Garlic Discourages Garden Pests

Protect your garden from wildlife pests with a handy and natural deterrent. Garlic, from small to large bulbs, often serves as a deterrent to different types of pests. Deer often avoid visiting garden beds dominated by garlic. Even rabbits are often seen playing — but not sampling — the tempting greens sprouting in the midst of a garlic patch.

The natural dislike which wildlife feels toward garlic can make its presence in your garden invaluable. Disguising your garden as a garlic patch or using garlic as a natural boundary or perimeter around beds, plants, and garden patches can produce the same effect.

Many gardeners weave garlic into their rows by planting a bulb every few plants. Garlic stems and leaves are visible amidst onion patches, radish beds, carrot rows, and even hills of favorite vegetables.

Other gardeners surround their plants or plant beds with clumps of garlic. The garlic border and its close proximity to the greens will discourage many pests from visiting, whether deterred by the strong scent or fooled by the presence of so many garlic plants into avoiding it as a garlic patch.

These garlic borders are easy to plant and maintain, since garlic thrives and survives in most seasons. Easily divided, the bulbs can be spread to new parts of the garden to serve as a deterrent without the need to purchase more plants. While the scent of garlic may be strong (and may make some food fans mouths water), the benefits to your plants may be worth the presence of a little garlic scent in the garden.