Spring is the best time to begin sowing in the garden, and if you own roses, then there is one plant known to keep them healthy and pest-free. Roses are vulnerable in the spring due to warm temperatures and increased rain which creates ideal conditions for fungal diseases like black spot to take hold, as well as many pests to thrive. 

However, you do not need to spray roses with chemicals to protect them, as the gardening experts on The Garlic Farm have shared that one of the best natural defences for roses is garlic plants. They said: “If you want to give your homegrown roses a little extra help, pop a few garlic cloves in the rose beds to help deter aphids, snails, caterpillars and the other insects intent on destroying your lovely flowers.” 

It may seem unusual, but garlic is one of the best companion plants for roses as it contains sulphur, a smelly compound known to repel common pests that love to feast on roses. 

These insects rely on their sense of smell to find food, but as garlic grows, it releases trace amounts of sulfur into the soil and the air to make roses less appetising to them. 

The expert added: “Garlic is a natural deterrent to common garden pests, thanks to the sulphur it accumulates in the garlic bulb, which acts as a fungicide and deters pests such as aphids.”

Garlic can also prevent disease as it has strong antifungal properties, and garlic roots can break down compact soil to allow more air to reach the rose roots.

This reduces the risk of stagnant water, which can encourage mould, mildew or black spot spores to infect the plant.  

Planting garlic next to roses is a natural way to keep them healthy and reduce stress, which means you're more likely to enjoy big, beautiful blooms by summertime. 

The best way to plant garlic near roses 

Garlic can be planted near roses as soon as the ground is warm enough, which tends to be in mid-spring, in late April. 

Plant garlic at least 15 centimetres away from roses, but ideally sow them 20 to 30 centimetres away so both plants can grow without competing for water or root space. 

Both roses and garlic need well-draining soil with plenty of sunlight, so avoid planting them in any shady spots in your garden. 

The expert said: “Plant three to four cloves in a circle around each rose bush, and the sulphur present in the garlic will disperse into the soil and be taken up by the rose, making it a less palatable treat for little bugs.”

Water garlic once they are planted, keep an eye on both plants as they will need plenty of moisture to grow properly in spring and both plants will stay healthy throughout the rest of the year.