How do I keep bugs and other pests away from my fruits and veggies?

Hi Lovey,

Yours is a busy question!

To protect your plants from insect pests what you do is Google "companion plants" and select the plants you intend to plant. It will give you a guide of which plants to plant with yours that naturally repel insect pests. One example is to plant tomato plants and Marigolds. This really works very well.

For the animal pests one method is to plant with a wire mesh in-between your plants, this stops the digging by squirrels and cats, there are other things you can do to such as pine cones, plastic forks with the tines pointing up-they din't like to walk on these.

For my potted plants, I put barriers like broken ceramic pieces, stones, brick fragments, sea shells...anything fairly unmovable-this also helps slow evaporation.

Marigolds Keep Squirrels Out of Your Garden. ... On the other sides of the garden, as well as all in between, are marigold plants. Since they don't like the smell of marigolds, they do not venture into the area.

I have many squirrels, chipmunks and rabbits and had to put an eight foot fence to keep out our dogs (lost a lot of veggies to them once when they jumped the four foot fence to get at a squirrel running the fence line. I use many windmills, as shiny as possible, to scare away critters with the flashes of light as they spin. Underground critters also don't like the vibration that they create. I always, after planting seed, and young plants, put down cayenne pepper powder followed by shredded Irish Spring soap for the four legged foragers. I keep that up until the plants are old enough that they are not young and tender for them to munch on. I always, once the tomatoes are producing, leave some tomatoes for the critters to eat so they don't pull them off the plant. You can also feed the squirrels and chipmunks things like stale cookies, nuts cereal, bread, etc. away from the veggie garden to keep them satisfied and knowing that they can eat in that spot and not terrorize the veggies. I don't have much of a bug problem, so I can't advise you on that.

control bugs with Beneficial bugs buy them online Live Lady Bugs,Praying Mantis Egg cases;Soil add Nematodes; Squirrels and cats put chicken wire down on ground before plants emerge they cannot dig in soil,get motion sensor sprinkler head it will spray them when they enter garden. Don't use cayenne,spices,oils that will burn animals they do not associate the burning with staying out of garden it just is cruel it burns their eyes,mouth,ears,private parts,feet later when they leave garden and are trying to groom themselves. potted plants some aluminum foil over soil indoors or out