Lemon Balm and Mint - Do they discourage slugs, cats, etc?

I saw a post that mentioned using lemon balm and or mint for protecting plants. Can't find that post now. I have tons of lemon balm and mint and if it is in anyway useful as a natural deterrent - please re-post that information. Thanks. I have slugs, wild cats, squirrels and an occasional racoon. My dog has done a good job of chasing away the cats and squirrels in the backyard - but he isn't allowed in the front yard so no protection there. I am using eggshells, bait, and manually plucking snails each day( a whole new level of humility). I also am using copper strips in some areas. I am managing to keep them from devouring my plants. (However they ate an entire row of special melons before I started after them). I had to put bird netting over my flower beds out front to keep the cats out but as my perennials are getting tall and want to bloom - that is not a permanent solution. So again my question is - how is the lemon balm and or mint used?

I have cats, and I've grown both lemon balm, and have a couple of mint plants again this year. Neither one ever bothered the cats one bit - two years ago my lemon balm was so overgrown the cats would sit under it to hunt or nap. Catnip is in fact a member of the mint family.

I read somewhere that cat's don't like citrus, so when I was digging a new plot that I didn't want them using as a litter box I would mince up orange and lemon skins and throw it on top of the freshly turned soil.

That didn't work one bit.

I'm no where near the most experienced gardener here, but I'm highly doubtful that mint or lemon balm keeps ANYTHING away.

This message was edited May 27, 2010 9:41 PM

Thanks for your reply. I also have noted that wild cats really aren't deterred by anything as opposed to an occasional house cat that takes a stroll through the garden. My neighbor puts food out for strays and not only has attracted a lot of cats but also racoons and squirrels. She has a big heart but !!!!

I'm new at this as well but there was something on this site as well as a friend told me for snails and slugs: Dig a small shallow hole large enough for a shallow pan of beer...yes beer. Put it on the edge of your lawn in your garden / flower/ planting beds. Make sure that it is level with the ground you are trying to protect. They will slide right into the pan of beer and drown. It's organic and won't hurt anything. I also had some doves trying to nest in some beautiful hanging baskets I spent a small fortune on. I had read that someone had problems with cat's trying to go potty in their big potted plants and they used tooth picks. It stopped the cat's. So I put wood kaboob skewers level with the flowers in my planters and no more birds. Just wondering if you could do this in some of your spots in the garden. Poor kitty's will get the message when they go to scratch. If that does not work I was at orchard supply and saw quite a few things for "animal control" in the store.
Good Luck!

Here's a link with some ideas. Might also try sprinkling some red pepper.

http://www.ghorganics.com/page6.html

Beer for slugs does work. And it's an almost painless death....basically they get hammered to the point of super intoxication and then drown. If I was a slug I'd prefer that over getting salted.

This message was edited May 30, 2010 2:39 AM

About mint. The most tenaciously difficult plant to get rid of I ever saw. Puts bermuda grass to shame.

I have pretty good luck with light sprinklings of Diotomacious Earth (from farm store's or green house's) to control snails-slugs. Beats bending over for hours with a salt shaker! At one time had so many that the mess that saucers of beer created became a bit disgusting .

Never had the mints do more than just grow, but love their teas, aromas and medicinal properties.

make your own pepper spray it works well see the bug be gone spray I posted it does well too. for varmits

august2003 - perhaps if you call animal control they will trap the wild cats.

Sluggo Plus will kill slugs, snails and pill bugs. Coffee grounds are said to deter slugs. I spread them around along with the sluggo.

My dog's "job" is to keep the garden free of squirrels and raccoons. But I can appreciate your caution about not letting your dog in the front yard, which I assume is not fenced. My daughter uses "invisible fence" to keep her dog within the garden border.

Beer works on slugs, but I don't buy beer :) My neighbor gave me a can, which is how I know it works. Then I priced the beer in the supermarket and decided not to spend the money. I'm afraid my dog might drink it!