Walk through any healthy vegetable garden and you're going to find bugs. That's just part of gardening.

When I planted my first garden, I thought experienced gardeners had somehow figured out how to keep insects away. After more than a decade of growing vegetables, I've learned that's not how it works. Healthy gardens still attract squash bugs, cabbage worms, cucumber beetles, aphids, and plenty of other hungry pests.

The difference is learning how to keep those pest populations small enough that they don't ruin your harvest.

Over the years, I've settled into a system that relies on companion planting, row covers, healthy soil, hand-picking insects, neem oil, and a handful of other natural methods that have proven themselves season after season. Some methods have become staples that I use every season. Others sounded great on paper but weren't worth the effort.

In this guide, I'll walk you through the natural pest control methods I actually use in my own vegetable garden, explain when each one works best, and help you build a healthy garden where vegetables, pollinators, and beneficial insects can thrive together.

My Approach to Natural Pest Control

The biggest shift in my gardening happened when I stopped trying to create a bug-free garden.

Every healthy vegetable garden has insects. Some are destructive, while others pollinate flowers, improve the soil, or hunt the very pests we're trying to control.

Instead of reaching for a spray every time I spot a hole in a leaf, I try to understand what's happening first. Is this a few insects that nature will take care of on its own? Or is it the beginning of an infestation that needs my attention?

My goal isn't perfection. It's growing healthy, productive plants while keeping pest populations low enough that they don't affect the harvest.

That approach has completely changed the way I garden. Rather than relying on one product to solve every problem, I focus on building several layers of protection that work together throughout the growing 

My Four Layers of Natural Pest Control

After years of gardening, I've found that the easiest way to keep bugs off vegetable plants naturally is to stop thinking about pest control as a single solution. Instead, I rely on several layers of protection that work together throughout the growing season.

When one layer isn't enough, another one usually is. Here's the system I follow every year:

✅ Layer 1: Grow Healthy Plants

Healthy plants recover from insect damage much faster than stressed plants. I focus on building healthy soil, watering consistently, fertilizing appropriately, and giving plants enough room to thrive.

✅ Layer 2: Prevent Problems Before They Start

The easiest pest to control is the one that never reaches your plants. Row covers, companion planting, crop rotation, and regular garden walks help stop many infestations before they begin.

✅ Layer 3: Let Nature Do the Heavy Lifting

Not every bug is the enemy. I encourage pollinators, ladybugs, lacewings, birds, and other beneficial insects that naturally help keep pest populations under control.

✅ Layer 4: Step In When Pests Need Help

Even the healthiest gardens have bad years. When pests get ahead of me, I use targeted solutions like hand-picking insects, destroying squash bug eggs, neem oil, diatomaceous earth, and a few other natural methods that protect my harvest without disrupting the entire garden ecosystem.

Grow Healthy Plants That Can Handle a Little Insect Pressure

Healthy plants don't magically repel insects, but they do recover from insect damage much faster than stressed plants.

One of the biggest lessons I've learned over the years is that two gardens can have the exact same pest pressure and end up with completely different results. A healthy, vigorous cucumber plant can usually outgrow a little chewing damage. A struggling cucumber plant may never recover.

That's why I spend just as much time building healthy plants as I do fighting bugs.

Healthy Soil Comes First

I don't believe healthy plants begin with fertilizer. They begin with healthy soil.

Every season I add compost and organic matter back into my raised beds to feed the life beneath the surface. Earthworms, fungi, beneficial bacteria, and countless other microorganisms all work together to create healthy soil that supports strong root systems and steady plant growth.

Healthy soil also holds moisture better, drains excess water more efficiently, and gives plants access to nutrients throughout the growing season instead of all at once.

When plants have a strong foundation below ground, they're much better equipped to handle the challenges happening above ground.

While organic matter is one of the best ways to improve soil over time, not every soil amendment belongs everywhere. For example, coffee grounds can be helpful when used correctly, but there are also situations where I skip them entirely. I cover exactly when I use them in my guide to using coffee grounds in the vegetable garden. 

One of my favorite ways to recycle kitchen scraps is by adding crushed eggshells to my compost pile. While eggshells won't provide an instant calcium boost to your tomatoes, they're an excellent long-term addition to healthy compost. You can read more about how I compost eggshells here.

Water Consistently

Inconsistent watering stresses plants far more than most gardeners realize.

Plants that constantly swing between dry soil and soaking wet soil have to spend energy recovering from that stress instead of growing. Stressed plants often become more vulnerable to insect damage, disease, and poor production.

I try to water deeply instead of watering a little every day. Deep watering encourages roots to grow farther into the soil, creating stronger plants that are better able to handle both summer heat and minor insect damage.

Setting up an irrigation system with a timer may sound daunting, but there are plenty of tutorials online. We've installed many and once you've done it once, you'll never look back!

Don't Overdo the Fertilizer

It can be tempting to think that more fertilizer equals healthier plants.

In reality, too much nitrogen often produces lush, tender new growth that attracts sap-feeding insects like aphids. Fast growth isn't always strong growth.

Instead of chasing explosive growth, I focus on building healthy soil first and only adding fertilizer when my plants actually need it. Slow, steady growth almost always produces stronger, more resilient vegetables.

If your plants truly need more nitrogen, there are plenty of inexpensive options besides commercial fertilizer. I put together a list of my favorite cheap ways to add nitrogen to garden soil, including several materials you may already have around your home.

Give Your Plants Room to Breathe

It's amazing how often good spacing solves problems before they start.

When plants are crowded together, airflow decreases, leaves stay wet longer after rain or watering, and it becomes much harder to spot insect damage hiding beneath the foliage.

Just remember to think outside of the box! I maximize every square inch of my raised beds, but I use tricks like trellises, arches and cages to add vertical space.

Giving each plant enough room to mature improves air circulation, reduces disease pressure, and makes it much easier to inspect leaves for squash bug eggs, cabbage worms, aphids, and other early warning signs.

Healthy Plants Aren't Perfect Plants

One of the biggest mindset shifts I've made over the years is realizing that healthy plants don't have perfect leaves.

My tomatoes get a few chewed leaves. My squash almost always have a few holes by midsummer. Every year, something decides my garden looks like a great place to have dinner.

That doesn't mean the plants are dying.

When vegetables are growing in healthy soil, receiving consistent water, and getting the sunlight they need, they're remarkably resilient. They can tolerate a surprising amount of minor insect damage while continuing to produce an abundant harvest.

Instead of trying to grow flawless plants, I focus on growing healthy ones. Everything else in this guide builds on that foundation.

Prevent Pest Problems Before They Start

The easiest pests to control are the ones that never get established in your garden.

I've learned this lesson the hard way over the years. It's much easier to spend a few minutes preventing a problem than it is to fight an infestation after insects have laid eggs and multiplied. While I still use natural treatments when necessary, my biggest focus is keeping pest populations low enough that I rarely need them.

These are the prevention methods I rely on every growing season.

Use Row Covers to Create a Physical Barrier

If I could recommend just one tool to a new gardener struggling with insects, it would be floating row covers and mesh covers for raised beds.

Row covers are lightweight fabric that allows sunlight, air, and water to reach your plants while creating a physical barrier that keeps many flying insects from reaching them. Instead of spraying cabbage worms after they've hatched, I'd much rather prevent cabbage moths from laying eggs in the first place.

I use a combination of row covers and raised bed cover systems every year over my broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, and other brassicas as soon as they're planted. The covers stay in place until the plants are well established or until I need to remove them for harvesting.

Row covers are also useful for protecting young seedlings from flea beetles, cucumber beetles, and other insects that can quickly damage tender new growth.

One important thing to remember is that crops requiring pollination, like squash, pumpkins, cucumbers, and melons, can't stay covered forever. Once they begin flowering, remove the covers so bees and other pollinators can do their job.

Plant Flowers That Support Your Garden

One of my favorite ways to naturally reduce pest problems is by planting flowers right alongside my vegetables.

Marigolds, nasturtiums, alyssum, dill, zinnias, sunflowers, and other flowering plants help attract pollinators and beneficial insects that become part of your garden's natural defense system. They also make the garden far more beautiful to spend time in, which is a nice bonus.

Companion planting isn't a magic solution that guarantees pests will disappear, but I've found that a diverse garden filled with flowers attracts far more beneficial insects than a garden planted with vegetables alone.

Learn to Recognize the Good Bugs

One of the best things you can do as a gardener is learn to recognize the insects that deserve your protection.

Honey bees and native bees are some of the hardest workers in the garden, pollinating everything from cucumbers and squash to pumpkins and melons. Without them, many vegetable plants simply wouldn't produce.

Ladybugs are another welcome sight. Both the adults and their larvae feed on aphids, whiteflies, and other soft-bodied insects that can quickly get out of control. Whenever I spot ladybugs in the garden, I know they're already helping with pest control.

Not every caterpillar is a garden pest, either. While I remove cabbage worms and tomato hornworms from my vegetables, I happily share my garden with monarchs, black swallowtails, and painted lady butterflies. Their caterpillars feed on specific host plants like milkweed, parsley, dill, fennel, and hollyhocks, and watching them complete their life cycle is one of my favorite parts of summer.

The longer I garden, the more I realize that a thriving vegetable garden should be full of life. Bees buzzing from flower to flower, ladybugs hunting aphids, butterflies laying eggs, and birds searching for insects are all signs that your garden has become a healthy, balanced ecosystem.

Rotate Crops Every Year

Some insects overwinter in the soil and emerge the following spring looking for the same crops they fed on the year before.

Moving plant families to different areas of the garden each season helps interrupt that cycle and can reduce recurring pest problems over time.

Squash bugs taught me this lesson. For several years I planted my squash and pumpkins in the same area of the garden because it was convenient. The bugs seemed to arrive earlier every summer. Rotating those crops hasn't eliminated squash bugs, but it has become an important part of keeping their numbers under control.

Keep the Garden Clean

Many insects, diseases, and fungal problems survive in dead leaves, old vines, weeds, and other garden debris.

As plants finish producing or become heavily diseased, I remove them from the garden instead of letting them linger for the rest of the season. In the fall, I clean up spent plants and weeds to eliminate as many overwintering places as possible before spring arrives.

A tidy garden won't eliminate pests, but it removes many of the places they like to hide.

Walk Your Garden Every Day

This is probably the most valuable habit I've developed as a gardener.

Most mornings I take a slow walk through the garden with a cup of coffee before I do anything else. I'm not expecting perfection. I'm simply paying attention.

I flip over squash leaves looking for bronze-colored eggs. I watch for cabbage moths fluttering around my brassicas. I notice if cucumber leaves suddenly have new holes or if aphids have gathered on tender new growth.

Catching problems early almost always makes them easier to manage. Pulling off one cluster of squash bug eggs today (pictured below) is much easier than dealing with hundreds of hungry nymphs a week later.

You don't need to spend an hour inspecting every plant. Even five or ten minutes of careful observation each day will teach you more about your garden than any book ever could.

Encourage Beneficial Insects and Natural Predators

One of the biggest mistakes new gardeners make is assuming every insect is a pest.

The truth is, many of the bugs flying, crawling, and buzzing around your garden are actually helping you. Ladybugs hunt aphids, lacewing larvae feed on soft-bodied insects, parasitic wasps attack destructive caterpillars, and native bees pollinate the vegetables that eventually become your harvest.

The more I've gardened, the more I've realized my job isn't to eliminate insects. It's to encourage the right ones.

Plant for Pollinators and Beneficial Insects

A vegetable garden doesn't have to be nothing but vegetables.

I intentionally plant flowers throughout my garden because they provide nectar and pollen for pollinators and beneficial insects all season long. Marigolds, alyssum, dill, nasturtiums, zinnias, and sunflowers aren't just pretty. They help create a balanced garden that's full of life.

When flowers are blooming, it's common to see bees, butterflies, hoverflies, ladybugs, and other helpful insects working right alongside me. The more diverse your garden becomes, the more natural pest control you'll often see.

Protect the Good Bugs

One of the reasons I avoid broad-spectrum insecticides is that they don't always distinguish between harmful insects and beneficial ones.

If you eliminate the predators that naturally keep pest populations in check, you often create even bigger problems later in the season.

Whenever I need to use a product like neem oil or another treatment, I apply it carefully and only where it's needed. I also spray in the evening after bees have stopped foraging whenever possible. 

Birds Are Some of the Best Pest Control

Birds do far more than brighten the garden with their songs.

Throughout the growing season, I regularly see them hunting caterpillars, beetles, grasshoppers, and countless other insects. Giving birds a reason to visit your yard with nearby trees, shrubs, water sources, or birdhouses can make them valuable partners in keeping insect populations under control.

Chickens Make Great Helpers... Outside the Garden

Our chickens spend most of the day patrolling the fenced run that surrounds our vegetable garden, and they're surprisingly good at catching grasshoppers and other insects that wander too close.

What they don't do well is respect garden boundaries.

Given the opportunity, chickens will happily scratch through mulch, dig up seedlings, peck ripe tomatoes, and flatten young plants in search of bugs. As helpful as they are, I've learned they're much more effective working around the outside of the garden than inside it.

Work With Nature Instead of Against It

A healthy vegetable garden isn't silent. It's buzzing with bees, fluttering with butterflies, and full of insects doing jobs we rarely notice.

When you focus on supporting those beneficial creatures instead of trying to eliminate every bug, your garden becomes far more balanced. Pest problems still happen, but they often stay smaller, and nature does much of the work for you.

I have started ordering beneficial insects online to help with garden problems. One of my favorites is purchasing lady bugs to help control aphids and white flies in the greenhouse.  They are very inexpensive and they take their job very seriously! I also use fly predators to help reduce the amount of flies around my livestock (cows, pigs, chickens) by eating the fly larvae in the manure.

The longer I've gardened, the more I've learned that successful organic gardening isn't about controlling every insect. It's about creating an environment where the helpful ones outnumber the harmful ones.

Step In When Pests Need Your Help

Even in the healthiest gardens, there are seasons when insects get the upper hand.

Squash bugs don't care how much compost you added. Cabbage moths eventually find your broccoli. Japanese beetles show up right on schedule. That's simply part of growing food.

When prevention isn't enough, I step in with targeted treatments that solve the problem while causing as little disruption to the rest of the garden as possible.

Neem Oil

Neem oil has earned a permanent place in my gardening shed.

I use it when I need extra help managing soft-bodied insects or slowing down an insect population that's getting ahead of me. Rather than killing insects instantly, neem disrupts feeding and reproduction, making it a useful tool for bringing pest populations back under control.

I always follow the label directions and spray in the evening after bees and other pollinators have finished visiting the garden for the day. I also avoid spraying open flowers whenever possible.

Like every treatment, neem works best when it's used early. It's much easier to manage a small pest problem than a major infestation.

Essential Oils

Essential oils are another tool I occasionally use around the garden.

Peppermint oil is my favorite for discouraging squash bugs, and I sometimes soak cotton balls or strips of fabric with essential oils and place them around the garden where larger animals tend to wander.

They're not a magic solution, but I've found they work best as part of an overall prevention strategy rather than a stand-alone treatment.

Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous earth is a fine powder made from fossilized algae that damages the protective outer coating of many crawling insects.

It can be an effective option for certain pests, but only while it's dry. After rain or irrigation, it needs to be reapplied.

Because it can also affect beneficial crawling insects, I use it sparingly and only where it's truly needed rather than broadcasting it throughout the entire garden.

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)

You'll often see Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) recommended as an organic way to control cabbage worms and other caterpillars. Years ago, I felt comfortable using it too.

As I've learned more about the importance of the human gut microbiome, I've chosen to stop using Bt in my garden. Bt works by disrupting the digestive system of certain caterpillars, and although it's widely accepted for use in organic gardening, I don't believe we fully understand all of the long-term interactions between products like this and the complex microbial communities that support human health.

For me, that uncertainty is reason enough to avoid it. I'd rather rely on floating row covers, regular garden walks, and hand-picking caterpillars than spray a bacteria designed to interfere with digestion onto the food my family eats.

Instead, I focus on preventing cabbage worms with floating row covers, checking plants regularly for eggs, and hand-picking caterpillars before they have a chance to multiply.

Everyone has to decide what they're comfortable using in their own garden, but this is one product I've personally chosen to leave behind.

Potato Traps for Pill Bugs

One of the more surprising tricks I've used involves an ordinary potato.

When pill bugs become a problem around young seedlings or ripening tomatoes, I cut a potato in half, hollow out the center slightly, and place it cut-side down near the damaged plants.

Pill bugs gather underneath the potato looking for a cool, damp hiding place. Every morning I simply lift the potato, remove the bugs, and reset the trap.

It's inexpensive, takes only a minute to make, and works remarkably well when pill bug populations get out of hand.

Choose the Smallest Solution That Solves the Problem

One of the biggest lessons gardening has taught me is that every pest problem doesn't require the same response.

Sometimes I'll ignore a little insect damage because I know the plant will outgrow it. Other times I'll remove a single cluster of squash bug eggs and never have another issue the rest of the season. And occasionally, despite all my prevention efforts, I'll reach for neem oil or another treatment to protect the harvest.

The goal isn't to eliminate every insect. It's to use the smallest, most targeted solution that keeps your garden healthy while protecting the pollinators and beneficial insects that make organic gardening possible.

Common Vegetable Garden Pests (and What I Do About Them)

Every garden has different pest problems depending on where you live and what you're growing. These are the insects I battle most often in my Kansas vegetable garden and the methods I personally use to keep them under control.

Pest	Plants	My First Response
Squash bugs	Squash	Destroy eggs daily
Cabbage worms	Brassicas	Row covers
Aphids	Many vegetables	Ladybugs first
Cucumber beetles	Cucurbits	Row covers while young
Japanese beetles	Beans, roses, etc.	Hand pick
Pill bugs	Seedlings	Potato trap

Squash Bugs

If I could permanently remove one pest from my garden, squash bugs would probably be my first choice.

These grayish-brown insects feed on squash, zucchini, pumpkins, and other cucurbits by piercing the leaves and stems and sucking out the plant's juices. Left unchecked, they can weaken plants, reduce harvests, and even kill young vines.

The best way I've found to control squash bugs is to stay ahead of them.

Beginning in early summer, I check the undersides of squash leaves almost every morning looking for their distinctive bronze-colored eggs. If I find a cluster, I destroy it immediately. My favorite method is using a small propane torch to quickly burn the eggs right on the leaf. It only takes a second, doesn't damage the leaf when the flame is kept moving, and it's much faster than scraping every egg off by hand.

I also hand-pick adult squash bugs whenever I see them (just toss the bug into a bucket of soapy water), rotate my squash crops each year, and use row covers while the plants are young to delay infestations as long as possible.

Cabbage Worms

Few things are more disappointing than harvesting a beautiful head of broccoli only to discover it's been full of cabbage worms the entire time (pictured below).

Fortunately, these are one of the easiest pests to prevent.

As soon as I plant broccoli, cabbage, kale, cauliflower, or Brussels sprouts, I cover them with floating row covers. Since cabbage moths can't reach the plants to lay their eggs, I rarely deal with major infestations anymore.

If I do spot a caterpillar, I simply remove it by hand.

Years ago, I used Bt as an organic treatment for cabbage worms. Today, I'd rather prevent the problem altogether than rely on sprays.

Aphids

Finding a few aphids doesn't send me into panic mode.

Small populations often disappear on their own as ladybugs and other beneficial insects move in to help. I've even ordered live ladybugs for my greenhouse to control aphids and whiteflies, and it's always amazing to watch how quickly they get to work.

If aphids begin multiplying faster than their natural predators can keep up, I'll spray the plants with a strong stream of water or remove heavily infested leaves before considering any other treatment.

More often than not, nature handles the problem for me.

Cucumber Beetles

Cucumber beetles seem to show up every summer looking for cucumbers, squash, melons, and pumpkins.

Young plants are especially vulnerable, so I focus on protecting seedlings early in the season with floating row covers. Once the plants begin flowering, I remove the covers so bees can pollinate the blossoms.

Keeping plants healthy and checking them regularly allows me to catch problems before they become severe.

Pill Bugs (Roly Polies)

Most years I consider pill bugs to be beneficial because they're excellent decomposers. Truly, they are one of the best natural ways to get rid of plant debris. 

Occasionally, though, their population explodes and they begin feeding on young seedlings or ripening tomatoes.

When that happens, I use one of the simplest traps I've ever found.

I cut a potato in half, scoop out a small hollow in the center, and place it cut-side down near the damaged plants. Pill bugs gather underneath the potato looking for a cool, damp hiding place. Every morning I lift the potato, remove the bugs, and set the trap back in place.

It's inexpensive, easy to make, and surprisingly effective. Pill bugs can be surprisingly frustrating once their population explodes. If you're battling them in your own garden, I've written a complete guide with additional methods for getting rid of pill bugs naturally.

Colorado Potato Beetles

Colorado potato beetles can quickly defoliate potato plants if their population gets out of control. Both the bright orange larvae and the striped adult beetles feed on the leaves, and heavy infestations can weaken plants and reduce your harvest.

The best way I've found to control potato beetles naturally is to catch them early. During my morning garden walks, I check the leaves for adults, larvae, and clusters of bright orange eggs on the undersides of the leaves. I hand-pick the beetles into a bucket of soapy water and crush any egg masses I find before they have a chance to hatch. A few minutes of daily attention is much easier than trying to manage hundreds of hungry beetles later in the season.

Rotating potatoes to a different part of the garden each year can also help reduce overwintering beetle populations. Adult beetles spend the winter in the soil and emerge in spring looking for potatoes, so changing where you grow them makes it harder for them to find their favorite meal.

Japanese Beetles

Japanese beetles seem to arrive overnight.

Rather than letting them multiply, I knock them into a bucket of soapy water as soon as I see them.

Hand-picking only takes a few minutes when populations are small, but waiting even a week can make the job much more difficult.

Spider Mites

Spider mites are one of the few pests that consistently give me trouble in the greenhouse.

I've battled them on rosemary, my fig tree, and other plants that stay protected indoors for long periods of time. Because they're so tiny, I usually don't notice the mites themselves at first. Instead, I see tiny yellow speckles on the leaves, fine webbing between stems, or leaves that gradually begin to look dusty and unhealthy.

Spider mites thrive in hot, dry conditions, which makes greenhouses an ideal environment for them.

At the first sign of spider mites, I isolate the affected plant if possible and spray the leaves with a strong stream of water, paying special attention to the undersides where the mites tend to gather. Increasing humidity and improving air circulation can also slow their spread.

Like most garden pest issues, spider mites are much easier to control when you catch them early. Regularly inspecting plants—especially those that stay in the greenhouse year-round—has saved me from several major infestations.

Tomato Hornworms

Tomato hornworms are masters of camouflage.

Most of the time, I notice missing leaves or holes punched through tomatoes before I notice the caterpillar itself.

When I find one, I remove it by hand. and feed it to the chickens. If finding the hornworms is challenging, try going out to the garden at night with a blacklight. They glow!

Occasionally, you'll find a hornworm covered with tiny white cocoons. Leave that caterpillar exactly where it is.

Those white cocoons belong to beneficial parasitic wasps that are already doing the work for you. New wasps will soon emerge and continue helping control future hornworm populations throughout your garden.

Not Every Damaged Leaf Is Caused by Insects

Before assuming insects are responsible for curled, twisted, or distorted leaves, take a close look at the rest of the plant. Not all plant damage is caused by garden pests. Herbicide drift can cause symptoms that look surprisingly similar to insect damage, especially on tomatoes, peppers, beans, grapes, and other sensitive crops.

After experiencing herbicide drift in my own garden, I documented the damage week by week so other gardeners could compare what they were seeing to a real-life example. If your plants have twisted new growth or unusual leaf curling, I recommend reading my guide to identifying herbicide drift damage before treating for insects.

Every Garden Has Different Challenges

This isn't a complete list of every garden pest you'll ever encounter.

Instead, these are the insects I battle year after year in my own vegetable garden. Your biggest challenge may be flea beetles, slugs, grasshoppers, or another pest entirely.

The good news is that the same principles apply no matter what insect you're dealing with.

Grow healthy plants. Prevent problems whenever you can. Encourage beneficial insects. Step in early when pests need your help.

That's the system I've developed after years of trial and error, and it's the one I still rely on every growing season.

Frequently Asked Questions

You Don't Need a Pest-Free Garden

When I planted my first vegetable garden, I thought successful gardeners somehow figured out how to keep bugs away.

Now I know better. Every garden has insects, loses a few plants, and each growing season brings new surprises.

The difference isn't that experienced gardeners have fewer problems. It's that we've learned which problems deserve our attention and which ones nature will often solve for us.

Some years the squash bugs seem relentless, some years cabbage worms find the broccoli despite the row covers.

And every once in a while, everything seems to grow beautifully with almost no effort at all.

That's gardening.

If there's one thing I hope you take away from this guide, it's that you don't need a perfect garden to grow an abundant harvest.

Pay attention. Walk your garden often. Celebrate the pollinators. Protect the beneficial insects. Catch problems early. And don't let a few holes in the leaves convince you you've failed.

Every season teaches us something new, and that's one of the things I love most about growing food.

Continue Learning

If you're dealing with a specific gardening problem, these guides dive deeper into some of the topics we covered above.

• 🌱 How to Identify Herbicide Drift on Tomatoes
• ☕ Are Coffee Grounds Good for Tomatoes?
• 🥚 Can You Compost Eggshells?
• 🌿 Cheap Ways to Add Nitrogen to Garden Soil
• 🥔 How to Get Rid of Pill Bugs in the Garden
• 🎃 How to Grow Pumpkins
• 🥔 Ultimate Guide to Growing Potatoes
• 🍅 How to Grow Tomatoes