|  There are many safe, organic and cost effective ways to rid your garden of destructive pests. The first step is to determine what is causing the problem in your garden. Many harmful insects are plant specific. You'll have greater success, if you apply the organic solution that matches the problem.
1. Discourage Mammals
To discourage mammals, such as woodchucks and deer from eating your plants, mix one tablespoon of liquid detergent and a half bottle of hot sauce into a watering can and add water. Sprinkle this mixture on those plants that animals seem to find tasty. You may need to reapply the solution after it rains, but sometimes one bad experience discourages animals from returning. A motion detector lawn sprinkler may also discourage animals from devouring on your shrubs, flowers and vegetables. 2. Install Barriers
Install a mesh fence around your garden and leave the top foot unattached. The loose top will flop back on a climbing animal, such as a raccoon, preventing it from entering your garden. Diatomaceous earth powder, consisting of the remains of tiny sea animals has sharp edges that will cut slugs and intimidate them from entering your garden. Cover your berries with one-inch mesh to prevent birds from eating them all. A finer mesh can be used to cover seedling until they are large enough to outgrow flying insect damage. 3. Install Traps
Control slugs by placing a shallow dish of beer near your garden. Slugs are attracted to fermenting liquids and will climb in and drown. You can also place a board or an overturned clay pot in your garden to create a place for slugs to hide. Then overturn the board or pot and kill any slugs you find underneath. Fill a yellow dish with water to attract and drown flea beetles. Flea beetles are attracted to yellow. Place traps near the edge of your garden so insects are attracted out of your garden, instead of drawn in. 4. Soaps and Oils
Soap has been used for over 200 years to control soft-bodied insects such as aphids, mites, mealybugs and psyllids. The potassium salt of fatty acids in soap disrupts the insect's cell membranes and removes their protective outer waxy coating causing them to dry out and die. Insects must come in direct contact with the soap solution for it to be effective. Spraying two applications of insecticide soap on your plants five to seven days apart can control small soft sucking insects. Use soap sparingly to avoid smaller crop yields a... | 