Cheap and simple homemade spray 'will make slugs and snails instantly turn away' from plants

Slugs and snails, the crafty critters notorious for their stealthy plant-munching escapades, often go unnoticed until the tell-tale signs of chewed leaves and slimy trails appear.

These garden pests can cause chaos without detection, but there are ways to fight back, with many gardeners turning to homemade solutions for relief.

One such remedy has been touted to deliver "instant" results, according to a Facebook post by an enthusiast named Lara Smith.

Lara shared her triumph on social media, stating that a simple concoction of garlic and water was enough to deter the unwelcome visitors.

In her post, she expressed her excitement: "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.

She elaborated on her experience: "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 test 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 vulnerable plants.

Garlic, part of the allium family, is well-known for its pest-repelling properties, including its effectiveness against slugs and snails.

Gardeners have the option to use fresh or various other forms of garlic to safeguard their gardens from these leafy predators. Lara also explained how she prepared her powerful garlic mixture.

She detailed: "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."

This mixture can be stored for several months in the fridge, so feel free to whip up extra batches for future use.

Echoing in the comments section, another gardening enthusiast revealed that the blend stays potent even after a year if properly stored.

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

Garden professionals at Sienna Hosta also endorse the use of a garlic wash recipe, adding that a batch can maintain its longevity for a year if kept outside in a cool, dry location or refrigerated.