A TikTok user has shared a homemade pest repellent which is perfect for gardeners who are struggling with flies, snails and slugs feasting on their plants in the summer months
Gardeners tending to their plants know all too well the havoc that pests like slugs, snails, and certain flies can wreak.
These critters love nothing more than to feast on your freshly grown plants, damaging delicate leaves and forcing your flowers to double their efforts to thrive.
These pests usually come out in damp conditions and are most active at night, which makes it almost impossible to catch them in the act and get rid of them before they damage your garden.
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However, one gardener has shared a homemade repellent recipe that could keep slugs and other pests at bay for as little as 55p.
A novice TikTok gardener named Ellie, who describes herself as a “first-time gardener”, has been battling with flies and other insects chomping on her flowers and the vegetable plants she’s trying to cultivate.
But her father-in-law came up with a suggestion to use garlic to address the problem – and the results have been impressive so far. Love dreamy Welsh homes?
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She explained: “As suggested by my father-in-law, a cheap and eco-friendly way to repel these [pests] is actually to use garlic. Here you can see I’ve chopped up the garlic. You want to chop it into a very fine paste and put it into a spray bottle.
“Fill [the bottle] up with water and just spray it directly onto your plants. This will work for a number of pests such as flies and slugs, and you can use it on most plants as it’s very natural. It’s only garlic, but I have heard of people using lemon with it, too.”
Gardener’s World suggests that garlic is an effective method to keep slugs and snails at bay in your garden.
However, they stressed the need for regular application to ensure it remains an effective natural alternative to harsh chemical pest deterrents.
Their advice is: “Take two full bulbs of garlic and add them to a saucepan containing two litres of water. Boil gently until soft and then use a fork to squash the bulbs down, releasing as much of the garlic and juice as possible.
“Pour the solution through a sieve to remove the skins. Then dilute this solution by adding 2 tablespoons to five litres of water. Spray or water your plants once a week or after rain.”
How to deter garden pests naturally.
Other measures can be taken to repel unwanted guests from your garden besides garlic sprays. For instance, combining a tablespoon of dish soap with water proves effective against aphids and whiteflies, while a tablespoon of chilli powder mixed with water acts as a deterrent to insects keen on munching your plants.
Creating natural barriers around plants is yet another way to safeguard them from pest damage.
Floating row covers can be a useful tool in keeping cabbage worms and beetles away from crops, while an organic mulch layer, like straw or woodchips, can deter pests and also help maintain soil health.
Certain plants can even act as natural pest deterrents. Marigolds are known to keep whiteflies and aphids at bay, basil can ward off flies, mosquitoes, and some beetles, while nasturtiums can deter cabbage moths and aphids.
