6 Uses for Growing Garlic in your Garden

Grow Garlic in Your Garden For More Than Just Cooking

By Gina LiVorio Posted on 1/28/2022

Garlic is a culinary gem, used in kitchens around the world to enhance dishes with another dimension of flavor. But did you know there are uses for garlic other than cooking or kitchen use?

With our guide to growing garlic, you will see growing garlic at home is easier than you might think, just as long as all the requirements are met. The uses for garlic in your garden that you might not have known about make it an even more desirable vegetable to grow, which we will outline below.

Guide to Growing Garlic

Wild Garlic

To recap one of our previous blogs on growing garlic at home, garlic can be grown for an extended period of time – anywhere from late summer to early winter. This longer growing season allows you to enjoy cooking with it for many months. Garlic bulbs also won’t take up a lot of garden real estate, so you only need a small portion of your garden to grow it.

However, there are many unexpected uses for garlic besides cooking, and therefore it’s an incredible asset to keep in your garden repertoire.

Growing Garlic: 6 Ways to Use Garlic in The Garden

Garlic Bulb

  1. Natural Fungicide

Use the garlic growing right in your garden to prevent fungus from growing on your plants. Organic gardeners will love this natural way of getting rid of fungus growing on your crop. Simply mix several gloves of garlic with one pint of water, and puree it in a blender. After straining the mixture, put it in a spray bottle and spritz your plants with it.

  1. Companion Plant

Garlic is a great companion plant for your garden. It’s especially beneficial to grow garlic alongside your roses for an extra barrier of protection against insects, pests, and diseases. Pests detest the fragrant smell of garlic, so planting it alongside your roses will keep any harmful pests at bay. It’s also great as a companion plant for tomatoes, cabbage, peppers, and carrots.

  1. Pest Control

Garlic makes an excellent companion plant because of its pest control capabilities. Grow garlic in your garden for the ultimate natural pest control method. Use garlic as an organic pesticide by spraying your plants with water and a homemade garlic repellent and never worry about pests destroying your hard-earned crops again.

  1. Mosquito Control

If you’re sensing a theme here, you’re right on the money. The pungent smell of garlic is not only a natural fungicide, great companion plant and pest control technique, its strong smell can also be used for mosquito control in your garden. Garlic mixed with oil will keep the mosquitos at bay.

  1. Protect Fruit Trees

Growing garlic near fruit trees will keep the harmful pests like borers, weevils, and fruit flies away while attracting beneficial insects. Garlic will ensure your garden will harvest plenty of healthy fruit trees, but it’s better to spray as a preventative measure rather than having to deal with pests overtaking your fruit trees.

  1. Health Benefits

Garlic has a variety of health benefits and has been used for medicinal purposes dating back centuries. Garlic’s many heath benefits include combating the common cold, reducing blood pressure, improving bone health, and lowering the risk of heart diseases. It’s also believed that garlic can increase life expectancy, although that cannot be proven.

Uses for Growing Garlic Conclusion

Garlic is a natural pesticide and fungicide that is antibacterial, antiviral and anti-fungal. DIY garlic sprays are inexpensive and quick to make at home, simply by mixing crushed cloves with water, letting it infuse overnight then straining it and diluting it with more water. Since garlic has a strong taste, refrain from spraying on the vegetable garden close to harvest time.

Garlic is not only a delicious addition to culinary dishes, but it has a variety of different uses that can be beneficial to your garden. Growing garlic is good for more than cooking, as evidenced by the list above. If you’re looking for a natural pesticide, fungicide and protection against harmful pests or diseases, garlic is a great addition to your garden.

 

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