Garlic macerate

Garlic macerate

The garlic macerate is one of the preparations that repels insects and mites; therefore useful for the containment of parasites of vegetable crops conducted with organic cultivation techniques.
In addition, garlic also performs an effective activity against fungal diseases such as downy mildew and, if distributed in the soil, against some types of nematodes (parasites present in the earth).
The use of garlic macerate, like other similar products, must in any case be used in a preventive manner when the climatic conditions (humidity and temperature) exist which can lead to infestation of cryptogams or parasites.

Preparation –
For the preparation of the garlic macerate we indicate the doses which, obviously, for greater uses must be multiplied in proportion.
In our case 100 g of garlic bulbs are used, which must be chopped in 10 liters of water, and let them macerate for at least 24 – 36 hours.
With a similar procedure, you can also prepare the garlic infusion by putting 3 or 4 cloves of crushed garlic in 1/2 liter of boiling water and leaving them to rest for a couple of hours.
If large quantities have to be prepared to add to the soil, both cloves and leaves can be used; in this case the doses will be 5 kg of fresh plant per 100 liters of water.

Use –
Both the infusion and the macerate must be used undiluted, sprayed directly on the plants or on the ground.
Before using it, however, it is advisable to filter the preparation well, even with a linen cloth, to prevent the nebulizer nozzles from clogging.
A solution that increases the effectiveness of the infusion or macerate is to add a spoonful of Marseille soap to every liter of water.
This formulation also adds that of Marseille soap to the action of garlic and makes it more effective against aphids and scale insects.