Garlic, a member of the same plant family as onions, leeks, and shallots, boasts significant benefits when utilized on plants.

Widely cultivated and extensively employed in cooking, garlic has surprising effects on plant growth. It is believed to have originated in the Near East around four thousand years ago, introduced from Central Asia, with documented usage in India and Egypt dating back to the third millennium BC.

Nutritional Content: Garlic is a nutrient-rich plant, containing notable amounts of micronutrients such as manganese, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and selenium, while being low in calories. Its richness in polyphenols and antioxidants is further heightened in black garlic, obtained through a specific transformation of white garlic under constant temperature and humidity.

Benefits and Uses in the Garden: Apart from its culinary significance, garlic is an easily cultivatable medicinal plant with diverse applications in gardens and orchards. Its properties offer various advantages:

1. Protection Against Pests: Garlic serves as a natural deterrent for pests like aphids and spider mites, safeguarding fruit trees from infestations and preventing fungal attacks. Planting garlic around fruit trees acts as an effective barrier.
2. Companion Planting: Combining garlic with other crops can preemptively ward off parasites in the garden, enhancing overall plant health.
3. Natural Bactericide and Fungicide: Growing garlic in proximity to other plants, particularly tomatoes, proves beneficial, acting as a natural bactericide and fungicide. It acts as a repellent for common parasites and nematodes, benefiting crops like carrots and strawberries.

Garlic Infusion Against Aphids: A homemade remedy for aphids involves creating a garlic infusion. Applied at dawn or dusk for about five days, this infusion effectively deters aphids without resorting to toxic chemicals.

Garlic as a Fungicide: To create an insecticide, blend a head of garlic with cloves and water. After letting it rest for a day, mix it with water and spray it directly on plant leaves to combat fungal issues.

Homemade Insecticide – APICHI: Garlic contributes to a potent insecticide called APICHI, effective against soft-bodied insects like mites, whiteflies, aphids, and caterpillars. To make this insecticide, garlic cloves are chopped, crushed, macerated in water for 24 hours, boiled, cooled, filtered, and applied with a sprayer. This homemade solution provides an eco-friendly alternative to commercial insecticides.