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Garlic Spray

Garlic has long been known to work well as a pesticide. Garlic is one of the most used seasonings in many culinary dishes. This makes garlic a great "least toxic" pesticide for use in the home garden. Garlic degrades rapidly in the environment and has had no adverse side effects on humans. It can be used as a dried powder but many prefer to make a spray. Many commercial products have been distilled to make a more concentrated solution. Garlic is a great for control of soft bodied insects like aphids but is should be noted that it also effects beneficial insects as well.

Garlic sprays are great for the beginning organic gardener because it is simple and effective. As gardeners gain more knowledge garlic spray will only be part of a greater list of organic solutions.

Henry Doubleday Research Association in England noted it becomes an effective insecticide When it is combined with mineral oil and pure castile soap. Some studies also suggest that a garlic oil spray has fungicidal properties.

Materials:

Blender or knife
Cheesecloth or panty hose.

Ingredients:

3-4 oz of garlic
6 teaspoons of oil (neem adds pest fighting power (but will kill more beneficial) but you can also use most cooking oils or mineral oil)
3 tablespoons of soap (Castile is best but you can use most dish soaps)
~1 pint of water

Making the Garlic Spray:

Fast Way:
Take the garlic and oil and place them in the blender. Blend on low speed and add just enough warm water to make it blend better. Keep on low for about 1 minute or until you see that the garlic is in small pieces (keep in mind you don't want to blend it so much that the garlic will go through the mesh of a pantyhose or cheesecloth). Pour mixture into a container (glass won't absorb odors as much). Let it sit for 30 minutes. Mix the rest of the water and the soap in. Strain the mixture through a cheesecloth or pantyhose (the more layers the better). Place in a labeled glass jar for storage (Mason Jar). If possible, refrigerate it. Follow the instructions for use below. Keep in mind that this mixture will not be as strong as the Slow Method

Slow Way (better):
Mince the garlic (finer the better), add it to the oil and let it soak for a least a day. Add the water and soap and mix thoroughly. Strain the mixture through a cheesecloth or pantyhose (the more layers the better). Place in a labeled glass jar for storage (Mason Jar). If possible, refrigerate it.

How to use Garlic Spray:

Shake garlic spray mixture. Use 1-2 teaspoons for every pint of water. Spray plants carefully and ensure that you cover the plant completely. Some sensitive plants may need to be tested on a few leaves first; give it a 4 days and if you don't see any damage then you are safe.

The best time to spray is early morning or late evening. If it is too hot outside the solution may damage some plants. You can experiment with different concentrations.
 

Additional Information:

To make a fungicide follow the same instructions with adding the water (makes a very concentrated oil). Follow the same usage instructions. Better fungicides exist.