I'm curious about the toughest garden pests in your area and what strategies you use to combat them. Are there certain plants that seem to deter them? Any effective traps or barriers that have worked for you?
3 Answers
Squash vine borers are the bane of my existence! I've tried everything from planting bait plants to wrapping stems in foil, but nothing seems to work. I even get a kick out of throwing their grubs to the birds whenever I find them. Just put up a greenhouse recently—I might try growing a melon or squash in there, just to make a point!
I've really struggled with groundhogs. The best solution I've found is to grow things they don't like, like leeks and basil. Plus, I also use have-a-heart traps baited with carrots and apples, and it worked well for me; I even relocated 5-6 of them a couple of years ago and haven't seen them since! Another tip is to have dog scent in the area, as it keeps them away pretty effectively.
That's a clever idea with the traps! I’ve noticed that groundhogs are pretty smart and avoid traps, so the dog scent might just do the trick!
Deer have been a huge problem for me too! The only way I've kept them out successfully is with 2-meter high fences around my garden. I also have smaller fencing around my Japanese maples. It seems like fencing is really the only foolproof method since other repellents don’t seem to work.
I totally sympathize! When I lived in Kansas, those things were the worst too. But thankfully, I haven't seen them yet since moving to Washington—*knock on wood!*