How to make cheap homemade spray that ‘instantly’ repels slugs and snails forever

Slugs and snails, the crafty critters notorious for their stealthy plant-munching habits, often go unnoticed as they hide beneath damp foliage.

These garden pests can cause chaos among your prized plants, with tell-tale signs of destruction like nibbled leaves and glistening trails revealing their presence.

In the fight against these unwelcome visitors, avid gardeners have been known to whip up homemade concoctions, with one particular remedy claiming to deliver "instant" results.

Lara Smith, a member of the Facebook community, shared her triumph with fellow green thumbs, disclosing that a simple blend of garlic and water is the key to deterring these slimy intruders.

She excitedly posted: "Something very exciting happened tonight. So I was spraying my hostas after it had gone dark and saw a snail and slug on their way," reports the Express.

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Her post continued: "I sprayed the garlic solution in front of them and they instantly turned away. I thought I would try a bit more to see what happened."

The outcome of Lara's impromptu trial was positive: "So I did it again in front of it and a bigger area, and they turned away again and avoided the whole area covered with garlic spray."

It appears that the potent aroma of garlic is highly offensive to slugs and snails, making it an effective natural deterrent to protect vegetation from these voracious feeders.

Belonging to the allium family, garlic is well-known for its pest-repelling properties, effectively warding off various insects and creatures, including slugs and snails.

Garden enthusiasts can utilise both fresh and other forms of garlic to safeguard their verdant domains from these leafy predators. Lara then went on to explain how she prepares her powerful garlic mixture.

She detailed her method: "To make the homemade garlic spray, I put one chopped garlic glove into 500ml warm water, and started to use it after I left it overnight.

"I left it outdoors where there was no direct sunshine with the garlic in and put it in a spray bottle when I needed it. Don't know how long you could keep it as I am new to it. But I made mine two weeks ago."

The mixture can be stored for several months in the refrigerator, so feel free to whip up extra batches for later.

In the comments section, another gardening enthusiast shared their success with the spray, saying that it can last up to a year if stored properly.

Hazel Taylor added her insight: "I've kept garlic spray from one year to the next and it still works - if kept somewhere cool."

Experts at Sienna Hosta also endorse the use of a garlic wash and have observed that it can remain effective for up to a year when kept in a cool, dry place or refrigerated.