I definitely don't want to grow it in the ground (for obvious reasons), but I'm having trouble finding the perfect container.

Mint has shallow roots, so I probably need something wide but not necessarily deep. I use mint only a handful times a year in my cooking, but I really like having it handy.

I haven't found a commercial pot that is suitable. They're either too deep (makes it unreasonably heavy) or not wide enough.

Please post pictures if you have them!

I remember "azalea" pots - a little wider and not as deep as standard pots since azaleas have shallow root systems. I don't know if they're still around.

I grow mint in a clay pot buried in the ground so I don't have to worry about it drying out or spreading.

I also know people who bury a couple of cinderblocks in the ground and plant their mint in the holes in the cinderblocks so it won't wander.

This is a gardening idea that I found on Pinterest quite a while back, from apartmenttherapy.com -- buried pots for planting in; this would be great for an herb garden, including the mints.

I guess it would be better if I actually added the photo:

Another option is to fill the bottom portion of a larger pot with lightweight material before adding the soil. I let my mint grow between my barn and gravel driveway, which effectively limits the tendency to spread and softens the confluence of structure / gravel.

Sandy, that is a gorgeous photo!

I'm scared of burying the container. I've had mint escape before, and it's certainly a hassle to dig them all up!

I'm not sure if mint is as vigorous a grower as passionflower but I had the latter growing in a pot during the warm season and the roots escaped through the drainage hole and into the soil. I now have little passionflower plants coming up through the gravel into my little GH. Sigh.

Yep, some of my passionflowers do that, too. But they are much deeper-rooted than mint which tends to stay close to the surface as long as there's lots of water.

I think if you sink a big enough pot, and leave the rim a couple of inches above ground (like the ones in Sandy's picture) you shouldn't have problems containing it. Maybe put some little pieces of window screening over the drainage holes to make it more difficult to escape. In addition, if you use microsprinklers and it has its own sprinkler inside the pot, plus there's no water outside around the pot it will tend to stay put.

dyzzy - good tip about the window screening! Will have to try that one.

When the old black canning pot gets a hole and is no longer useful in the kitchen I poke a few extra holes and bury the entire pot in the ground, planting the mint inside. Still have to keep one eye on it so it won't reach out to touch the ground; give the mint a 'haircut" every now and then, hanging the cuttings to dry for tea. Works for me.

Before I realized how invasive mint could be, I planted it in my garden. By year 3 it had taken over a huge area and I would try every year to hand pull to get rid of a large portion. My neighbors enjoyed that as it fragranced the air. I finally had to remove almost everything from that garden section to get rid of it. But I really like it, so did as I found some suggestions, and planted some in an approximately 2-gallon size pot. Like Greene above mentioned, I failed to give a haircut, and I had escapees from the pot from layering (the stems laying over the side of the pot and rooting in the ground). So I moved to a very large pot, probably 6-7 gallons, about 30" tall and the pot is sitting on the bare ground. And guess what . . . I guess because we had an extrememly cold winter, the dang blasted stuff grew downwards, and escaped out of the large drain holes through that winter and I once again had mint growing in the ground. However, I've done better about keeping it maintained. If I pull it right away, it doesn't get as out-of-control.

Goodness, Kayleigh, you've had some aggressive mint!

That's exactly the concern that I have, so I'll be keeping the container on my concrete patio.

I have actually replaced some of my lawn with mint and mow it just like grass. I love the smell of it when I mow.

plantcollector said:I have actually replaced some of my lawn with mint and mow it just like grass. I love the smell of it when I mow.

I agree with this. The container mine is now in, is next to the lawn, but not next to my garden. If it gets in the grass, I'm okay with it. Because yes, that smell when pulled, crushed, mowed - - is very pleasant imo!

plantcollector said:I have actually replaced some of my lawn with mint and mow it just like grass. I love the smell of it when I mow.

That sounds like a lovely idea! Do you have a pic of it?

No... I wish I did if. I think about it this summer I will take one.

plantcollector said:No... I wish I did if. I think about it this summer I will take one.

Please try to remember! I have some areas that might be good to try that. We also have critters that might help keep it in bounds if they like it.

How about "bulb pans" as shallow pots for mint?

4-5" tall
6-10" diameter
http://plasticflowerpots.net/b...

Or a "Mum Pot" or "Mum Pan", 8x5" or 9x6"
http://www.growerssolution.com... (scroll down

herb planters?
http://www.gardeners.com/buy/o...

window boxes?

In my climate, and especially in my very hot backyard, herb planters and flower boxes tend to dry out quickly and require frequent watering. I really like the idea of using bulb pans or azalea pots. I'll try to find a plastic or resin one to cut down on the weight. all!!