Keeping your garden looking beautiful can be a challenge, so it is especially frustrating when weeds and pests threaten to destroy all of your hard work. 

While pests are present all year round, you might be noticing them even more at the moment as the hot weather from the last few weeks in the UK helps them to thrive.

However, instead of reaching for pesticides, which can negatively impact people, water and wildlife, expert TV gardener Naomi Saunders recommends making natural remedies, using simple ingredients you can find in your kitchen, to stop the critters in their tracks.

The Welsh presenter has shared her favourite DIY recipes for combating pests and is an ambassador for PestSmart, a campaign launched by Welsh Water which aims to reduce the public’s reliance on pesticides. 

Saunders’ favourite DIY method by far is multipurpose garlic spray. It’s very simple to make and is great for combatting both pests and plant diseases. 

To make this spray, the expert suggests peeling and crushing two garlic bulbs and covering them with 120ml of boiling water, before leaving the mixture in a bowl for 24 hours. 

Then, you’ll need to strain it into an empty spray bottle, add a drop of washing-up liquid, and shake it vigorously to settle the solution. 

Garlic spray can protect your plants against slugs, aphids and caterpillars and fight off powdery mildew. 

The sulphur compounds within garlic cloves are a very powerful fungicide alone but allicin, which is found in garlic, also deters pests with its pungent odour. 

She also suggests that you can use more garlic or dish soap to suit your needs depending on how vigilant they are. 

Do you have any gardening tips? Let us know in the comments below.