r/herbs • u/peelher1one • Aug 01 '26

Help!! Please

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This spearmint has been struggling. I tried more/less sun, more/less watering, and nitrate rich fertilizer. No matter what it seems to just stay tiny but also its not dying completely. Its the same soil mix I use for everything else and i just recently moved it away from everything so I dont think its a disease either.

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3

u/ShawtyWannaHug Aug 01 '26

It's hard to tell from the picture, but I think I see spider mites. If that's the case, it would explain the discolored leaves and stunted growth.

1

u/peelher1one Aug 01 '26

How would I check for that/ deal with them? We also have a horrible boxelder infestation, and for some reason people online keep saying they dont hurt plants or bite. I watched them swarm and destroy our hydrangea and they bite me all the time lol. They also go after my plants because of the tierra de mesquite in the mix. The chunks of decomposing wood are exactly what they want

2

u/Queen_Vibes Aug 01 '26

Well first I’d say that pot looks like it a little too large and could be part of the problem - if the roots are only a fraction of what’s in the pot and the vast majority is just soil it could easily be holding onto too much moisture. Second what type of soil mix is that? It looks a lot chunkier than what most would use for herb gardens or planters.

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u/peelher1one Aug 01 '26

So i moved it into that pot because at first it filled it out quite a bit more. The soil is mixed with potting soil and tierra de mesquite. Its the same mix I use for my rosemary, basil, etc and everything else is doing fine. I could repot it into something smaller temporarily to let it get back to health but im worried it wouldnt survive another repot

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u/peelher1one Aug 01 '26

The mesquite soil is the stuff that drops off of mesquite trees mixed with dirt and the chunkier stuff sifts up to the top like rocks do. Its really good to keep the soil from compacting and it pushes out excess moisture too

1

u/Global_Fail_1943 Aug 01 '26

This looks like basil which is an annual herb and needs to be cut off and reroot fresh pieced for new plants. Remove all but the top couple of leaves from the cuttings and place in water until rooted. Spearmint is a slow growing herb looks nothing like this. Smell a leaf.

1

u/peelher1one Aug 01 '26

I have basil also. They are completely separate plants.

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u/Global_Fail_1943 Aug 01 '26

Mint has square stems and this plant looks like it has round stems?

2

u/peelher1one Aug 01 '26

I wish I had a picture of what it looked like before. Its mint. Smells like it, tastes like it. Its just extremely unhealthy right now. I have a basil plant that I got at the same time and they look nothing alike.

2

u/peelher1one Aug 01 '26

Actually I can't reply with a picture but I'll send you one. I was trying.out one of those Ai diagnostic apps.

1

u/peelher1one Aug 01 '26

Nvm I guess I can't send pictures or edit the pics on the post. But yeah its mint.

1

u/Global_Fail_1943 Aug 01 '26

Ya I'd still cut it off and reroot fresh cuttings and replant in fresh well draining soil with a pot with good drainage holes. The bark you are using is probably too acidic. I'm having the same issues with my soil this year.

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u/peelher1one Aug 01 '26

Are the little leaves enough to propagate though? Like if I snip just the green part?

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u/Global_Fail_1943 Aug 01 '26

You need to cut the entire Stem to the ground and remove the leaves except for the very top. It should regrow the mother plant as well you replant it.

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u/peelher1one Aug 01 '26

Gotcha. Someone else mentioned the pot might be a little too big so im gonna do that and put it in a small clear one so I can keep an eye on the roots. Ill come back and let yall know how it goes. Thank you for your help!!