11 Surprising Uses of Garlic in the Garden

11 Surprising Uses of Garlic in the Garden | Garlic Benefits

Using garlic in the garden is a great way to save yourself from using harmful chemical pesticides and fungicides as garlic has antibacterial, fungicidal and insecticidal properties.

1. Roses love garlic

According to the Herb Society of America planting garlic around rose bushes keep the pests and diseases away from it and also enhance their fragrance.

2. Garlic tea for powdery mildew

Cut 5 garlic cloves and pour 1 liter of boiling water over it. Leave this mixture for 24 hours, then drain and dilute it with 3 liters of water. Pour the mixture into a sprayer and spray it on the plants suffering from powdery mildew.

3. Garlic around fruit trees

Growing garlic near fruit trees reduces pests and diseases. It repels borers, weevils, and fruit flies and protects apple trees from apple scab and peach trees from leaf curls.

4. Garlic instead of fungicide

Mix 2 garlic bulbs and 1 tsp of liquid dishwashing soap in 2 cups of water and grind the mixture. Run the mix through an unbleached cheese cloth. You can store this paste in a refrigerator for months and when you want to use it just add 1 gallon of water in it and spray it on your plants that are infected with fungal diseases.

5. Garlic to repel snakes

Hate snakes? Garlic is here to help. Garlic is a natural snake repellent, you can plant garlic in your garden or you can buy garlic snake repellents from the market.

6. Garlic to get rid of moles

Using garlic is one of the best and non-toxic way to keep those nibbling pests out of your garden. Use whole or crushed garlic and place it into their tunnels. The strong odor of garlic will force them to leave that area.

7. Garlic as companion plant

Grow garlic as a companion plant in your garden. Interplant garlic with carrots, brassicas, peppers, tomatoes, and eggplant, it will help in deterring the pests like aphids, spider mites, carrot root fly and Japanese beetles away. You can also grow members of allium family with other plants.

8. Garlic extract

Cut a large garlic bulb and pour 1 liter of boiling water over it. Let the mixture stand for 24 hours and use it undiluted on a bed of carrots. The strong smell of garlic keeps the carrot flies, grasshopper, and aphids away.

9. General pesticide

Take 4 hot green peppers, 3 or 4 garlic cloves, 3/4 tsp liquid soap, 1 tsp vegetable oil and 3 cups of water. Puree the garlic cloves and pepper in a blender and pour it into a glass bottle and add water, oil, and liquid soap into it. Let it stand 24 hours. Strain out the pulp and spray this solution onto the infested plants, making sure to drench the plants thoroughly.

10. Natural deterrent

Combined with peppers, garlic also works as a preventive deterrent to mice, rats, rabbits, voles, elk and deer.

11. Garlic for chickens

If you’re raising chickens in your garden or farm add crushed fresh garlic cloves in their drinking water. It will improve the appetite and boost the immune system of your birds. Here’s an interesting article on this for you to read.