[quote=CA renter]We desperately want to get our garden going but have a problem with varmints, especially racoons.

How do other Piggs deal with rodents and other pests? Pesticides? Let snakes loose in the garden (we’re very tempted to do this…any downsides?) Go out every day and pick off bugs, etc.? Build better fences?

Our racoons are so brave that one started throwing shoes at our neighbor…after she had thrown the shoes at the racoon in an attempt to get it to leave, it threw them back at her. They are not afraid.[/quote]
We had a rat issue when fruit was ripe… Our dog stopped that problem…. he chases them out. It also helps that our neighbors out up an owl box and it’s been occupied for a few years now…. smaller varmints have disappeared.

When I lived back east a raccoon tried to chase my neigbor away from his grill… came up on his deck and started rushing at him. We had our trashcans in a latched box because of the raccoons… they’re very aggressive.