Organic gardeners are challenged with the same garden pests as non-organic gardeners are. To remain true to growing plants without the use of chemicals, organic gardeners have to find an organic pest control method that works.

Fortunately, there are many ways to repel and kill pests in the garden without using any type of chemicals. If you are searching for natural ways to keep your organic garden pest-free, give these methods a try.

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Common Garden Pests

Aphids are the number one enemy of vegetable and flowering plants. No bigger than a grain of rice, aphids cluster under plant leaves and suck the sap from tender growth. Because of their tiny size and green body color, they are hard to detect before they have caused plant damage.

Slugs, snails, and beetles creep across the soil and attack plants at the base. Whiteflies attack plants from overhead and birds dive bomb the ripe tomatoes.

Then there are the larger garden pests that will eat the produce and leave the plants alone.

Rabbits, squirrels, groundhogs, raccoons, and deer enjoy the taste of homegrown vegetables fresh off the vine. If they would just pick 1 tomato or cucumber, it would not be a major problem, but they seem to prefer using my garden as a sampling buffet and take a bite out of everything.

Garden pests range in size from tiny aphids to large deer, and here is how I keep them out of my garden.

DIY Organic Pest Spray

There are many commercial pest control solutions that are organic. For example, organic neem oil, insecticidal soap, or vegetable-based horticultural oil can be used to effectively rid the garden of pests without using chemicals. But you can also make organic pest sprays yourself.

Here are two DIY organic pest sprays that will repel a wide range of garden pests, including aphids, cats, dogs, deer, rabbits. Visiting cats and dogs in my neighborhood find the soft garden soil an ideal spot to relieve themselves. Either of these DIY sprays will repel them and keep them out of your garden.

Homemade Hot Pepper Spray

Place 2 cups of any variety of hot pepper and 2 cups of water in the blender. Blend until smooth. Place liquid in a small pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain mixture and pour into a spray bottle when it’s cooled.

Spray the hot pepper liquid on the lower stems and leaves of plant to repel small pests. Saturate the underside of leaves to repel and kill aphids, mites, and leaf miners. Saturate the perimeter of your garden to repel woodland critters and pets.

Dish Soap Spray

Mix 1 cup of vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon of liquid dish soap in a small jar. Use 2 tablespoons of this mix per spray bottle of warm water and spray all over garden plants to kill and repel pests. For true organic gardening, make sure to use an organic dish soap. You want to avoid synthetic chemicals such as sodium lauryl sulfate and diethanolamine, which are considered toxic.

Beneficial Insects for Organic Pest Control

Some insects and bugs can help control garden pests by eating unwanted pests. Here are some examples of bugs that you actually want in your garden.

• Ladybugs are tiny red bugs with black polka dots on their back and they love to eat aphids, mites, mealy bugs, and all other soft-bodied garden pests. Ladybugs are sold at my local garden supply center and are a big help in keeping my organic garden pest-free (you can also purchase ladybugs online). Ladybugs also provide pollination as they fly from plant to plant in search of a meal. If you can't get them near you, you can order ladybugs online.
• A Praying Mantis is a large, thin green insect that keeps its’ front feet up and folded in prayer. Praying Mantis won’t bite humans, but they will feast on aphids, fruit flies, and crickets.
• As any Southerner knows, Stink Bugs smell terrible when stepped on or touched. But try not to kill them (unless they are in the house) so they can rid your garden of caterpillars and beetle larvae. The also eat aphids and other soft bodied insects. Warning: there are good stink bugs and bad ones. Here's how to tell the difference.

Additionally, birds eat insects and will provide a double purpose in the garden by removing the pests and pollinating the plants. However, they can become a nuisance if they are also eating your plants and veggies. It's a fine balancing act when it comes to birds for organic pest control.

How to Keep Animal Pests Out of Garden

Because there are so many different types of animals that can wreak havoc with your garden — from flying birds, to climbing squirrels; from burrowing gophers, to grazing deer — we're working on a separate article dedicated specifically to this topic. Depending upon which animal is causing your problems, you will need different solutions. In the meantime, here are a few tips to get you started.

The hot pepper spray recipe for deterring insects will also help to prevent animals from eating your plants. The only problem is that it washes off in the rain. Similarly, cats can be kept away from your garden with a simple spray of white vinegar — a smell they do not like.

For many animal pests, creating a barrier to entry works well. This can be a physical fence around your vegetable garden. Or you can use a sonic barrier.  For example,  there a wide variety of solar power sonic repellers that have motion sensors. These eco-friendly (and organic) sonic pest repellants emit a sound that animals don't like — but humans don't hear. Alternately, you could use a motion triggered sprinkler to startle animals away.

Speaking of sound as an organic pest repellant, another way to keep animals out of your garden is to add something that makes noise in the wind. This can be as simple as hanging two pie plates that will bang against each other in the wind. Or for something more physically pleasing and sounding to the human ear, go for a large wind chime.  Just keep in mind that animals, especially squirrels, get accustomed to sounds, so you want something that varies. You can also use reflective hanging discs to scare off birds.

Another organic and eco-friendly method of keeping animals out of your garden is through smell (and taste). Marigolds, lavender, rosemary, and mint are good examples of animal deterring plants. Just be careful with mint because it can take over your garden in a hurry.  I talk some more about companion planting further down.

Use Rough Mulch to Control Pests Organically

Mulch is a must for an organic garden and the right kind of mulch will also act as an organic pest control.

Rough mulch, like tree bark, nut hulls, and fireplace ashes, will keep slugs, snails, and other soft-bodied creepy-crawling pest out of your garden. If soft-bodied pests crawl over rough mulch it will cause tiny cuts to their underside and they will dehydrate and die.

Companion Planting for Organic Pest Control

Plants provide mutual benefits to each other and some act as a pest repellent.  Here are a few examples to get you started.

• Marigolds are the number one pest repellent to plant in the garden. The fragrance of marigolds will help to keep dogs, cats, deer, rabbits, and other large pests away. Marigolds also repel beetles and many other small above-ground pests and they keep below-ground nematodes away from plants. 
• Plant marigolds around the garden to provide pretty floral color and effective organic pest control.
• Basil, mint, and nasturtium will repel whiteflies and several other flying insects. Nasturtium also increases the nitrogen level in the garden soil.
• Onions and garlic make great pest-repelling companion plants for carrots, lettuce, and many other plants.

To learn more about companion planting to reduce pests and minimize disease, read Plant Partners: Science-Based Companion Planting Strategies for the Vegetable Garden by Jessica Walliser.