Tulbaghia acutiloba is used in traditional medicine to treat barenness, flu and bad breath. It is also used by Zulu people, in the same way that they use T. violacea, which they refer to as isihaqa, as an aphrodisiac.
The garlic smell of the leaves is strong enough to repel pests and it is widely used in companion planting. The leaves are eaten as a culinary herb.