How to make mint bugger off

[TheLemon]

I planted, foolishly, a mint plant from the supermarket herbs section about 5 years ago and now it's dominated the entire flowerbed.

I dug it all up, spending hours on its horrid roots about 3 years ago and I swear it's come back stronger.

What can I do? Weed killer? Flame thrower? Move house?

I kill anything I touch, including mint (from my Grandad's plant. Twice!) and lavender, so maybe I should pop round?

Move house I have to admit (well not seriously but might be worth it)

Get a guinea pig. We had them and they devoured our mint patch.

Ok, so suggestions so far involve:

• finding someone bad with plants
• purchasing livestock
• uprooting my entire life

It's not looking good, is it?

Can I jump on this topic of mint? (I'm no gardener as you can tell by the state of my border) I assume this is some kind of mint plant? Leaves smell kind of minty. I've wanted to take it up as it takes over but currently swamped with bees so feel bad. Maybe a good cut back will have to do.

Forgot the bloody photo!! ...

backbritishfarming that looks like marjoram to me?

I agree - marjoram/oregano. That outcompetes mint, so you could send some to the OP.

@FisherThem @BinturongsSmellOfPopcorn
Thank you! Closer pic of said marjoram. It's grown to that size very very fast, am I best off trying to cut it back at some point or get rid altogether after the summer? This was my year to get round to sorting the garden but as per it's almost August and I haven't.

Wails but what about my mi-i-i-nt?

We had a bed full of mint and found that after a concentrated session to clear it, just pulling it out whenever it appeared (weekly) was eventually enough to reduce it to a bearable level but it took a few years and it does appear still.

I have a patch of mint which the previous owners put in the bed. I put a lupin in on one half of the patch and the lupin is winning. Lupins are really easy to grow from seed, so my plan is to fill the other half of that patch with more lupins.

And then I’ll be on here asking how to get rid of lupins 😁

Start deliberately trying to grow it, and it should wither and die.

...and this is why I've got the bugger growing in a pot. Mint at one end, lemon balm at the other, just to see who wins 😀

I planted my mint in pots. It still escaped and is taking over the garden. But I love mint, so not too bothered. And any that goes to seed, the bees go bonkers over...

Just make loads of mojitos?!

Just use it abundantly in cooking. You’ll feel better about it

Eventually it’ll get mint rust, which will curb its enthusiasm

Get some marjoram. At least you’ll have a different problem.

Until then mojitos

To everyone saying I should plant something more invasive, you can't trick me! I know the "There was an old lady who swallowed a fly" song. I know what will happen! I'll wind up either planting Japanese Knotweed or eating a horse.

Neither of these are desired outcomes.

I've just planted a mint!!!!! Should I dig it up??

Move it to a pot before it's too late!

It's seen the garden now. Too late.

Mine is in a pot in a cover on bricks on exactly the opposite side of the house to any bare soil, separated by an entire house and a 9 foot wall between the path and any neighbours. I looked out of the bedroom window yesterday and there's a clump growing on top of the neighbours' garage in front of some buddleia.

We had some mint at our old house. It was a bastard

An old gardener's saying

New gardener - when is the best time dig out mare's tail weed?
Old gardener - Sunday.
New gardener - Which Sunday?
Old gardener - Every Sunday.

Also applies to mint.

Keep digging over the patch and remove as much root as you can. It's the only way. I grow mint in an old laundry basket up on bricks. The roots try to escape through the basket but don't like the sun so shrivel and die.

Plants that might outcompete mint will definitely become as big a problem as mint.

Could you get a goat? (Also a bigger problem than mint)