How can I protect my flowers and bushes from hungry critters in yard?

soapy water. Just a little dish soap and water in a spray bottle. Works on most !

If yout have a slug problem, try placing a shallow container of beer beside your flower bed overnight. The slugs will drown themselves!

If they are big critters like deer or rabbits, ask your salon or barber shop for hair clippings and put them into used panty hose. Most animals hate the smell of humans and this will scare them away.

Try mixing a tiny bit of liquid soap with a lot of water. Then spray your plants.

I have been using 2 tab mineral oil, 2 eggs in a gallon jug fill the rest with water and let sit for three days then put around the plants, it's been keeping the deer and others away.