6 Wonderful Peppermint Oil Uses In The Garden

Peppermint oil has many culinary, cosmetic, and medicinal uses. But do you know you can use it in the garden? Find out 6 wonderful Peppermint Oil Uses here!

Peppermint plant is a hybrid between watermint (Mentha aquatica) and spearmint (M. spicata). It has a strong sweetish fragrance and leaves a cool aftertaste when consumed orally. Growing it is similar to other mint varieties.
Peppermint oil has many culinary, cosmetic, medicinal, and odorous uses. But do you know you can use it in the garden as well? Find out some of the best Peppermint Oil Uses in this post!

1. Repel Pests

Peppermint oil can work as an excellent pest repellent in your garden. Due to its subtle fragrance, it confuses insects by masking the smell of pheromones. Aphids, cabbage looper, flea beetles, squash bugs, whiteflies are some of the common pests that abhor the area where this peppermint oil pest repellent is sprayed. All you need is 15-20 drops of peppermint oil, 5 drops of dish soap, 1-gallon water. Mix all these ingredients well and spray on the infested plants once in a week or two. The optimum time to apply it is in the morning or evening. You can also add rosemary, thyme, and clove oil to this solution in equal parts to make it more effective.

2. Fungus Suppressant

Fungus and moss can grow on garden soil and deplete it of necessary plant nutrients. Also, parasitic fungi can cause damage to plants by blocking pores (stomata), damaging or killing cells. This fungi growth can be controlled and eliminated by using peppermint oil. For this, add 10 drops of peppermint oil in a spray bottle filled with water. Spray this solution on the affected parts of plants or soil twice a week.

Also Read: Amazing Listerine Uses In Garden

3. Control Vermin

Mice, squirrels and other rodents are repulsed by the intense scent of peppermint. For this, you will need cotton balls and peppermint oil. Add 2-3 drops of peppermint oil in each cotton ball and place them in your garden. Pick up spots like an entrance to the mice holes, squirrel nests or any other rodent shelter you find. Replace these cotton balls after every couple of weeks.

4. Slugs And Snails Repellent

Slugs and snails can cause a great deal of damage to plant leaves. They thrive in moist conditions. But you can use peppermint oil to get rid of them. Add one tablespoon peppermint oil in a spray bottle filled with water and spray it in the form of a ring around the plants you want to protect from damage caused by snails and slugs. Apply this solution at least once a week.

5. Keep Pets At Bay

Dogs and cats can cause havoc in the garden in many ways. Chewing off hose pipes, digging out small plants, and peeing at unwanted places are some of their favorite chores. An easy way to stop them is to add a few drops of peppermint oil in a water-filled container. Whisk this solution vigorously so that oil droplets break up. Soak a strip of cotton or string in this solution. Fasten strings among plants or around the garden perimeter. Alternatively, you can also hang cloth strips at the strategic spots. You can reuse the cloth strips by soaking them again once a week.

6. Refreshing Fragrance

Use peppermint oil for aromatherapy. Aromatherapists use it for its uplifting the mood, and for its invigorating properties. Peppermint oil is useful for easing symptoms of anxiety and depression as confirmed by studies at the Sense of Smell Institute. You can employ an essential oil burner or diffuser for this purpose. Fill it with a mix of peppermint oil and rosemary oil in equal parts and enjoy your leisure time surrounded by the fragrance.