“Is this something I’m going to regret?”

When you buy mint at the grocery store for your next culinary creation, you probably haven’t thought about how problematic the plant can be.

One Reddit user found this out the hard way after trying to grow their own batch of this versatile herb.

“The mint spread, should I keep it or erase it?” they started an article on the r/garding subreddit. They noted that they had planted some last year near their front entrance and provided a picture of the species they were trying to grow.

“It filled in and created a nice little group,” they continued. “Then it got cold and everything calmed down. But we had a few 70-degree days, and all of a sudden I’m seeing sprouts everywhere!”

Mint is a particularly hardy herb, able to withstand conditions that would be a death sentence for other plants. Not only that, but it can spread wildly and abundantly.

“I have several gardens and my first thought is to dig them up and expand them,” the Redditor said. “But with so much coming, is this something I’m going to regret? Will it take over my gardens and be way too much work to maintain?”

The online community was almost unanimous in its assessment.

“It spreads with joy and abandon,” one comment read. “Unless mint is the cornerstone of your religion, you will regret spreading it.”

“I planted mint once. Had to sell the house,” another joked.

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“Dig some up and/or (put) it in a pot on a paving stone, take the rest out,” was one user’s advice. “It will invade your garden if you let it.”

While growing mint can certainly save you money on your weekly grocery shop, it’s wise to do some research before letting it loose in your garden. Keep it isolated in a pot and whatever you do, don’t let it spread to other areas of your garden.

This unfortunate incident reminds us to be careful what you plant in your garden. Invasive species, like mint, can quickly take over your garden and lead to work you hadn’t planned for. Gardeners have had similar problems with ivy and bamboo.

On the other hand, native plant species are less likely to be something you’ll regret after a while. They are generally adapted to local soil and weather conditions, meaning they can survive with little fertilizer and excess water. They will also promote the presence of a variety of pollinators, essential to global food production.

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