Question
   hi..i have a garden here in miss., and am having probs with something eating seeds in it.  when i planted peas and squash, that night, something ate all the pea and squash buds. i have put some hot peppers in there to keep animals off it, but this animal ate in fact one of the hot peppers. around here, the most common wild animals are possum, armadillo, and racoon. it also ate pumpkin. so, with the fact that the hot peppers did not seem to help much, what else can you recommend to keep wild animals out of it and stop eating up all my hard work!?  thank you much!

Answer
Dear Cheryl:

The best organic control for critters that will repel most of them is a homemade concoction of garlic oil spray.  It also is good to combat the insects that invade your garden.  The recipe is:

          Soak 3 ounces of finely minced garlic cloves in 2 teaspoons of mineral oil for at least 24 hours.  Add 1 pint of water that has 1/4 ounce of liquid dish soap mixed into it.  Stir well and strain into a glass jar for storage.  Combine 1-2 tablespoons of this mixture with 1 pint of water to make a spray.  Test your mixture on a few leaves to check for injury caused by the oil and soap; damage may not appear for 2-3 days.  Spray plants thoroughly to ensure good coverage.

Another alternative is to purchase an electrical pest control device that emits a high pitched sound, caution if you have a dog or cat...their sensitive ears can detect the sound and it may not be compatible with them!  Read the label before you purchase!!  The device should be placed near or within the garden.  These devices can be found at most of the larger garden supply stores.

Good luck!

Regards,

Mack Jean
AllExperts
Master Gardener
Tennessee