- 1). Plant flowers among the vegetables to attract beneficial insects. Insects will be attracted to the pollen and nectar, which they also eat. But beneficial insects, such as ladybugs, spiders, lacewings and parasitic wasps also eat plant-eating pests like aphids and spider mites. Remember not to use insecticides because it will also kill the beneficial insects, which you want in your garden.
- 2). Practice crop rotation. Never plant the same crop in the same place two years in a row. It is even better to only plant in the same place every third year. Crop rotation prevents pests and diseases from becoming rampant in the garden. When you practice crop rotation, pests that over-wintered from the previous year's crops are in an area where a completely different crop is currently growing, thus confusing them and depriving them of their food source. This will diminish their population to manageable levels that can be controlled using other methods.
- 3). Use companion planting. Marigolds kill nematodes in garden soil. These are microscopic worm-like pest that damage tomatoes, potatoes and other members of the nightshade family. They release a chemical from their roots and decaying foliage that kills nematodes. You can also till marigolds into the soil to decay and they will work their magic that way. Plants like garlic and chives deter beetles, vegetable weevils and spider mites. Nasturtiums repel whitefly and squash bugs. Sunflowers attract cut worms, often to the point that they will leave your young and tender tomatoes and peppers alone.
- 4). Cover crops with floating row covers, which are made of light weight non-woven fabric. They cover the crop without crushing it, preventing destructive insects from munching on your crops. Remove the row covers for a couple of hours every other day to allow bees to pollinate the flowers of vining crops such as cucumbers, squash and pumpkins, or they won't set fruit.
- 5). Surround your garden with "deterrents." To keep herbivores out, spray the perimeter with hot pepper spray, scatter cayenne pepper on the ground, spray carnivore urine, scatter rotten eggs or scatter blood meal. Human hair spread around the perimeter can deter deer, as can soap hung in mesh bags about 3 feet high (close to the height of their noses). Replace the soap every couple of weeks so it doesn't lose its scent or dissolve in the rain.
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