Maintaining healthy soil and good irrigation practices should prevent major issues in our small gardens. However, it can happen that something slips out of our control, and insect invasions are among the most common problems.
To eliminate annoying guests like aphids or scale insects, you can turn to completely natural ingredients, avoiding reliance on pesticides or other toxic and harmful products.
Garlic and alcohol are two natural ingredients with excellent insecticidal, repellent, and fungicidal properties. Here’s how to prepare garlic alcohol to get rid of insects that “attack” your plants.
To make half a liter of insecticide, you’ll need 6 garlic cloves, equal parts of water and 96% white alcohol, and a bit of biodegradable dish detergent (alternatively, a piece of Marseille soap).
- Crush the garlic cloves and place them in a spray bottle.
- Pour the alcohol into the bottle until it’s half full and let it sit overnight.
- The next day, add water and the soap, shaking well to integrate the ingredients.
Using garlic alcohol is straightforward: simply spray it on the plants to repel aphids, scale insects, ants, wasps, and many other types of pests. This natural solution helps keep your garden free from harmful insects without resorting to toxic chemicals.