Hey guys- new member here and I am looking for help on a mint-related issue. I have a cutting of mint from my mom that she brought to me potted. I was told the plant was hearty and that it should be fine on its own outside. After a couple months it was looking increasingly worse, so I brought it inside. Besides trying to keep it warm/in the sun/ watered occasionally what can I do to bring this plant back to life? Is it even possible? All I have is a small 3 inch stem with some very small dead leaves and one that is still a bit green. moderator's note: split this post into it's own topic
It is possible that the stem doesn't have roots. Do you know if your mum had let the cutting root before placing it in a pot? Another factor: Did the little plant freeze when it was outside? It is possible that it will return to life later on in the spring, but I would keep it inside for a while longer. ***Once the little plant takes hold it can be invasive, so think about that before you actually plant it in the ground outside. (I learned this the hard way). Choose your site wisely. Do you have any pics? Another daring thing that you can do is to remove all the dirt from the plant's root-ball (assuming that it has one) and then determine if the roots are viable. If they are, re plant it and nurse it along until the warmer weather of spring. If the roots are lifeless, you obviously just throw the plant away and begin a new one. In my experience mint cuttings root very easily, so perhaps your mum would be willing to develop another one for you.
In my humble opinion, it may be too late for your cutting. Generally, cuttings should be taken at the start of the growing season when there is highest rooting potential or from semi ripened shoots later in the season. Judging from your timeframe, you may have picked a bad time. Secondly, when taking cuttings it is ideal to only have 2 or 3 of the top leaves. Too many leaves require too much transpiration that the cutting cannot handle due to lack of roots. Just a small amount of leaves for photosynthesis to occur is sufficient. Lastly, rooting hormone always makes life easier; although mint is pretty hearty. This whole process should only take about a month to get some decent roots; a couple of months is not a good sign. Best of luck - we all murder plants - don't feel too bad
