Peppermint plants do not keep bees away from your yard but peppermint essential oil will. You can soak small pieces of cloth and place them near your flowering plants or dab it on the outside of garden beds. Cut off any peppermint flowers before they bloom to avoid attracting more bees to your yard.
Bees love mint and peppermint that grow small flowers that they collect pollen from. Planting mint and peppermint can actually attract bees rather than deter them.
To deter bees using peppermint essential oil scatter small amounts around your yard. You can dab drops onto the bottom side outdoor furniture (to avoids staining). You can spray diluted peppermint oil on your yard fence and gate help to keep bees out.
Peppermint oil will need to be reapplied regularly to keep bees away. The smell will wear off after 2-3 days or anytime it rains.
This article will explore how to keep bees away from your yard using natural substances including essential oils.
How to keep bees away with peppermint essential oil
Bees do not like the scent of peppermint essential oil so this can be used in your yard to keep them away. Peppermint plants do not deter bees because their scent is not strong enough and they actually grow small flowers that bees love.
1. Dab small amounts of essential oil on the underside of outdoor furniture
To keep bees away from your outdoor furniture use a cloth or cotton bud to dab small amounts on the underside of the tables and chairs. Take care if your table and chairs are timber as they can absorb the essential oil and it can leave marks.
Metal and glass tables should be fine but apply it on the underside to make sure there is no visible damage.
2. Dilute peppermint essential oil in water and spray it on your fences and gate
You can dilute peppermint in a clean spray bottle with water to deter bees. You only need a few drops in a small sprayer of water to get the peppermint smell.
Peppermint oil offers a good short term barrier against bees that hate the smell.
Do mint plants keep bees away?
Mint plants have a strong beautiful smell but will not keep bees away. When they are not in flower they will not attract bees but they will not deter them either. To keep bees away from your mint, trim off any small flowers that appear before they bloom.
Bees will be attracted to the mint flowers as they contain nectar that the bees love. Cutting them off will stop the bees from seeking them out to collect the nectar.
Do bees like the smell of mint?
Bees are not attracted or deterred by the smell of mint or peppermint plants. Bees hate the smell of concentrated peppermint oil however so dab or spray it around your yard to help to deter the bees.
Essential oils outdoors will wash away quickly when you water your plants or when rains arrive. You will need to reapply the oils again every 2-3 days to keep bees away. It is better to target certain areas to keep bees out.
Spray the oil around outdoor areas where you are eating and drinking and let bees do their thing in the outer edges of your yard.
Remember that bees are essential for pollination so are great friends of the vegetable gardener. Tomatoes, strawberries, peppers and cucumbers all need bees to pollinate their flowers. Fruit trees will also produce more fruit if they are pollinated by bees so focus your efforts on the areas where you eat and drink.
How to keep bees out of your garden naturally
Here are some easy tips to keep bees out of your garden naturally.
1. Use essential oils
Use essential oils like mint and peppermint to keep bees away. They don’t like the concentrated smell of the oils. You can dab them around your garden beds, outdoor furniture or pavers.
2. Trim off excess flowers
Bees will be drawn to your garden if it is full of bright, beautiful flowers. They love bright white, pink and yellow flowers that can be seen by the bees by the UV light they emit. Bees don’t see colors but are drawn to certain UV wave lengths.
Trimming off these bright, attractive flowers will stop the bees from being attracted to your garden
3. Avoid citrus flowers
Citrus flowers are loved by bees because they are fragrant and bright. Bees will swarm to your yard if you have citrus flowers on lime trees, lemons and oranges. You can trim off flowers but remember you won’t get fruit!
4. Keep water out of your yard
Bees are attracted to water, particularly shallow dishes that make it easy for them to drink from. Make sure that there is not shallow water left in pot trays or old containers left outside. Water plants on the soil instead of on their leaves so the bees don’t arrive to drink water off the leaves.
Do peppermint plants keep bees away from your yard? | Summary
Peppermint plants do not keep bees away from your yard but concentrated peppermint oil can. Use organic, peppermint essential oil around the areas that you want to deter bees. Dab small amounts around your outdoor eating area with a cotton bud or add some to small pieces of cloth.
I am an accredited practicing dietitian, experienced gardener and a dedicated cook. I love writing and sharing my experience so you can learn from my successes and mistakes.