There are many pests that attack plants in the garden, but the most common are aphids. They damage plants and also spread very quickly. If you want to avoid chemical pesticides and are looking for eco-friendly ways to stop pest infestations, garlic is your remedy. Read on to learn how to use garlic against aphids.
As the garden comes back to life, so do the pests that can damage your vegetables and flowers. The sucking insects that feed on the sap in the young, soft shoots, stems, leaves and buds are attracted to your plants. So if you want to keep your garden safe and healthy, you must use garlic instead of artificial insecticides. Garlic is naturally rich in sulfur, which is toxic to aphids. It is also a useful remedy against fungus and mold, which are often found in gardens. Below we will explain how to use it for the garden and your potted plants.
Easily make garlic stock
Garlic is very versatile and can be used in a variety of ways to combat aphids. The best way to use it is in the form of a garlic decoction, by spraying it directly onto the foliage and into the ground where the infected plants are located. Make sure that the aphids are hiding under the leaves. Move the leaves around to make sure all areas are sprayed or if it's houseplants, give them a proper garlic bath in the bathtub.
You only need a few home remedies to make a garlic decoction against aphids.
Ingredients:
- 4 cloves of garlic
- boiling water
- 1 liter of water
- spray bottle
- 2 tbsp dishwashing liquid
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper or hot sauce (optional)
Production:
- Crush or chop the garlic cloves as finely as possible and place them in a heatproof container.
- Pour boiling water over them to cover them.
- Cover them and let them sit overnight.
- You can add 1 teaspoon of crushed cayenne pepper or hot sauce to strengthen the spray and repel a greater number of pests.
- The next day, strain the broth through a cheesecloth.
- Add the liquid to 1 liter of water and add 2 tablespoons of dish soap. Stir the broth and pour it into a spray bottle.
Start by spraying just one leaf of the affected plant with the solution and wait 24 hours to see if it has any negative effects on the plant. If signs of yellowing or other leaf damage are seen after a day or two, dilute the mixture with more water and repeat the test.
Make sure the leaf is no longer damaged and then spray any plants, vegetables, herbs, flowers or fruits, paying particular attention to the underside of the leaves as this is where the pests like to lay their eggs to hide them .
If you use the garlic decoction for prevention, never spray the plants more than twice a week, otherwise you may stunt growth. Spray the soil only once a week.
If you have found an aphid infestation, spray the plants daily and if the spray is washed off by rain or watering, spray again.
Garlic against aphids: Use garlic oil
Instead of garlic broth, you can also use garlic oilkeep the aphids away.
You can easily make it by crushing a few cloves of garlic and letting them steep in olive oil for at least 24 hours.
Remove the garlic pieces and add some water to make the solution easier to spray. To further enhance the effect, you can add 1 teaspoon of liquid soap. The strong scent of the garlic keeps the aphids away from the plants and the soap kills any pests present.
Can the garlic plant itself repel aphids?
Another natural way to ward off aphids is to grow garlic and other bulbous plants between crops in the garden. If you have a vegetable crop that is infested with aphids, then plant garlic among them to deter them naturally.
There are also other plants you can grow in your garden to keep these insects away. These include chives, leeks and marigolds.
What other pests does garlic keep away?
The sulfur in garlic repels most flying and crawling insects. Particularlyit is helpful againstArmyworms, beetles, caterpillars, cutworms, mites, mosquitoes and flies.
Garlic also repels many larger pests. A few drops of garlic essential oil or a garlic-based repellent will help redirect unwanted garden visitors such as deer, mice, moles or rabbits. Rabbits are allergic to garlic, while deer generally don't like the smell.
