Garlic and chilli infusion

How it works

Sulphur compounds and capsaicin make foliage smell and taste wrong, so insects settle elsewhere. This is a deterrent, not an insecticide - it repels rather than kills.

Recipe

Crush 2 whole garlic bulbs and 2 hot chillies, cover with 1 litre boiling water, steep 24 hours, strain through cloth, then dilute 1:5 with water and add 2 ml soft soap so it sticks.

How to apply

Spray weekly and always again after rain. Best used early, on a light infestation you want to move along rather than a heavy one you need to stop.

Targets — pests

Aphids, Caterpillars (deterrent), Rabbits and deer browsing

Targets — diseases

Not recorded — the field is blank rather than guessed.

Supplies: Garlic, Chilli, Potassium soft soap, 5 L pressure sprayer

Days to harvest after spraying: 0

Best months: not recorded

Cautions

Wear gloves and keep it off your eyes. Strain well or it will block the sprayer.

The thing people get wrong

Be realistic about this one. It nudges pests away for a few days at best and washes off in the first shower - useful as a top-up between real measures, not as your defence. If a plant is already covered in aphids, reach for the soap spray instead.