Edit: Thanks for the answers - now I know! Where I live it doesn't spread that easily, and often when it's growing well it disappears overnight or in a matter of days thanks to caterpillars or grasshoppers. I didn't know it would grow out of control in other places.
When we bought our house 2 years ago, the previous owners had planted mint in the ground, despite having a raised garden bad. My wife and I spent an entire afternoon taking back mulch and digging to remove the mint. We built a 2nd garden box and put it over the top of the mint spot, but I'm already seeing bits of mint poking up from under the box...
I've planted mint, strawberries, and raspberries. But this is the last time I'll get to see how far they've made it. I planted them to go to war with the buffle grass, tumble weeds, and tree of heaven. I can still drive by in a few years and see how its going.
My buddy warned me about the mint the pervious owners planted, and I pulled it right away. It was right by our basement entrance so I frequently peer in and inspect for mint shoots. I think there must be a buried barrier or something (like landscaping cloth) preventing it from spreading outside the bed it was in. I found a small sprig 4 years after pulling everything I could find.
I planted some mint in a large pot, at an off-grid shack on a New England beach... two decades ago. That shit is still thriving to this day, despite zero maintenance and/or care and numerous harsh winters!
Our soil is almost entirely clay and rock to the point that most grasses also fail to grow. I wouldn't mind something nice like mint or another invasive plant if it meant actually having something grow at all...
Depends on where you live. Mint does have limits. It really dislikes dry and cold. We've planted it several times here and it's quite difficult to keep it alive. Our growing season is quite short so it's a bit depressing to have it die so quickly.
Don't worry just let my dad do the gardening. He killed the mint, the rhubarb, the blueberries, the redberries and the apple tree with his genius ideas!