Using Garlic as a Natural Pesticide

Garlic makes an excellent natural pesticide. It has natural fungicidal and pesticidal properties that work effectively to control pests. For maximum efficacy in pest control, avoid using any chemical fertilizers when growing the plant. Fertilizers diminish the capacity of vital ingredients in garlic to fight pests. Garlic has proved effective in repelling and eliminating various insects and pests. Aphids, ants, termites, white flies, beetles, borers, caterpillars, slugs and army worms are some of the pests that can be suitably controlled using garlic.

Use garlic as a spray, drench or in mixed cropping.

Garlic Spray

• Obtain 5 medium-sized garlic bulbs.
• Extract the cloves and remove the outer skin.
• Use a garlic press to crush to very small bits. Alternatively, crush using a mortar and pestle.
• Mix with 1/2 liter of water. Allow the mixture to soak for at least 6 hours.
• Add in some dish washing soap. It is best to use a potash-based soap as one that is too caustic will harm the plants.
• Use a fine cloth to strain the mixture. Place in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid.
• When ready to use you can dilute the mixture in 4 liters of water. It is best to use it immediately after preparation. When stored for a long time, it loses its potency.

For easy application, place the desired amount in a spray bottle. Spray the plant parts once a week to give protection against insects. If rains are present, you will need to spray twice a week. However, garlic has an extremely strong taste. Once sprayed, the taste will remain on the plant for about a month. It is a good idea not to spray too close to harvesting time as it may interfere with food flavors. Also, garlic is a broad-spectrum pesticide so be careful to spray only the plant parts that are infested. This will help minimize destruction of beneficial insects and pests.

Garlic Drench

You can effectively control nematodes by using liquid garlic to drench the soil. Use garlic tea as a soil drench. It will be absorbed by the plant roots and repel Japanese beetles, codling moths, carrot flies and root maggots. It also kills slugs and snails. It is very effective in keeping away deer and rabbits from flowers in the garden. Although effective, the drench is also likely to destroy harmful, as well as beneficial, insects and soil bacteria.

Inter-cropping

This involves growing two or more crops simultaneously on the same site. The benefit of using garlic in mixed cropping is that it will effectively repel harmful pests while retaining beneficial ones. If you grow tomatoes, plant some garlic to prevent red spider mites from attacking your crop. Plant some garlic around your apple or peach trees to repel fruit borers. Plant garlic if you have cabbages in order to reduce infestations by the diamond back moth. If planted near roses, it will effectively repel aphids which frequently attack the plant. However, garlic does not seem to have a beneficial effect when planted with legumes, peas and potatoes. Avoid planting next to these crops.