You have been patiently awaiting the taste of your vine-ripened Tomatoes, Peppers and other fruits and vegetables from your garden. But, much to your surprise, so has the neighborhood squirrels, chipmunks, raccoons and other critters. They have been visiting your plants every evening to see how the progress has been coming along.

You don't want them snacking on your ripe vegetables and fruits.

You don't want to use harsh chemicals around your vegetables that you and your family will be eating.

So what to do about it??

Well, you could put up traps, and then relocate the animal after you have caught it.

Another idea is to put up some kind of netting around the plants, staking the netting into the ground, but above the plant.

Sounds like a lot of work to me.

We are the only ones on the planet that like and seek out hot flavors, like garlic, cayenne, chiles, and hot sauces.

Most, if not all other creatures do not. So then, why not use this to our advantage?? You can lightly sprinkle cayenne, fresh crushed garlic, or garlic powder around the base of your plants to ward off those critters. You don't need a lot, just a sprinkling will do. Do not inhale the powder as this can cause upper respiratory issues in some people and pets.

It will need to be refreshed after a rain shower. It will not affect the taste or flavor of the fruit and vegetables. Remember to wash any harvested vegetables before consuming.

You can find more tips on gardening this growing season by looking us up on our facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/Kathys2ndChancePlants