This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.
Mint!
Bf206
Posts: 234
I always thought mint was good at repelling pests, not attracting them. I know some plants can play a sacrificial role but I didn't think mint was one of them... yet year after year, mint comes back in the same place in a raised bed in my garden. It always looks very healthy until about late May when the leaves start to get infested with aphids (I think).
They suck all the juice out of the mint, leaving the leaves speckled and papery. The lower leaves go yellow / brown. It's usable for cooking but I probably wouldn't fancy using them in a salad (or mojito).
Any tips? I tried putting some marigolds nearby. I also try and blast the bugs off with the hose but there seem to be loads of them.
0
Posts
give it a good haircut. Down to the ground if needs be. Water well and feed and then you will have loads of fresh green shoots for mojitos.
Ok thanks fidgetbones! I think I'll do just that. Do you think there's anything I can do if it grows back and the bugs return? Some kind of soap spray? I think the mistake I made was not acting when I saw the early signs.
That's right - always act early. I had the same problem with my pinks. I just removed them by hand and problem solved. It was the slugs that ate my mint...
I always think that if bugs attack a plant in my garden I need to do something to improve the soil. If everything is in harmony I never have any bug infestations. I would say, clean up the soil, add compost and start again. The aphids are opportunistic, they are not a disease! My opinion.