Our allotment course ended last Monday. It was information packed, a very good experience, and the time flew. Many thanks to our tutor Elaine, who spent so much time preparing the lessons especially for us veg and fruit lovers.
The good news is, Coolmine will be presenting the course again next year, so if you missed it last time, you can do it after Christmas. The course is open to everyone, so you can bring a friend!
Here is one of the many tips we got from the course:
If you want to use organic methods where possible, a milky water spray deters a lot of flying pests. Better still is a garlic spray, which deters pests, helps control late blight on potatoes and tomatoes, and works against diseases in stone fruits, cucumbers, spinach, radishes and beans. Rabbits don’t like the smell of garlic! Cheaper than any chemical spray, and organic too. You can buy it commercially, or make your own.
Here is a recipe I found for the garlic spray:
- Take 3-4 oz finely chopped garlic cloves and soak in 2 tablespoons mineral oil for a day.
- Add one pint of water, in which 1 tsp of fish emulsion has been dissolved.
- Stir well. Strain through a very fine muslin cloth, and refrigerate in a glass or china container. It reacts with metal.
- Dilute for use, 1 part mixture to 20 parts water and spray plants. Rabbits dislike the smell of fish too!
Planting garlic around fruit trees discourages borers, and garlic also protects roses and tomatoes.
Don’t plant around peas or beans as garlic inhibits their growth.
By Ritamary, Plot 21
Powerstown Allotments 
Interested in the guy group contact
Hi Lily, sorry the GIY course did not run in Coolmine CS in January, there wasn’t enough interest. We’re looking into setting up a local GIY group, will keep you informed.
Whiteflies attacked my plants. I read online that garlic sprays are effective in controlling pests. So I prepared a garlic spray by following your recipe. It worked! Helped me to get rid of whiteflies.
Great to hear!