Garlic: An Herb Society of America Guide

Other Uses

Insect Repellent

Garlic has a long folk tradition as an insect and pest repellent used to combat aphids, white flies, spiders and other pests (61, 66, 82), but garlic's insect repellent abilities are more than just folklore. Diallyl disulfide and diallyl trisulfide, two compounds in garlic oil, are insecticidal (46). In scientific studies, garlic has successfully destroyed mosquito larvae and certain species of ticks, and has repelled mosquitoes, black flies, fruit flies, and fleas (46). Garlic oil has been effective enough combating insects to be included in a patented insect repellent for humans (78 cited in 46). Garlic has also demonstrated success repelling larger pests, including rabbits, moles and deer (41). It can be used to prevent the spread of mold and repel insects from stored fruit (53), and some people even place garlic in drawers to repel moths (41).

Susan Belsinger's Garlic and Chile Insecticidal Soap

For many years I've made this spray, (which I may have read about in a long ago issue of Mother Earth News or Organic Gardening) from garlic and hot peppers and applied it to plants with an infestation of aphids and white fly. I also use this spray on my plants before moving them back into the greenhouse after spending the summer outdoors; it makes all of the critters take off and leave.

The recipe is loose, but generally to make about 3 cups of concentrate I use:

6 or 8 large cloves of garlic
3 or 4 hot chile peppers, fresh or dried
3 cups water
1 tablespoon liquid castile soap (like Dr. Bronner's or Basic-H)

Put the garlic, chiles, and water into the blender and blend until the garlic and chiles are pureed. Let stand for at least 2 hours or overnight. Pour the mixture through a strainer lined with fine cheesecloth, through a coffee filter, or even a jelly bag. You can also use a wet paper towel, though this takes longer to strain. The idea is to get rid of all of the particles because they will stop up the valve of your sprayer.

Once strained, pour into a jar with a plastic lid (not metal), add the soap, and stir. The concentrate is ready to use, or it can be stored in a cool dark place for a few months to be used as needed. My spray bottle holds a little less than a liter, so I add about 2 to 3 tablespoons of the concentrate to the bottle and fill it with water. I spray the plants late in the day, so that hot sun doesn't shine on them once they are sprayed, making sure I get both sides of the leaves. You may need to apply the spray a few times if you have a serious infestation. 

Recipe © Susan Belsinger

Adhesive

Garlic "glue" can be made by simply rubbing clove juice on paper (41) or glass, and garlic adhesive has been used to repair glass in China (16, 74 cited in 55).

Cosmetics

Homemade cosmetics can be made with garlic. For a face cleanser, combine garlic and lemon with water, or cider vinegar and lavender flowers. For a scalp and hair lotion, mix garlic with vodka, water and rosemary (41). Believe it or not "garlic derivatives" have even been used in perfumes (32 cited in 67)! When using garlic in cosmetic preparations, Pat Reppert suggests applying a diluted garlic solution on the inside of the arm to check for sensitivity or irritation (59).

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