If you’re a keen gardener, you’ll know that there’s nothing more important than healthy-looking plants. But there’s one problem in the spring and summer that can quickly make your outdoor space look tired and uncared for.
Slugs and snails like to munch on plants and flowers, leaving them tattered and full of holes. If you want to keep them at bay without using harmful pesticides, then there’s one expert tip you should know. A common kitchen ingredient can get these pests to ‘stay away’ from your plants — and you’ve probably already got it in your fridge.
Gardener Ben on TikTok recently made a video hailing the benefits of spraying a simple homemade solution on to your plants that’ll make them taste ‘unpleasant’, stopping slugs and snails from chewing on them.
And the secret is a humble bulb of garlic. By boiling a half bulb in water for 20 minutes, then mixing it one part to nine parts water, you’ll have a natural pest repellent that is ultra-affordable to make too.
But when it comes to using it on your plants, there are a few key things to be aware of.
First, you’ve really got to water regularly in order to see the benefits. Ben recommends ‘dousing’ the leaves and flowers of your chosen plants, which will make them taste bad and discourage pests from snacking on them.
You should also use a fine watering can to do this, so you don’t end up over-drenching your plant.
Ben said: “It’s absorbed by the plant as it grows, making the leaves really quite unpleasant to slugs and snails, and protecting them for the rest of the year.”
Recommending a few plants to test it out on, Ben added: “Try using it on dahlias, marigolds and clematis.”
But the benefits of garlic don’t stop there. It’s also an excellent natural fertiliser for your plants.
According to Better Homes and Garderns, garlic is high in sulfur, meaning it can kill fungus and is one of the ‘easiest’ infestation remedies.
Applying garlic water to your plant’s soil will prevent also infestations from forming in the first place. If you’re looking to use garlic as an anti-fungal hack, spraying or pouring garlic water directly onto the infestation is the most effective way to go