How One 3-Inch Chocolate Mint Plant Became a Forever Plant in My Garden

In April this year, when I brought home a 3-inch chocolate mint plant, I knew I wanted to propagate it eventually. Over the five months I have cared for this plant, it has become one of the most enjoyable plants in my garden.

I've already harvested it twice. I freeze-dried the leaves from those harvests, and chocolate mint has turned out to make a wonderful herbal tea. And now, instead of having one chocolate mint plant, I'm making more.

Propagating chocolate mint without cutting the runner first

As the mother plant sends out long runners, I reused a small nursery pot filled with soil and attached it with clips to the main container. I lay part of the runner against the soil and secured it there while leaving the runner attached to the mother plant.

The runner can begin developing roots in its new pot while it is still being supported by the established plant. Once I'm confident that it has rooted, I can cut the runner connecting the two—and suddenly I have another chocolate mint plant.

I started two this way during the summer. One has now been separated from the mother plant and is officially growing independently. And, naturally, I've already started another one for September.

One plant, multiple harvests—and now more plants

This is one of the things I love most about growing perennial herbs. The original plant wasn't just something pretty I brought home from the nursery. In its first season in my garden, it has already given me fresh herbs, preserved herbs for later, cups of tea, and entirely new plants.

And those new plants have the potential to do exactly the same thing. There's something deeply satisfying about that. I don't need to buy another chocolate mint plant every spring. I can take care of the one I have, propagate it, preserve some plants through the seasons, and keep the lineage going.

Chocolate mint has earned “forever plant” status

Some plants are experiments. Some I grow for a season and decide I don't particularly need to grow again. And then there are the plants that earn a permanent place. As long as I have a garden, I want chocolate mint growing somewhere in it.

May everything fall into place for you today. 🍄