Nematodes – A particularly insidious garlic bug is the nematode (Ditylenchus dipsaci), which lives and reproduces inside garlic plants. These microscopic worm-like pests eat all parts of the stems, leaves, and bulbs. It can live without water and survive for many years in the soil.
Nematodes. Some nematodes are beneficial to plants, but not the garlic bloat nematode, Ditylenchus dipsaci. These flat, microscopic, soil-dwelling roundworms complete their entire life cycle in about 21 days within the bulbs, stems, and leaves of your garlic.
The stem and bulb nematode, (Ditylenchus dipsaci) is one of the most destructive pests of garlic in North America and much of the world. They are a microscopic worm-like parasite that damages plants and are very difficult to control once established in a growing area.
“There are many underground critters that eat garlic as well. Some on the surface animals like squirrels and rabbits will dig up garlic and onion. There are also numerous insects that eat garlic.”
Bulb mites in the family Acaridae are shiny, creamy-white, and bulb-shaped. They are between 0.02 to 0.04 inches (0.5–1 mm) long and have brown legs. These mites generally occur in clusters and inhabit damaged areas under the root plate of onion bulbs or garlic cloves.
The main problems for home grown garlic are the fungal diseases rust and fusarium, and black aphid pests. Black onion aphids attack all alliums, so if you have chives, leeks or onions growing in your garden, then keep an eye on and treat these as well.
Treatment. Thoroughly clean bulbs, dip them in a sulfur fungicide solution, and dry them following harvest. The sulfur will control bulb mites as well as fungal diseases if the bulbs are being held at high temperatures.
Snails and slugs do not eat garlic. Leeks, chives, wild garlic and ornamental garlic are also only part of a slugs diet when they are sick or weak. These plants therefore have means to deter slugs and snails.
The pungent scent of garlic can be a headache for rodents since it is overwhelming, and they don't like it. You can place some garlic at entry points where rodents enter and if they find it, they will run away and will look for another place to infest.
Do NOT Feed: Seeds, lactose, chocolate, avocado, garlic, onion, coffee, tea, alcohol, toxic plants (in general, plants toxic to dogs and cats should not be offered to rats).
Trap Crops: If wireworms are present but not in huge numbers, you can plant a trap crop in the aisle between your garlic beds to lure them away from the garlic. Radish works well, or even wheat. Plant your bait crop in a straight line right down the middle of the aisle with seeds very close together.
Maggots are the larvae stage of flies and are cream-colored wiggly worms with an insatiable appetite. Maggots often invade kitchens and yards when there is rotting food or decomposing trash around. Flies view these areas as a perfect breeding ground to lay their eggs.
If noninfested seeds are not available, treating bulbs with hot water has been shown to reduce stem and bulb nematodes in garlic cloves. However, hot water treatment is unlikely to be 100% effective and may also predispose plants to other diseases.
You should avoid putting citrus fruits in the worm bin, as well as garlic, onions, and peppers. Composting worms will avoid these at all costs due to the high acidity. It's best to reserve these items for your regular compost pile.
Over the last few years we have all become aware of the health benefits of apple cider vinegar but did you know this fermented apple cider can also work as an effective worm treatment for our four-legged friends.
Worms are sensitive creatures, and strong or odorous foods, including those containing garlic, can overwhelm them. Any garlic you put in your bin will be left alone by the majority of worms until it has completely rotted down.
Peppermint oil is an effective method for keeping mice and rats away. These rodents cannot stand this oil's robust and minty smell, so a few drops around your home can go a long way in keeping them away.
Mice hate the smell of lavender and will avoid it at all costs! If there's a lot of lavender around your home, then you're less likely to have problems with mice coming inside. The smell of garlic is a natural repellent for mice. Garlic contains allicin which is an oil that acts as an irritant to rodents.
Garlic planted with bulbs also tends to repel rodents. Try sticking some garlic cloves in the bed at the same time you plant bulbs in the fall. The garlic will sprout during the winter, so not only will this tactic repel rodents but it also will mark all the spots where you can expect to see bulbs pop up in the spring.
Allicin is a defence compound created by garlic bulbs which both repels and kills slugs and snails. To harness this, simply put a bulb of garlic in a litre of water and blitz it in a food processor.
Use garlic to deter slugs
A home-made garlic spray can be effective in deterring slugs and snails from your plants, but only if you spray your plants regularly. Take two full bulbs of garlic and add them a saucepan containing two litres of water.
Cinnamon
To deter slugs, simply sprinkle a layer of cinnamon around the base of your plants and leave. This will stick to the slugs' bodies if they start to cross the line, prompting them to turn back – reapply after rain. The strong scent of the cinnamon will also deter slugs further.
Mop with vinegar.
Vinegar is highly acidic and will kill just about any mite that crosses its path.
Dust mites are repulsed by the smell of Clove, Eucalyptus, Lavendar, Peppermint, and Rosemary. Make your own aromatic spray by adding a few drops of one (or more) of those essential oils in a water-filled spray bottle.