My friend recently gave me a potted mint plant, but since I got it, the leaves have been dying. I saw that "rust" fungus is a common issue on mint plants, but mine does not appear to have any rust spots.

Here are the Symptoms:
* Leaf tips on leaves, especially older leaves turning black. Eventually, the entire leaf dries up and I pull it off.
* Lateral buds seem to be in many cases turning black and dying before even becoming 1mm in length - barely visible if not contrasted against the green of the plant.

Is there any way for me to save this plant?

Mint is usually very hard to kill! It might be thirsty. Or it may need repotting. Or it may be in a cold draught (how cold is it at night time? Some windowsills get very cold). Even if you cut it hard back, mint should grow up quite strong, so if you think there is a fungus or some such, just cut off the infected parts. Good luck!

I think I have part of the problem figure out, there are these tiny bugs on it called aphids. I read that they hate the smell of garlic, so put some right beside the roots, hopefully they will not get near anymore.

Hi, Jake448!

What is the weather like where you're located and what variety of mint plant is it, please?

Thanks!

Sorry for delayed response, but the plant is indoors, so weather is not a big issue, although it is very hot outside. And it is a spearmint plant.
I have mostly gotten rid of the bugs that were inside the soil by putting chopped garlic, but the leaf drying problem still persists :(

Hi again, Jake448!

Please try planting it outside in the ground. It's a perrenial that will also spread a lot if you give it enough room. It likes to have room to spread out.

Do you live where the ground is such that you could just plant it outside?

Thanks!

May I add an opinion? Have you been watering every day, or if not, frequently? If so, you may be overwatering it. Believe me, when I saw what you posted, I was like, whoa, that happened to me too! So I asked someone with a mint plant that I know well, and she said I was probably overwatering it. Also, check if it has root rot. Root rot occurs when you give it ample water, but there is bad drainage. Try to plant it in a big pot too; mint has an aggressive root system. I hope this info comes in handy and GOOD LUCK!

Ah! Its me again. Sorry! I forgot some stuff. To identify root rot, take out the mint plant, gently shake off dirt, and look. If the root is healthy, it will be white. If it has root rot the root will be brown and mushy. I don't know what to do now... chop it off? Also, to see if you're watering it well, poke 1 finger into the soil. If your finger feels cool and moist, don't water it until it fees warm and dry. Mints need at least 3 hours of sun a day, too.
If this doesn't work you can always root by cutting!

Cut off a healthy, new growth and stick it in a jar of water. In a few weeks (if the mint didn't die its mysterios death,) I recommend keeping it indoors in partial shade. After it roots, stick it in a pot of soil and keep it indoors for a feew weeks. If you put it out immediately, it might get wilty, but if you put it inside, it will spruce up.
Remember to give it good water, do the finger test, give it good drainage, and enjoy a healthy mint plant!

AGAIN, GOOD LUCK!!

I likewhat I posted! HEEHEEHEE...

Here is an article on root rot:

Houseplants infected by a root rot often appear wilted and fail to recover after watering. Root rot also causes the lower leaves to yellow or drop. Houseplants which are most often infected include pothos, African violet, begonia, pepperomia, dieffenbachia, and Chinese evergreen. Most root rots are caused by various species of soil-inhabiting fungi, which require cool, moist soils in order to grow and multiply. Conditions which keep the soil moist, such as overwatering, poor soil drainage, inadequate light, and crowding of plants, favor the development of root rot.

Root rot fungi first enter the plant through small feeder roots. If environmental conditions are favorable for disease development, the fungus can spread through most of the root system within 7-10 days, causing death of the plant. Infected roots become brown and mushy due to extensive tissue decay, whereas healthy roots are cream to white colored and firm. Infected roots no longer function properly, causing a reduction in water and nutrient absorption. This shortage within the plant results in poor growth, wilting, yellowing of lower leaves, and premature leaf drop. These general symptoms are often accompanied by other host specific symptoms. For example, pothos leaves turn bright yellow and wilt from the base outward. Pothos leaves may also be reduced in size. On African violets and begonias, lower leaves often appear water-soaked and wilted or weak. Stem rot may also develop, producing water-soaked or blackened areas on the stem near the soil line.

Prevention is the best line of defense against root rot. Since root rot fungi are in the soil, use pasteurized disease-free soil. Do not overwater plants and always use porous soil mixes and containers that provide proper water drainage. In fact, overwatering is the most common problem which leads to the development of root rot.

By the time symptoms appear, it is often too late to save the plant. If you are seeing foliar symptoms of root rot, examine the roots. If root rot is not extensive, repotting in pasteurized soil may rejuvenate some plants. During the process of repotting, prune decayed roots and provide proper soil drainage. Do not reuse infected soil. Pots should be disinfected by soaking in a 10% bleach solution (1 part bleach to 9 parts water) for 30 minutes. Drenching the soil with a fungicide such as thiophanate-methyl (Cleary's 3336) may help control some species of fungi. However, chemicals are only effective if root rot is not extensive and environmental conditions are improved. Control is not possible if root rot is extensive and infected plants should be discarded.

And, I didn't read it but I hope it may help!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jake448

My friend recently gave me a potted mint plant, but since I got it, the leaves have been dying. I saw that "rust" fungus is a common issue on mint plants, but mine does not appear to have any rust spots.

Here are the Symptoms:
* Leaf tips on leaves, especially older leaves turning black. Eventually, the entire leaf dries up and I pull it off.
* Lateral buds seem to be in many cases turning black and dying before even becoming 1mm in length - barely visible if not contrasted against the green of the plant.

Is there any way for me to save this plant?

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THE BEST WAY to save a potted Mint Herb, and I do it over and over again proximate every 6 month or when you see long stems and no leaves.
1) Empty your plant from the pot after cutting all the old stems above the soil
2) Take a big kitchen knife and cut the soil in 2 or 4 pieces depends on the size of your pot.
3) Chose 1 of the piece that has green roots, They usually curl around the soil
4) Put it back in your washed pot with a bit of fresh potting soil in the bottom and add fresh soil
5) Be patient for a week or two you will be able to eat fresh mint again
6) Dilute 1/4 tablespoon of Miracle grow in 1 liter of water to feed your plant once in a while
PS I have the same MINT HERB plant since 12 years.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jake448

My friend recently gave me a potted mint plant, but since I got it, the leaves have been dying. I saw that "rust" fungus is a common issue on mint plants, but mine does not appear to have any rust spots.

Here are the Symptoms:
* Leaf tips on leaves, especially older leaves turning black. Eventually, the entire leaf dries up and I pull it off.
* Lateral buds seem to be in many cases turning black and dying before even becoming 1mm in length - barely visible if not contrasted against the green of the plant.

Is there any way for me to save this plant?

---

Please view answer by Savanitta

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jake448

My friend recently gave me a potted mint plant, but since I got it, the leaves have been dying. I saw that "rust" fungus is a common issue on mint plants, but mine does not appear to have any rust spots.

Here are the Symptoms:
* Leaf tips on leaves, especially older leaves turning black. Eventually, the entire leaf dries up and I pull it off.
* Lateral buds seem to be in many cases turning black and dying before even becoming 1mm in length - barely visible if not contrasted against the green of the plant.

Is there any way for me to save this plant?

---

THE BEST WAY to save a potted Mint Herb, and I do it over and over again proximate every 6 month or when you see long stems and no leaves.
1) Empty your plant from the pot after cutting all the old stems above the soil
2) Take a big kitchen knife and cut the soil in 2 or 4 pieces depends on the size of your pot.
3) Chose 1 of the piece that has green roots, They usually curl around the soil
4) Put it back in your washed pot with a bit of fresh potting soil in the bottom and add fresh soil
5) Be patient for a week or two you will be able to eat fresh mint again
6) Dilute 1/4 tablespoon of Miracle grow in 1 liter of water to feed your plant once in a while
PS I have the same MINT HERB plant since 12 years.

Do you water it everyday? If you don't, I think that's why it dies. I have my own garden and I water them everyday. I never forget about it. If you do water it everyday, I think it needs plant nutrient.

Thank you for asking ,it all depends where you live and if your plant is outside, mine is outside in the sun in a large square pot and need to water it every other day if the temperature reach 90. If not every 2 days and when it is cools once or twice a week .
If your plant is indoor make sure it gets plenty of light and sun you may have to water it twice a week in the summer and once a week in the winter.
Mints are very easy to grow and they spread with a blink of an eye they tell you what to do .
When you see small leaves give them vitamins.
When you see stems cut them short
When it is thirty the leaves are droopy and the soil is dry
When you see white flies use a teaspoon of dish soap in a spray bottle with water
And finally when there is no more leave and only stem use recipe on top of page re-pot your plant.
And if all this doesn't work you can always by a new plant
And I would love to give you a stem from mine.
Please don't use black plastic pots the roots with heat will fry send all black pots to recycling.