How to Use Garlic to Control Pests in Your Garden, According to a Pro

Whether you have an invisible pest terrorizing your garden or have caught some bugs red-handed, you’re probably looking for a way to stop them.

If organic and easy are two words you’d like to be part of your homemade pest control plan, a garlic spray solution is exactly what you need. With a few household ingredients and a spray bottle, you can make a DIY spray that keeps a good number of pests from wreaking havoc.

We spoke with an expert who offered guidance on how to make garlic spray, what pests it repels, and other tips for keeping your garden protected.

Which Pests Don’t Like Garlic?

This one ingredient has quite a lot of pest-repelling power. Shannon Harlow-Ellis of Mosquito Joe lists a bunch of critters who don’t enjoy the scent or taste of garlic.

Garlic can help repel bugs like aphids, ants, spider mites, beetles, caterpillars, snails, slugs, and mosquitoes, she tells us. The main reason why these insects and bugs steer clear comes down to the smell.

Garlic has a strong odor that masks the scents that attract pests to plants. Even better, she points out the solution is harmless to plants, too.

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How to Make Garlic Spray to Kill Pests

Whipping up your DIY garlic spray is quick and easy. Here’s how to make it, according to Harlow-Ellis:

1. Gather your ingredients: You’ll need water, garlic, and any additions like dish soap and vegetable oil. The amount will depend on how much spray you’d like to make, but usually, 3 to 5 cloves is sufficient.
2. Crush and mix ingredients: Crush your garlic cloves and mix with water until it makes a fine puree.
3. Give it time to rest: Allow the mixture to settle overnight, then run it through a cheesecloth to strain out bits. Homeowners can add a teaspoon of dish soap and vegetable oil if desired, she says.
4. Add to water and spray: You’ll want the concentration to be mixed as 1 part solution with 10 parts water. Funnel this into a spray bottle and apply it around your garden, paying special attention to plants that are big targets for pests.

3 Ways to Customize Your Spray

• For an extra layer of defense, hot pepper is a great way to customize your garlic pest spray. Many insects won’t appreciate the taste or smell of this, but they’re not the only ones. Deer, squirrels, rabbits, and all will avoid it, too.
• Another option is an onion. Like garlic, this allium can ward off pests, and this can easily be added to the formula. Just mince or mash it like you would with garlic.
• Lastly, Harlow-Ellis notes you can add dish soap and vegetable oil. This will help the mix of ingredients blend better together and make the taste and smell even less appealing to pests.

5 Additional Pest Control Tips for Your Garden

Aside from garlic spray, here are some other ways to manage pests in your garden and keep their shenanigans at bay:

• Put in companion plants: Harlow-Ellis notes that companion planting is a great method to help repel unwanted insects. She recommends marigolds, basil, and mint.
• Be wary of water: Standing water can be a major bug magnet, especially for mosquitoes and termites. Water management practices are good to avoid over-watering, which can attract pests, Harlow-Ellis says.
• Try other DIY, non-toxic solutions: Certain commercial pesticides and repellents can harm pollinators, wildlife, pets, and humans. Take a look at other DIY options before resorting to stronger chemicals.
• Cater your pest control method to the pest: Not all repellents work against all pests. Figure out what it is that’s eating or destroying your plants and go from there.
• Seek expert help: If pests are getting out of hand, it’s better to call in experts than leave it or try to put a stop to it yourself. Homeowners should consider professional outdoor pest management measures to ensure the health of their gardens, Harlow-Ellis says.