I’m growing tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers for my first time not on a balcony, and I’m a tad concerned about caterpillars, squirrels, and other wildlife finding their way to my crops; that said, I would like to keep my space as earth friendly as possible, so chemical pesticides are out. I’ve read blog articles about trimming the lowest branches to prevent disease and planting trap crops such as nasturtiums and marigolds to lure pests away from the tomatoes. Do these techniques actually work? How do other gardeners handle this situation?
The three main pests in my urban garden are rats, insects, and neighbours. :)
The first two years I grew food I killed almost 20 rats. The rats are not going anywhere so I had to change what I grow:
For insects:
For neighbours, I haven’t done anything yet. I may net the fruit trees.
Apparently owls are a major rat predator IF you keep your exterior lights low. Might increase neighbor incursions though.