Problems with mint
Identify what's wrong by where it appears and what you can see.
Where is the problem?
Start by selecting the part of the plant where you see the problem.
Start with the symptom
Or pick from the symptoms most often seen on mint.
Common problems with mint
The problems recorded on mint, the most common first.
10 problems
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Rust
Orange, brown or black powdery pustules on leaves, which yellow and fall. -
Aphids
Small, soft insects clustered on new growth and under leaves, leaving sticky honeydew. -
Caterpillars
Holes chewed in leaves, often down to the veins, with green droppings below. -
Cutworms
Seedlings cut off at soil level overnight, with a fat grey caterpillar curled in the soil nearby. -
Flea beetles
Lots of tiny round holes in young leaves, and small beetles that jump when disturbed. -
Root damage
Wilting and stalled growth with nothing wrong above ground. Roots have been cut, crushed or disturbed. -
Sun scorch and sunscald
Bleached, papery or brown patches on the leaves and fruit that face the sun. -
Too little light
Pale, stretched growth that leans towards the window. No amount of feeding fixes it. -
Underwatering
Crisp, dry leaves and flopping growth in dust-dry soil. The quickest problem to fix. -
Verticillium wilt
Lower leaves yellow and wilt, stems stained brown inside; strawberries and tomatoes collapse.
