Garlic Water: insecticide, fungicide, deterrent

silvertipgrizz

https://dengarden.com/gardening/Using-Garlic-Water-for-Plants

Interesting article..I have not tried this yet..hoping will rid aphids and ants from my garden.

EDIT: changed title to be more specific to topic

Torey

I did this one year using a large rhubarb leaf added to the blender along with the water. We had no cabbage worms on anything that year. Just have never gotten around to it since. But reading this has put new motivation in me to get at this chore. Thanks for posting!

seeker.nancy - Central Texas

Great idea! I've made a spray in the past and included very hot tinctured cayenne pepper. Works great on aphids. I've literally seen the aphids puff up kind of reddish and die when applied directly. One word of caution: don't stand downwind!

kbmbillups1

I can't wait to try this on my tomatoes. I have powdery mildew every summer. I planted my tomatoes in a new spot this year and I have 2 on my front porch to see how powdery mildew affects them.

solarnoon.aspen

We have elk, deer and ground squirrels that LOVE my gardens. Besides, that for some reason, there is a being that likes to chop off onion tops, which I haven't encountered before this. So, I will be trying the garlic recipe soon, as my garden is just in and vulnerable because elk tore down my fencing in the winter and I haven't fixed it yet. I love to see all the life around me here, but after all these years of trying to live in harmony with them all, I just would like to plant something and see it grow up. lol.

Our garlic patch is the one thing they leave alone, so I could see this really working on the four leggeds as well as the small critters. Great article. Thanks silvertipgrizz

kbmbillups1

@solarnoon.aspen I planted garlic in between my tomato plants because I read that it would help powdery mildew. I figured why not try it. I have noticed that the squirrels aren't digging in that bed at all, but in my other bed they're having a blast. Maybe I should plant some in that one too?

JodieDownUnder

@silvertipgrizz great article to share, thankyou.

@torey what has rhubarb leaf in it to deter insects and do you have to be careful spraying on plants that will be eaten soon? I realise rhubarb leaves are poisonous but hadn't thought to use as a spray.

Torey

@jodienancarrow Not sure what it was that the rhubarb leaves were supposed to contribute to the mix. It was a recipe someone had told me about so no written words . I would think that if the plants were well washed, it shouldn't affect the edibility. It was at the beginning of the year to deter the cabbage moths so they wouldn't lay eggs. Didn't have any cabbage worms so I assumed it had deterred the moths from laying eggs. Maybe it was just the garlic that was the active component or maybe the moths didn't want to lay their eggs on something that smelled and tasted so bad. Poisonous to the larva after hatching, maybe, so they just wouldn't lay eggs there?

SherryA

Thank you for this article! I'm definitely going to try this. Bunnies don't share well and sometimes they wipe out all my baby greens!

JodieDownUnder

@torey thanks for that. Think I'll do some research on rhubarb leaves. ATM I just chop the leaves off and don't even put them in the compost for fear of poisoning it. So they are just wasted. I'll let you know.

Torey

@jodienancarrow Here is a link to assist with your research into rhubarb leaves. https://www.compoundchem.com/2015/04/16/rhubarb/

I compost mine.

JodieDownUnder

@torey well I'm going to now. I just read up about them and its the high oxalic content. Here was I thinking it was something really dangerous. So from now on , in the compost. Thanks for learning me!

Kelly McLaughlin

I’m trying this now on my tomatoes. I hope it helps!

COWLOVINGIRL

I just read the article! I had no idea! I'm going to spray this stuff all over my gardening now!

blevinandwomba

I wonder if you could use wild garlic? It's not really garlic, but it is really an allium- and it's free.

kbmbillups1

I made this tonight and it looks like milk. So, I'm calling it garlic milk! After sitting a while it looks more like water though.

I had the best time asking my kids if they wanted some garlic milk though! 🤣🤣

I can't wait to try it out, but I still have to let it sit for 24 hours.

SherryA

Great info! Thank you.

tammyrichardsmt9

Thank you! I am going to give this a try and see if it stops the bugs eating all my leaves!!

erikawinterton

https://community.thegrownetwork.com/discussion/comment/862092#Comment_862092

I Would absolutely recommend getting 6 foot fencing installed! Or a hot wire mesh. Around here we would loose our entire garden to deer. I also will be doing hot wire to keep cyotes out from our goats.

erikawinterton

I am glad I do this! I have ants that feast on my sunflowers. Aphids feasting on my beets. Squash bugs on my squash. And grasshopper everywhere! I have been using dish soap mixed with peppermint essential oil and that does take care of most of them, but it doesn't hurt to add this in the mix too. Lol 😆

kbmbillups1

As mine sat for 24 hours it turned a blue/green color. I guess from oxidation.

I now have a gallon of garlic water! I sprayed some today in my garden and I have to say it seriously smells like garlic! If nothing else the smell should chase some bugs aways!

solarnoon.aspen

erikawinterton

thanks, Yes, that will be my next project as soon as the new chicks are established ok. Got all the posts and some wire, so THAT is the plan.

Nancy A.Maurelli

Does anyone know how this spray affects the "beneficial" insects? I don't want to discourage or damage them? Please advise.

kbmbillups1

I love this stuff! I've been spraying it on my plants and the dirt around my tomato plants. I haven't had any problems so far.

🤣I was getting bit and had nothing else with me so I sprayed my legs with it! I smelled like very strong garlic but stopped getting bit! Oh - the smell wears off so you don't go around smelling like you've eaten a bulb of garlic! 🤣

I only have a spray bottle that I've been using so I haven't worried about using too much. If I had one of those pump sprayers I wouldn't use it but every once in a while because those put out a lot more liquid.

maimover

I’ve got cabbage critters destroying my kale, cabbage (red n green), broccoli, Brussels sprouts, n cauliflower. I used something last year but can’t remember what it was. Battled with the green worms early on n now another type. Am gonna try this garlic water. Thanks for posting…

kbmbillups1

@maimover I made garlic water last year and used it all summer and fall. I was keeping it in my fridge and probably a 6 weeks ago threw it out. I need to make more. It worked well for me last year. Funny - every time someone opened the fridge they'd comment on if we were having pizza or lasagna or something that my family associated with garlic! 😁

It did NOT help with the green worms though. I had them bad in my squash last year and couldn't find anything natural to help. I've been picking them off of my cabbage plants like crazy! Last week I was so frustrated I covered them with tulle because that's what I had on hand. I go out every couple days and look for caterpillars. I've found a few since covering them but not many compared to before. I wonder if they just hadn't hatched yet. I'm hoping it works and my plants come back. They've been pretty munched on!

Monek Marie

I have used this for years and it works well.

JennyT Upstate South Carolina

Definitely putting a pin in this for sure, to help my future beds and deter all the wildlife in our new place.

Thanks for sharing @silvertipgrizz.

marjstratton

Sounds like an interesting article. Not sure I want to use my garlic for that rather than eating it. I didn't put in much garlic last year.

jowitt.europe

I do not make garlic water. I plant garlic all over the place: in rose bed,next lavender, in all my vegetable high beds, in flower beds. Now they do not need planting. They think they are flowers and are blossoming nicely, spreading seeds, multiplying. When I need a garlic clove, I just pull out one or two. There are some aphids here or there - I think it is normal in a natural garden. Weaker plants have aphids, stronger do not. But it is not a problem and I do not have to do anything special. Sometimes I give them a water shower. I strengthen my plants with nettle, comfrey and horsetail water.

Melissa Swartz

@jowitt.europe Great idea of just planting the garlic. @silvertipgrizz thanks for sharing the article.