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8 forms of capital active hope agroecology agroforestry alder buckthorn Amazon anxiety apples arthritis autumn Autumn equinox back yard beans Bec Hellouin beech tree bees beneficial berries biochar biodigester biodiversity blackberries blackthorn book review brain brassica cage budget build building campesino capital card deck Celtic festivals change changes chemical-free chickens christmas circular clay pot cleansers cleansing milks climate change climate chaos climate emergency climate grief climate solutions climbers climbing cob comfrey community Community Nature Network community projects compost compost teas connection consciousness conservation container cooking coppice coppicing cordial cosmology courgettes crafts crisis crop protection Cross Quarter Festival cultural emergence culture cut flowers cycles degraded design diary diversity DIY do it yourself dryland earth care earth's cycles Earth's energy ecoculture economics ecopoetry ecosystem ecosystem restoration camps ecosystems edges edible edible flowers education efficiency elder elderflowers elements elixir energy equinox ethics face mask fair shares Fairtrade farming feedback feminine ferns figs film firewood floristry flower essence flower garden flowers food food forest food garden footbath forage foraging forest garden forest gardening forests fruit fruit leather fruit trees funding fungi future future care gardening gardens garlic gift economy gin Give Nature a voice Glennie Kindred global poverty glut grapes green space greenhouse grief groundcover grow grow food grow your own growing guilds habitat habits handcream harvest harvests hawthorn hazel hazelnut healing shrubs healing trees health healthy soil heart health hedgerow hedging herbal herbal remedies herbal teas herbalist herbs holistic holistic planned grazing home homeless homemade wine homestead hope Hugelkultur humanure hummus hungry gap IBC tanks Imbolc incense increase yields Indigenous inexpensive influence inspiration International Womens Day jam keyline kingfisher kitchen garden lacto-fermentation Lammas land landscape landscapes life lifestyle limeflowers livelihood livestock living labs logs Looby Macnamara lotion low cost low-impact Lush Spring Prize macerations Manda Scott Mangwende Orphan Care Trust market garden market gardening marmalade marshmallow mass heater meadowsweet medicinal microbes microfarm Midwest Permaculture mimic mindset mitigation money Morag Gamble moringa Mother Earth movement mulch multifunctional mushrooms native plants natural natural building natural fertiliser natural skincare natural swimming pool nature nature connection nitrogen no dig no waste no-dig north-facing novel November nutrition nuts observe oca October off-grid oil cleansing orchard orchards organic organic flowers organic gardening outdoor shower oven oxymel oyster pallets pasture-fed patterns people people care peoplecare perennials permaculture permaculture design permaculture magazine award permaculture projects permaculutre permayouth pesto pests philippines pine tree pips pizza oven plant profile plants pollinators pollution polyculture polycultures positive change preserving principles propagating protection pruning prunings psycho-spiritual awareness psychospiritual transformation rainforest rainwater raspberries recipe recipes reduce reed beds regeneration regenerative regenerative agriculture relative location relative matter remedy renewable renewable energy resilient resources restoration reuse revolution rhythms rootstock rootstocks roundhouse roundwood runner beans sage salad salads salve Samhain schools Scotland scotts pine seasonal seasons seeds selfcare Sepp Holzer september septic tanks sewage treatment shade shamanism sheet mulching shrubs skincare sloes slugs small solutions small-scale smallholding social justice soil health solar solutions sowing spiritual spring squash stacking functions stock-free straw straw bale summer support sustainable Sweet Bay syntropic systems temperate terraces thistles thrutopia timber timber framing tincture tonic toolkit tools transformation trees upcycle urban urban gardening veg garden vegan veganic vermicomposting vinegar visionaries walnuts waste water water cleansing watering weeds wellbeing wetland wild edges wild food wild garlic wildflower wildlife wine recipes wings winter winter greens winter salads wood stove woodburner woodland woodland management woodlands world is possible worms yarrow year round year-round food yield young people youth zai pits zone 00 zoning

Topics

8 forms of capital active hope agroecology agroforestry alder buckthorn Amazon anxiety apples arthritis autumn Autumn equinox back yard beans Bec Hellouin beech tree bees beneficial berries biochar biodigester biodiversity blackberries blackthorn book review brain brassica cage budget build building campesino capital card deck Celtic festivals change changes chemical-free chickens christmas circular clay pot cleansers cleansing milks climate change climate chaos climate emergency climate grief climate solutions climbers climbing cob comfrey community Community Nature Network community projects compost compost teas connection consciousness conservation container cooking coppice coppicing cordial cosmology courgettes crafts crisis crop protection Cross Quarter Festival cultural emergence culture cut flowers cycles degraded design diary diversity DIY do it yourself dryland earth care earth's cycles Earth's energy ecoculture economics ecopoetry ecosystem ecosystem restoration camps ecosystems edges edible edible flowers education efficiency elder elderflowers elements elixir energy equinox ethics face mask fair shares Fairtrade farming feedback feminine ferns figs film firewood floristry flower essence flower garden flowers food food forest food garden footbath forage foraging forest garden forest gardening forests fruit fruit leather fruit trees funding fungi future future care gardening gardens garlic gift economy gin Give Nature a voice Glennie Kindred global poverty glut grapes green space greenhouse grief groundcover grow grow food grow your own growing guilds habitat habits handcream harvest harvests hawthorn hazel hazelnut healing shrubs healing trees health healthy soil heart health hedgerow hedging herbal herbal remedies herbal teas herbalist herbs holistic holistic planned grazing home homeless homemade wine homestead hope Hugelkultur humanure hummus hungry gap IBC tanks Imbolc incense increase yields Indigenous inexpensive influence inspiration International Womens Day jam keyline kingfisher kitchen garden lacto-fermentation Lammas land landscape landscapes life lifestyle limeflowers livelihood livestock living labs logs Looby Macnamara lotion low cost low-impact Lush Spring Prize macerations Manda Scott Mangwende Orphan Care Trust market garden market gardening marmalade marshmallow mass heater meadowsweet medicinal microbes microfarm Midwest Permaculture mimic mindset mitigation money Morag Gamble moringa Mother Earth movement mulch multifunctional mushrooms native plants natural natural building natural fertiliser natural skincare natural swimming pool nature nature connection nitrogen no dig no waste no-dig north-facing novel November nutrition nuts observe oca October off-grid oil cleansing orchard orchards organic organic flowers organic gardening outdoor shower oven oxymel oyster pallets pasture-fed patterns people people care peoplecare perennials permaculture permaculture design permaculture magazine award permaculture projects permaculutre permayouth pesto pests philippines pine tree pips pizza oven plant profile plants pollinators pollution polyculture polycultures positive change preserving principles propagating protection pruning prunings psycho-spiritual awareness psychospiritual transformation rainforest rainwater raspberries recipe recipes reduce reed beds regeneration regenerative regenerative agriculture relative location relative matter remedy renewable renewable energy resilient resources restoration reuse revolution rhythms rootstock rootstocks roundhouse roundwood runner beans sage salad salads salve Samhain schools Scotland scotts pine seasonal seasons seeds selfcare Sepp Holzer september septic tanks sewage treatment shade shamanism sheet mulching shrubs skincare sloes slugs small solutions small-scale smallholding social justice soil health solar solutions sowing spiritual spring squash stacking functions stock-free straw straw bale summer support sustainable Sweet Bay syntropic systems temperate terraces thistles thrutopia timber timber framing tincture tonic toolkit tools transformation trees upcycle urban urban gardening veg garden vegan veganic vermicomposting vinegar visionaries walnuts waste water water cleansing watering weeds wellbeing wetland wild edges wild food wild garlic wildflower wildlife wine recipes wings winter winter greens winter salads wood stove woodburner woodland woodland management woodlands world is possible worms yarrow year round year-round food yield young people youth zai pits zone 00 zoning

Get Rid of Pests with Garlic

How to use garlic to create a natural pest repellant in the organic garden.

The natural repellent nature of garlic makes it a perfect tool for keeping pests off plants. Garlic water is simple to make and easy to administer. It can be used on vegetables or on flowering plants. This simple to make garlic tonic works well for pests such as aphids, but gardeners who are concerned about harmful chemicals can kick up the benefits of garlic water for plants by simply adjusting the ingredient list. Below are several recipes that can help dispel the vermin and pests from your garden. The heavy garlic smell dissipates quickly but is active enough to keep bugs away. Even organic vegetables should be washed before eating, so make that a habit. 

Moles, voles and nibblers

Moles and voles leave a shallow tunnel near the surface of the ground because they are looking for roots to nibble on. Often the sign of a mole in the garden is a wilted plant that when pulled has significant root damage. Using garlic to combat mole, voles and gophers is a positive and non-toxic way to keep nibbling pests out of the garden.

To prepare: Use whole or crushed garlic and place directly into their tunnels. The odor of garlic is very strong to their sensitive nose and this will encourage them abandon the area. Garlic plants also work as a great deterrent so planting garlic as a companion plant is helpful to eliminate a mole or vole problem before it even begins. Using garlic water for plants can also work as a tonic that seeps into the soil and disrupts the harmful denizens that may abide there. Gophers, moles and voles will avoid digging in dirt that is treated with garlic water. The recipe for garlic water is located at the bottom of the page.

Garlic water for pests

Aphids, stink bugs and harlequin cabbage bugs can really destroy crops around the garden. To help keep pests off plants use a spritzer bottle and garlic water to douse plants before or during an infestation. Garlic has many positive properties that bugs (and some people) do not like. Garlic water is an easy and simple way to rid your plants of pests without using harmful chemicals that may be toxic or may leech into the ground water.

Organic gardening is about using natural products to produce food that is chemical free. Using garlic water is a great way to maximise crop production without relying on chemicals. 

Standard garlic water recipe

6 cloves of garlic peeled and sliced fine

2 quarts of tap water or purified water

1 tbsp natural soap (castile is a good brand)

1 spritzer bottle

1 mason jar with lid ( recycled jar works fine too)

In a saucepan, warm water until it begins to steam. Add sliced garlic and maintain temperature for 20 minutes. Allow water to cool, remove garlic from water and discard (compost.) Add soap to spritzer bottle. Using a funnel add enough water to fill the spritzer bottle almost full but leave at least 1/2 inch of room. Put the lid on the spritzer bottle and shake slightly when ready to use. Spray plants early in the morning or in the evening time after the hottest part of the day has past. Several applications may be needed. Avoid using the spray on hot days as the liquid and sunlight may burn the plants. Extra liquid can be stored in the jar in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Improved garlic water recipe for plants

6 cloves of garlic peeled and sliced fine

2 hot peppers chopped fine

2 quarts of tap water or purified water

1 tbsp natural soap (castile is a good brand)

1 spritzer bottle

1 mason jar with lid ( recycled jar works fine too)

In a saucepan, warm water until it begins to steam. Add sliced garlic and hot peppers and maintain temperature for 20 minutes. Allow water to cool, remove garlic and peppers from water (strain if needed) and discard (compost.) Add soap to spritzer bottle. Using a funnel add enough water to fill the spritzer bottle almost full but leave at least 1/2 inch of room. Put the lid on the spritzer bottle and shake slightly when ready to use. Spray plants early in the morning or in the evening time after the hottest part of the day has past. Several applications may be needed. Avoid using the spray on hot days as the liquid and sunlight may burn the plants. Store excess liquid in the mason jar with a lid on it. Water can be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks. Wear gloves and goggles when using this spray it can cause blister on sensitive skin and cause significant eye damage if you should get it in your eyes. Wash hands thoroughly when finished. KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN.

Using natural insecticides

Using natural insecticides is a positive and beneficial way to grow a healthy garden and take care of the environment. In the 1950s, DDT was very popular as an insecticide and was sold over the counter. The result was cancer and DDT was removed from the market. Chemicals that are safe today may not be safe tomorrow. Do yourself the favour and avoid them. These natural insecticides work well and help to alleviate many garden pests.

For more information visit: http://davenmidtown.hubpages.com/hub/Garlic-Water-For-Plants#

Useful links

Growing peas without pests

Summer gardening tips for growing & pest control