this post was submitted on 28 Apr 2026
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Gardening

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Outdoor veggie and fruit gardeners, how do you protect your crops against disease and from becoming a buffet for pests and wildlife? (lemmy.ml)
submitted 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) by yo_scottie_oh@lemmy.ml to c/gardening@lemmy.world
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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?

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[โ€“] PlantJam@lemmy.world 4 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Birds will sometimes go after tomatoes just for the water inside them. Providing a source of fresh water, like a clean bird bath, can prevent some losses. I've also heard that red painted rocks by strawberries will prevent birds from eating the actual strawberries once they grow in, but I haven't tried that one myself.

[โ€“] Phunter@lemmy.zip 2 points 4 days ago

I have red painted rocks in my strawberry pots and now the birds leave them alone.