how do they keep them from cracking?


On Apr 28, 2011, at 1:53 PM, Diane Davidson wrote:

>
>
> Oh, and I thought my pot idea was clever. I must needs re-think this. I really like fresh mint....
>
>
> At 01:34 PM 4/28/2011, wrote:
>> Same thing happened here...
>>
>> I planted it in pots since I knew that it's an escape artist, but the
>> thing put it's minty suckers down to the ground (and through the hole in
>> the bottom of the pot) and was starting to invade the garden.
>>
>> Even though I really like mint, I didn't want an entire garden of it, so
>> went in the trash - not the compost!
>>
>> Nick
>>
>>
>> > On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <>
>> > wrote:
>> >
>> >> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
>> >> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime
>> >> I
>> >> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y
>> >> glory!!
>> >>
>> >
>> > Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
>> > Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.
>> >
>> > At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.
>> >
>> >
>> > Meg
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
>> > email to .
>> >
>> > Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>> >
>> > List management page:
>> > http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
>> > or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>> >
>> > Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
>> >
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
>> email to .
>>
>> Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>>
>> List management page: http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>>
>> Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
> email to .
>
> Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>
> List management page: http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>
> Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org

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)
How about a window box? I think that even mint won't be able to bridge a
3-foot gap.

Eric

-----Original Message-----
From: all-
[mailto:all-] On Behalf Of Diane Davidson
Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2011 1:54 PM
To: menotomy Gardeners
Subject: Re: [menotomygardeners] Help! Chocolate Mint Invasion!



Oh, and I thought my pot idea was clever. I must needs re-think
this. I really like fresh mint....


At 01:34 PM 4/28/2011, wrote:
>Same thing happened here...
>
>I planted it in pots since I knew that it's an escape artist, but the
>thing put it's minty suckers down to the ground (and through the hole in
>the bottom of the pot) and was starting to invade the garden.
>
>Even though I really like mint, I didn't want an entire garden of it, so
>went in the trash - not the compost!
>
>Nick
>
>
> > On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <>
> > wrote:
> >
> >> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
> >> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime
> >> I
> >> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y
> >> glory!!
> >>
> >
> > Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
> > Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.
> >
> > At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.
> >
> >
> > Meg
> > _______________________________________________
> > Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
> > email to .
> >
> > Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
> >
> > List management page:
> >
http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
> > or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
> >
> > Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
> >
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
>email to .
>
>Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>
>List management page:
>http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
>or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>
>Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org



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)
A few years ago I learned, I think from someone on this list, what to do.

I lined a large plastic pot with weed block remaining from another project
and put the bee balm in that. Then I submerged the pot in the ground so
unless you look closely you can't tell a pot is there.

Every year I dig some bee balm out and add more soil so it doesn't get too
crowded - none has escaped.

Jeremy

-----Original Message-----
From: all-
[mailto:all-] On Behalf Of Diane Davidson
Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2011 1:54 PM
To: menotomy Gardeners
Subject: Re: [menotomygardeners] Help! Chocolate Mint Invasion!



Oh, and I thought my pot idea was clever. I must needs re-think
this. I really like fresh mint....


At 01:34 PM 4/28/2011, wrote:
>Same thing happened here...
>
>I planted it in pots since I knew that it's an escape artist, but the
>thing put it's minty suckers down to the ground (and through the hole in
>the bottom of the pot) and was starting to invade the garden.
>
>Even though I really like mint, I didn't want an entire garden of it, so
>went in the trash - not the compost!
>
>Nick
>
>
> > On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <>
> > wrote:
> >
> >> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
> >> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime
> >> I
> >> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y
> >> glory!!
> >>
> >
> > Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
> > Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.
> >
> > At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.
> >
> >
> > Meg
> > _______________________________________________
> > Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
> > email to .
> >
> > Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
> >
> > List management page:
> >
http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
> > or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
> >
> > Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
> >
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
>email to .
>
>Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>
>List management page:
>http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
>or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>
>Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org



_______________________________________________
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Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .

List management page:
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Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org

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Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .

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Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
)
I put peppermint in my hell strip. Last year it jumped the sidewalk
and it's taking over in the regular garden. Dangerous stuff!

-- Lori K.

On Apr 28, 2011, at 2:00 PM, Jane Stein wrote:

> Wouldn't it work if you put the pot in one of those saucer-type
> thingies they sell with them? If it sent out its roots, you could
> see them and chop 'em off before they got anywhere.
>
> The other thought is the hell strip between sidewalk and street, if
> you have one. It could spread to its heart's content without
> actually getting into the lawn or garden areas.
>
> Jane
>
>
> On 4/28/2011 1:53 PM, Diane Davidson wrote:
>>
>>
>> Oh, and I thought my pot idea was clever. I must needs re-think
>> this. I
>> really like fresh mint....
>>
>>
>> At 01:34 PM 4/28/2011, wrote:
>>> Same thing happened here...
>>>
>>> I planted it in pots since I knew that it's an escape artist, but
>>> the
>>> thing put it's minty suckers down to the ground (and through the
>>> hole in
>>> the bottom of the pot) and was starting to invade the garden.
>>>
>>> Even though I really like mint, I didn't want an entire garden of
>>> it, so
>>> went in the trash - not the compost!
>>>
>>> Nick
>>>
>>>
>>> > On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <
>>> >
>>> > wrote:
>>> >
>>> >> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns
>>> into the
>>> >> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and
>>> everytime
>>> >> I
>>> >> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y
>>> >> glory!!
>>> >>
>>> >
>>> > Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at
>>> the Paul
>>> > Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.
>>> >
>>> > At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > Meg
>>> > _______________________________________________
>>> > Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
>>> > email to .
>>> >
>>> > Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at mg@carr-
>>> jones.com.
>>> >
>>> > List management page:
>>> >
>>> http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
>>> > or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>>> >
>>> > Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
>>> >
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
>>> email to .
>>>
>>> Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>>>
>>> List management page:
>>> http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
>>> or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>>>
>>> Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
>> email to .
>>
>> Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>>
>> List management page:
>> http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
>> or
>> http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>>
>> Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
>>
> _______________________________________________
> Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
> email to .
>
> Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>
> List management page: http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
> or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>
> Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org

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)

Hi, list,

I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of this cursed plant once and for all??

Stephanie
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)
On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel
<>wrote:

> Hi, list,
>
> I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now,
> I want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted
> some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It
> behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this
> year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the
> bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant
> coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected
> it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have
> pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming
> back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of
> this cursed plant once and for all??



That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed,
pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it
happened to you.

It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just
have to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier
around its roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out.

I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house
foundation, and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under
control. And I wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...


Meg Muckenhoupt


Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the invasive
from Hell.  I've been yanking it out since March and everytime I think I have it
all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y glory!!

Laura




________________________________
From: Meg Muckenhoupt <>
To: Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
Cc:
Sent: Thu, April 28, 2011 12:08:25 PM
Subject: Re: [menotomygardeners] Help! Chocolate Mint Invasion!




On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
wrote:

Hi, list,
>
>I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I
>want to seek advice and give a warning to others...  last year I planted some
>chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's.  It behaved
>itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it.  But this year, it has
>come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the bed in the grass.
> I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant coming back in the
>original spot in looks and minty smell!  I never expected it to come back at
>all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have pulled up anything I
>saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming back. Is there anything to
>do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of this cursed plant once and for
>all??


That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed,
pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it happened to
you.

It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just have
to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier around its
roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out. 

I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house foundation,
and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under control.  And I
wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...


Meg Muckenhoupt

I never knew! Thanks, list. I'm still pretty new at this. The first batch has gone into my yard waste bin. I can pull it out if you want some, Meg, or just let you know when I pull the next time, since I guess there will be a next time... > : [
On Apr 28, 2011, at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly wrote:

> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime I think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y glory!!
>
> Laura
>
> From: Meg Muckenhoupt <>
> To: Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
> Cc:
> Sent: Thu, April 28, 2011 12:08:25 PM
> Subject: Re: [menotomygardeners] Help! Chocolate Mint Invasion!
>
>
>
> On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <> wrote:
> Hi, list,
>
> I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of this cursed plant once and for all??
>
>
> That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed, pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it happened to you.
>
> It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just have to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier around its roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out.
>
> I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house foundation, and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under control. And I wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...
>
>
> Meg Muckenhoupt



We did exactly that for the Peirce Science Garden two years ago - we planted
mint inside a 16-inch deep hollow log. It worked great, and the mint stayed
exactly where we wanted it. Unfortunately, wasps made a nest in the hollow
log as well, and we had to dump it all.



But for the mint, the deep barrier is the key (and don't underestimate the
ability of the mint to "find" the crack in the barrier!).



Eric



_____

From: all-
[mailto:all-] On Behalf Of Meg
Muckenhoupt
Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2011 12:08 PM
To: Stephanie Marlin-Curiel
Cc:
Subject: Re: [menotomygardeners] Help! Chocolate Mint Invasion!





On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Stephanie Marlin-Curiel <>
wrote:

Hi, list,

I am usually pretty quiet on this list. Just here to learn. But right now, I
want to seek advice and give a warning to others... last year I planted
some chocolate mint I bought probably at Mahoney's or maybe Wilson's. It
behaved itself very well, grew in the spot where I planted it. But this
year, it has come back in different spots all over the bed and outside the
bed in the grass. I didn't recognize it at first but it matched the plant
coming back in the original spot in looks and minty smell! I never expected
it to come back at all, and certainly not as a viney invasive thing. I have
pulled up anything I saw, but weedy things like this have ways of coming
back. Is there anything to do besides pulling what I see to rid myself of
this cursed plant once and for all??





That, my friends, is the Curse of the Mints. As far as I've been informed,
pretty much anything named "mint" will behave this way. I'm sorry it
happened to you.



It it's like my spearmint, and growing via underground runners, you'll just
have to keep pulling. You can contain it if you put a deep enough barrier
around its roots - think a very deep flower pot with the bottom cut out.



I plant my mint in a containment area between a staircase, a house
foundation, and the driveway. Vigilant pulling pretty much keeps it under
control. And I wouldn't mind adding some chocolate mint to my collection...





Meg Muckenhoupt



On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <> wrote:

> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime I
> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y glory!!
>

Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.

At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.


Meg


Same thing happened here...

I planted it in pots since I knew that it's an escape artist, but the
thing put it's minty suckers down to the ground (and through the hole in
the bottom of the pot) and was starting to invade the garden.

Even though I really like mint, I didn't want an entire garden of it, so
went in the trash - not the compost!

Nick


> On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <>
> wrote:
>
>> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
>> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime
>> I
>> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y
>> glory!!
>>
>
> Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
> Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.
>
> At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.
>
>
> Meg
> _______________________________________________
> Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
> email to .
>
> Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>
> List management page:
> http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
> or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>
> Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
>


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Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .

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Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
)


Oh, and I thought my pot idea was clever. I must needs re-think
this. I really like fresh mint....


At 01:34 PM 4/28/2011, wrote:
>Same thing happened here...
>
>I planted it in pots since I knew that it's an escape artist, but the
>thing put it's minty suckers down to the ground (and through the hole in
>the bottom of the pot) and was starting to invade the garden.
>
>Even though I really like mint, I didn't want an entire garden of it, so
>went in the trash - not the compost!
>
>Nick
>
>
> > On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <>
> > wrote:
> >
> >> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
> >> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime
> >> I
> >> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y
> >> glory!!
> >>
> >
> > Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
> > Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.
> >
> > At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.
> >
> >
> > Meg
> > _______________________________________________
> > Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
> > email to .
> >
> > Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
> >
> > List management page:
> > http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
> > or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
> >
> > Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
> >
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
>email to .
>
>Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>
>List management page:
>http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
>or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>
>Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org



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)
Wouldn't it work if you put the pot in one of those saucer-type thingies
they sell with them? If it sent out its roots, you could see them and
chop 'em off before they got anywhere.

The other thought is the hell strip between sidewalk and street, if you
have one. It could spread to its heart's content without actually
getting into the lawn or garden areas.

Jane


On 4/28/2011 1:53 PM, Diane Davidson wrote:
>
>
> Oh, and I thought my pot idea was clever. I must needs re-think this. I
> really like fresh mint....
>
>
> At 01:34 PM 4/28/2011, wrote:
>> Same thing happened here...
>>
>> I planted it in pots since I knew that it's an escape artist, but the
>> thing put it's minty suckers down to the ground (and through the hole in
>> the bottom of the pot) and was starting to invade the garden.
>>
>> Even though I really like mint, I didn't want an entire garden of it, so
>> went in the trash - not the compost!
>>
>> Nick
>>
>>
>> > On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <>
>> > wrote:
>> >
>> >> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
>> >> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime
>> >> I
>> >> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y
>> >> glory!!
>> >>
>> >
>> > Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
>> > Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.
>> >
>> > At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.
>> >
>> >
>> > Meg
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
>> > email to .
>> >
>> > Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>> >
>> > List management page:
>> >
>> http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
>> > or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>> >
>> > Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
>> >
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
>> email to .
>>
>> Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>>
>> List management page:
>> http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
>> or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>>
>> Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
> email to .
>
> Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>
> List management page:
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> http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>
> Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
>
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)
This brings up a question I've had. I'd like to grow some things, mint included, in pots on my deck as part of the deck garden, but would rather not have to repot them every year. (Right now I'm popping them into the garden in the fall and digging them back up again in spring to pot again) I prefer stone pots to plastic. How can I keep the plants in the stone pots without them freezing up and cracking? Is there a trick? For instance, lots of people and shops have potted plants and trees in stone planters, how do they keep them from cracking?


On Apr 28, 2011, at 1:53 PM, Diane Davidson wrote:

>
>
> Oh, and I thought my pot idea was clever. I must needs re-think this. I really like fresh mint....
>
>
> At 01:34 PM 4/28/2011, wrote:
>> Same thing happened here...
>>
>> I planted it in pots since I knew that it's an escape artist, but the
>> thing put it's minty suckers down to the ground (and through the hole in
>> the bottom of the pot) and was starting to invade the garden.
>>
>> Even though I really like mint, I didn't want an entire garden of it, so
>> went in the trash - not the compost!
>>
>> Nick
>>
>>
>> > On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <>
>> > wrote:
>> >
>> >> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
>> >> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime
>> >> I
>> >> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y
>> >> glory!!
>> >>
>> >
>> > Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
>> > Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.
>> >
>> > At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.
>> >
>> >
>> > Meg
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
>> > email to .
>> >
>> > Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>> >
>> > List management page:
>> > http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
>> > or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>> >
>> > Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
>> >
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
>> email to .
>>
>> Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>>
>> List management page: http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>>
>> Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
> email to .
>
> Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>
> List management page: http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>
> Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org

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)
How about a window box? I think that even mint won't be able to bridge a
3-foot gap.

Eric

-----Original Message-----
From: all-
[mailto:all-] On Behalf Of Diane Davidson
Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2011 1:54 PM
To: menotomy Gardeners
Subject: Re: [menotomygardeners] Help! Chocolate Mint Invasion!



Oh, and I thought my pot idea was clever. I must needs re-think
this. I really like fresh mint....


At 01:34 PM 4/28/2011, wrote:
>Same thing happened here...
>
>I planted it in pots since I knew that it's an escape artist, but the
>thing put it's minty suckers down to the ground (and through the hole in
>the bottom of the pot) and was starting to invade the garden.
>
>Even though I really like mint, I didn't want an entire garden of it, so
>went in the trash - not the compost!
>
>Nick
>
>
> > On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <>
> > wrote:
> >
> >> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
> >> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime
> >> I
> >> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y
> >> glory!!
> >>
> >
> > Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
> > Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.
> >
> > At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.
> >
> >
> > Meg
> > _______________________________________________
> > Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
> > email to .
> >
> > Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
> >
> > List management page:
> >
http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
> > or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
> >
> > Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
> >
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
>email to .
>
>Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
>
>List management page:
>http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
>or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
>
>Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org



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)
A few years ago I learned, I think from someone on this list, what to do.

I lined a large plastic pot with weed block remaining from another project
and put the bee balm in that. Then I submerged the pot in the ground so
unless you look closely you can't tell a pot is there.

Every year I dig some bee balm out and add more soil so it doesn't get too
crowded - none has escaped.

Jeremy

-----Original Message-----
From: all-
[mailto:all-] On Behalf Of Diane Davidson
Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2011 1:54 PM
To: menotomy Gardeners
Subject: Re: [menotomygardeners] Help! Chocolate Mint Invasion!



Oh, and I thought my pot idea was clever. I must needs re-think
this. I really like fresh mint....


At 01:34 PM 4/28/2011, wrote:
>Same thing happened here...
>
>I planted it in pots since I knew that it's an escape artist, but the
>thing put it's minty suckers down to the ground (and through the hole in
>the bottom of the pot) and was starting to invade the garden.
>
>Even though I really like mint, I didn't want an entire garden of it, so
>went in the trash - not the compost!
>
>Nick
>
>
> > On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <>
> > wrote:
> >
> >> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns into the
> >> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and everytime
> >> I
> >> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y
> >> glory!!
> >>
> >
> > Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at the Paul
> > Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.
> >
> > At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.
> >
> >
> > Meg
> > _______________________________________________
> > Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
> > email to .
> >
> > Please report any abuse ASAP to the moderator at .
> >
> > List management page:
> >
http://lists.menotomygardeners.org/listinfo.cgi/all-menotomygardeners.org
> > or http://tinyurl.com/34qpu4.
> >
> > Menotomy Gardener's web site: www.menotomygardeners.org
> >
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>Menotomy Gardeners mailing list.
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)
I put peppermint in my hell strip. Last year it jumped the sidewalk
and it's taking over in the regular garden. Dangerous stuff!

-- Lori K.

On Apr 28, 2011, at 2:00 PM, Jane Stein wrote:

> Wouldn't it work if you put the pot in one of those saucer-type
> thingies they sell with them? If it sent out its roots, you could
> see them and chop 'em off before they got anywhere.
>
> The other thought is the hell strip between sidewalk and street, if
> you have one. It could spread to its heart's content without
> actually getting into the lawn or garden areas.
>
> Jane
>
>
> On 4/28/2011 1:53 PM, Diane Davidson wrote:
>>
>>
>> Oh, and I thought my pot idea was clever. I must needs re-think
>> this. I
>> really like fresh mint....
>>
>>
>> At 01:34 PM 4/28/2011, wrote:
>>> Same thing happened here...
>>>
>>> I planted it in pots since I knew that it's an escape artist, but
>>> the
>>> thing put it's minty suckers down to the ground (and through the
>>> hole in
>>> the bottom of the pot) and was starting to invade the garden.
>>>
>>> Even though I really like mint, I didn't want an entire garden of
>>> it, so
>>> went in the trash - not the compost!
>>>
>>> Nick
>>>
>>>
>>> > On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Laura Kelly <
>>> >
>>> > wrote:
>>> >
>>> >> Add lemon balm to that list of "what a nice plant" that turns
>>> into the
>>> >> invasive from Hell. I've been yanking it out since March and
>>> everytime
>>> >> I
>>> >> think I have it all, there it is again in all it's Lemon Pledge-y
>>> >> glory!!
>>> >>
>>> >
>>> > Lemon balm is a menace! A few years ago the colonial garden at
>>> the Paul
>>> > Revere house in Boston had been completely subsumed by lemon balm.
>>> >
>>> > At least my ill-behaved red bee balm attracts hummingbirds.
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > Meg
>>> > _______________________________________________
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>>> jones.com.
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>>> >
>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
>>
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)
A word about mint and its near-relatives, beebalm and lemon balm -- yes, invasive, but easily pulled up and then contained. But more important, easily harvested, dried and brewed for delicious herb tea! I've been making my own for years and folks are always asking me for a bagful. I just pull up what I don't want spreading, or cut the stems if I want to keep the plant, cut off the roots/dirt part, bunch them, hang them in a cool shady room in the house. They dry pretty quickly and then I strip the leaves and crumble them in a tin. I use a mix of lemon balm and various mints -- I don't worry much about which varieties. Bee balm is also known as Oswego tea.

I could use more lemon balm, mine actually seems to be petering out!
best,
Laura (in Stow)