Reasons to grow mint in your garden

[Francy]

This is so good to know! Great information. I love mint and it's benefits. If it will help keep the pests away I am all for it. I'll just have to make sure to plant it next to the "proper" plant so I don't have any issues.

 

[NaturalBeauty_35]

Mint is used as a breath freshener, palate cleanser or great appetizer, and it promotes a healthy digestion. It also soothes the stomach in cases of inflammation or indigestion. When I am feeling sick to my stomach, drinking a cup of mint tea gives me a relief. Also, when I am traveling long distances via plane or boat, the menthol oil derived from the mint leaves can be very soothing for nausea and related motion sickness. Mint leaves can also be added to your foods for flavor. I love the wonderful smell of fresh mint in my home...

 

[claudine]

I grow mint, because I love its scent. It reminds me of my childhood. When I was young, I found a mint plant in my parents garden and I remember I was fascinated with it. It smelled so good!
To be honest, I didn't know that this herb can drive away pests.
NaturalBeauty_35, I drink mint tea for an upset stomach too, it really helps

 

[missyann]

My neighbor has mint and it's coming over into our yard. I enjoy the smell but I don't want my yard taken over by the mint. What kind of rodents does mint deter because we have a lot of squirrels as well as rabbits. in our yard.

 

[jlynn71]

From what I understand, it deters rats and mice. Mice are more sensitive to it than rats, and I have read some guinea pigs react to it. Rabbits are pretty tough, not sure on that one, but I know rabbits kill snakes and rodents, so I would not want to get rid of them. I have had some spiders (larger garden ones) in my home this year, and using mint extract with just a drop of dish-soap in the water is a great deterrent to spray around the house. They taste with their legs and do not like it.

 

[derialc]

A word of waring about growing mint. Keep it in a pot. Mint often take over a garden as it sends out shoots everywhere. When cutting my lawn, it always smells like spearmint because there was a plant years ago which grew into the lawn and not it is impossible to get rid of. Fortunately, I like the smell and it does seem to keep a few things away. There are a lot of varieties of mint and I dry the leaves for making mint tea. It is a good hot drink on a summer evening when you don't want caffeine.

I love this idea of a mint scented lawn!!! I wonder if I might plant a few mint varieties in my grass or would I live to regret it?! I have spearmint already in my border so I know how invasive it can be but the idea of being surrounded by the scent of mint when I'm lying on the lawn is very appealing!

 

[derialc]

From what I understand, it deters rats and mice. Mice are more sensitive to it than rats, and I have read some guinea pigs react to it. Rabbits are pretty tough, not sure on that one, but I know rabbits kill snakes and rodents, so I would not want to get rid of them. I have had some spiders (larger garden ones) in my home this year, and using mint extract with just a drop of dish-soap in the water is a great deterrent to spray around the house. They taste with their legs and do not like it.

I grow my mint plants specifically to feed to my pet rabbits. They absolutely adore it so I would have my doubts about its effect to deter their wild relations!! That's very interesting about the spiders. I must try that tip!

 

[Ruth B]

I have my mints in pots as I have mentioned, but I wanted to get a patch of pennyroyal in the ground in the perfect shady spot. Well, it being not poison but toxic, I STILL have had something eating it. I thought it was safe because it's not the eatable kind. Well some bug liked it tho. I am so bummed as it's an area nothing much can grow, now I guess even this can't.

 

[Ruth B]

I love this idea of a mint scented lawn!!! I wonder if I might plant a few mint varieties in my grass or would I live to regret it?! I have spearmint already in my border so I know how invasive it can be but the idea of being surrounded by the scent of mint when I'm lying on the lawn is very appealing!

I had wanted to do this with pennyroyal as all I have is grabgrass anyway, and it should be great I would think in this way. It could still be mowed, or shaved with the weed eater. Depending upon the variety of mint, I had wanted to do this too, not to be able to eat it tho, those would only be the pots, lol.

With the pennyroyal, it's not really safe for animals, but I would think other kinds would be fine to mix with the grass. I haven't done it yet tho.

 

[evelynmcgregor]

I have mint in a small flower bed. I actually have peppermint, spearmint and one I got wild in the woods. I also grow lemon balm. I use all of them in tea both hot and iced. In the summer time in the south, mint tea is especially refreshing. I also bruise the leaves and put them in ice water. I had a hispanic friend when my children were small and she taught me that when a baby has stomach distress, mint tea in their bottle with a little sugar to sweeten will help give them relief.