Newbie Needs Help Mulching Mints

I live in zone 5 and need to mulch my mints. What should I use?

Your lawnmower.

LOL!! LB, the lawnmower idea isn't a bad one at all.
I never mulch mints here per se even with the lack of consistant snow cover and lack of precip. I wack mine to the ground in the fall and leave the trimmings on the ground with whatever else falls from the trees. Mints have pretty strong underground systems with roots from hades (And I'm sure you know that their agressive root system and prolific seeding makes them pretty darn invasive). Triming or mowing will not kill them but force budding from the roots-they WILL come back stronger than ever.
Not sure I would worry about it at all from a mulching standpoint.
Good luck!!

I have spearmint and peppermint in pots on the deck and I just put the pots up close to the house and leave them out there all winter with nothing on them, they come back fine. Mints are pretty invasive (thats why mine are in pots) and hardy.

Thanks for everyone's input.

Kathy & Caron: Your information was what I was wanting to hear. I have planted several plants and hope they got established well enough before the hard frost hit us.

PvillPlanter: I might use your advice next year! LOL

Lisa Moore

You're welcome LIsa. As caron said, cutting or mowing down the spent plants stimulate new growth for next year and at the same time provides it's own mulch, which will also keep the seeds from blowing where you don't want them if you have let them go to seed.