For a main producer in an herb garden, look no further than mint. Every type of mint is an incredibly fast-growing herb and will provide a harvest almost year round once it’s established. Because they grow by sending out runners, mint makes for a great addition to home gardens to fill up awkward empty spaces. By using mint as a ground cover, the sweet fragrances will be released every time someone walks past.

So you’ve decided to plant mint in your garden? According to our research on mint, you can plant anything nearby!

Start your mint after the last frost, and space each seedling 18 to 24 inches apart. If you’re limited on space in the garden bed, mint is the perfect candidate to be planted in a pot. A vigorous grower, mint will produce even more if it receives fertilizer every few weeks. Keep an eye on growth and trim away flower buds as they appear. By regularly harvesting your mint, it will encourage thick, dense growth of new leaves and runners.

Harvesting your mint is very simple. Pinch off each leaf as the stem, and rinse it well before use. If you’d like to harvest the whole plant, wait until right before the mint blooms, and cut the stem just above the second set of branches. Most mint types will produce two to three full harvests per year. Mint can be used in a variety of ways, from seasonings on fish, poultry and lamb dishes, to the star ingredient of famous cocktails like the mint julep and the mojito.