I have a steep slope/hill on the side of my house. About 2 years ago I planted a couple of small mint plants and they are taking over a large area now.

I'm okay with this as I make lots of mint drinks over the summer. But this year the mint smells weird. Not only the mint coming up from my old plants, but also a few I planted in pots just outside my basement door. Those are brand new bought from Home Depot.

All the plants on the hill were labeled "sweet mint". The plants I bought this year had some say sweet mint and some say spearmint (they only had 2 of each). However, they all had the same genus and species on the label (google shows them as different species).

Anyhow, it all smells off, almost like a bad pissy smell (not quite but not minty). But if I muddle it, it does smell more like mint.

Wondering if it's just the time of year and the smell needs to develop or something. I would think it has something to do with soil, but the pots are good fresh soil and the hill is, well the hill.

Any ideas? I don't want to mess up my Mojitos.

There are SO many different types of mint, there is always a possibility the labels were BS. Also, are you sure it's the plants and not you? Has anyone else smelled this?

It would make me sad to have a jacked up mojito, too.

So the plants on the hill are obviously the same as last year. Wife also says the smell is off.

It just occurred to me that they seem to smell better after I washed the mint also. I wonder if the damn yellow pollen coating everything is what I smell.

Squirrel pee?

quote:

Originally posted by architect:
Squirrel pee?

That’s a lot of pee.

Are you sick, ill, or taken any new medications recently?

A know a few people who say some things smell different after having had Covid. My same old shaving cream still smells a bit off since my bout with Covid a few years ago.

Definitely not a covid issue. Had mint at a restaurant tonight and it was fine.

I have sweet mint and spearmint that I bought at Home Depot and I have them in grow bags. Smell good to me sofar.

Maybe keep an eye on that patch of land. Is it possible that some critters have turned it into a latrine?

Is there lawn bordering the mint?
If so, has the lawn been treated? Maybe the chemical application sprayed over onto the mint area.

quote:

Originally posted by WaterburyBob:
Is there lawn bordering the mint?
If so, has the lawn been treated? Maybe the chemical application sprayed over onto the mint area.

Hmm, you know what, we just had the mosquito guys spray. I totally forgot about that! Some of the mint actually smells a little better today, but that makes total sense!

Just went out and the plants around it don't have that same odd smell, but then they don't have mint smell mixing with some stuff.

A whole whodunit show posed and solved in one thread! I was drawn into the plot.

My only experience was we planted lemon and orange trees about 3 feet apart and the orange started becoming lemony.

quote:

Originally posted by Rey HRH:
A whole whodunit show posed and solved in one thread! I was drawn into the plot.

My only experience was we planted lemon and orange trees about 3 feet apart and the orange started becoming lemony.

I've heard (and not sure if true) that peppers will cross pollinate and your habaneros may be very mild if they are planted near bell peppers.

May not be squirrel pee but got any tom cats around?

Are you SURE it's mint?

If unsure, pick it, dry it, smoke it and let us know.