Putting steel wool around bulbs, such as tulips, keeps squirrels from eating the bulbs and also provides iron to the soil, producing more bulbs for next year.

Charles

Plant allium (chives, garlic, onions) as companion plants surrounding or bordering the plants which are susceptible to aphids. The allium has to be in the ground year round. This method has kept my garden aphid-free for 15 years, even though it is neighbored by aphid-laden trees.

Sweetie Rains

If you have a sweet gum tree, or have access to one, you can have a free, environmentally safe way to keep slugs away from your hostas.  Just spread a good amount of these prickly balls under the hosta leaves.  The slimy, soft slugs will not crawl over the sweet gum balls.  You can also use them around other flowers to keep rabbits away.  Many animals find it uncomfortable to walk on these "porcupines."

Carla Litmer

Getting rid of moles and voles can be nerve racking. I've tried several things from traps to poison baits. The cheapest and effective item I found is Juicy Fruit Gum. Poke a hole in the varmint's tunnel, roll half a stick of gum into a cylinder and drop it in. The critter is drawn to the smell and sweet taste, but cannot digest the gum and eventually dies.

Kieth Merryman

While living in Virginia, I had a beautiful weeping cherry tree that was invaded by borers. I sprinkled mothballs all around the drip line and they saved this beautiful tree.  This has worked for me on many trees over the years. Now I live in Colorado and this seems to be working on some of the pine trees to keep the beetles from infesting them.  It seems to act as a systemic, entering the tree's system, so I wouldn't recommend it on fruit trees since it might poison the fruit.  Also, the birds fight over the mothballs, which they pick up and dab under their feathers for mite control, which makes it hard to keep the mothballs where I want them!

Sandie Jacobs

I periodically have a battle with birds (mainly Grackles) biting the heads off my annuals. (I'm assuming they are looking for insects).  After having to replace my annuals, I decided to try the bird netting used to cover fruit trees. First, I cut squares of netting and then cut a hole in the center of the netting and place over the flower.  I anchor the netting with pebbles, mulch or dirt.  The birds do not like walking on the netting and my flower budget is happy!

Kathryn Palmer

To keep slugs away, place cracked pecan shells around your plants.  The shells are too sharp and jagged for the slugs to slither over, and they make an attractively colored and textured mulch in your beds.  Works like a charm with no dissolved slugs left behind!

Victoria Elder

To keep rabbits from eating your tender Spring plants:  Make a mixture of red pepper, crushed garlic and water and simmer for several hours.  Let the mixture cool, strain through cheesecloth and pour into a sprayer.  Environmentally friendly, inexpensive, and it works!

Anonymous

I love to watch the hummingbirds at my feeder but got frustrated seeing the ants take over.  They would even find their way inside the feeder and drown, causing the nectar to go bad.  I found that if I put a blob of petroleum jelly around the hanger wire the ants would not cross it!  I have now enjoyed two years of ant free bird feeders.  It's an easy and inexpensive solution and well worth a try.

Christine Brand