The first advice I have to give is choose your battles. Some vegetables are easily grown organically while others are very difficult. One of the reasons organic gardening has taken so long to catch on is because of the reduced yield resulting from pests. Growing small quantities of some vegetables proves extremely difficult because pests that thrive on each particular plant are concentrated with few plants to disperse to. Decide what is worth growing! Instead of cooking up batches of environmentally friendly bug repellants just grow foods bugs are not that all interested in. Leave the other ones up to the professionals. Gardening does not have to be a struggle if you choose the right plants.
Do grow: Carrots, radishes, eggplant, cucumbers, pumpkins, squash, zucchini, beans, peas, onions, lettuce, swiss chard, spinach, tomatoes, leeks, strawberries, raspberries
Don’t grow: Broccoil, brussel sprouts, corn, or potatoes.
This is a lesson I have learned over time through helping with our family garden. In the beginning we tried to grow everything! Out of passion for all of our work my mom soaked our broccoli in vinegar and water to get the worms out. Then steamed it up and served it for dinner! This method is not errorless and there was the occasional worm found. Not the extra nutrition I’m looking for! Brussels sprouts are also very difficult. Brussels sprouts are prone to aphids and other tiny insect infestations because there are so many crooks and crannies for them to inhabit. We tried to clean them up by peeling away the outside leaves but this method is not foolproof either. Once again there are bugs on the dinner table!
If raccoons are a problem in your area do not try and grow corn. It will attract them to your garden and they will damage your other plants when they are making their way to your corn. Unless you have enough space to grow a large number of rows - you will be lucky to get a couple ears! Trust me it is not worth the hassle! Especially if you have outdoor or indoor/outdoor cats! Ranger Rick is a misleading representation of the temperament common among raccoons!
Another thing that is not really worth growing is potatoes. They take a fair amount of space to grow considering how much they cost when buying them at the grocery store, and potato bugs are a nightmare! You can spray your plants with soap and/or cayenne pepper and pick off the potato grubs and beetles daily - but the question is: Is it worth it? We have decided not to continue growing them.
The do grow plants I have listed are relatively simple. Prior to planting your seeds mix human hair into the soil. Human hair deters rabbits. When you plant your seeds plant them in little trenches and place sheets of chicken wire or a smaller scale wire mesh over top to help deter rabbits from eating the tender sprouts when your seeds begin to grow. If rabbits can get at these your plants will never get a chance! Once your seeds have sprouted you can also spray them with cayenne pepper mixed with water.
Regardless of the type of vegetable you are growing it is always good to protect new growth with chicken wire or wire mesh. Once your plants are established it can be removed. Many vegetables are easy to maintain once they are established. Plants like beans, squash, zucchini, pumpkin, peas, and tomatoes do not need to be protected.
Protect your strawberries from the birds with chicken wire. Simply lay it over top of your strawberry plants. There is no need to affix it with anything. This way it is easily moved out of the way when they are ready to be picked. Fake owls and large rubber snakes also discourage the birds.
Another method of protecting your berries and vegetables is by supplying an alternative food source. Plant a sour cherry tree to keep the birds away from your berries and plant extra lettuce, spinach, and swiss chard for the rabbits that you leave accessable. These grow fast and therefore it is painless to share. It also comes up quickly in the spring and helps to draw rabbits away from your sprouting rows!
Consider working in harmony with nature rather than trying to control it.
