I will definitely give your recipe a try, Coydog. My family has used a similar method for generations now. Boil as much garlic as you can spare and hot peppers (my Dad uses cayenne but I’ve recently switched to Chinese five color) in water for a few hours. Strain, pour into a spray bottle and then spray on plants or create a large barrier around the garden. Works pretty well for rabbits and deer. The only thing it doesn’t seem to bother is the ground hogs but I’ve got a sneaky blue heeler that takes care of that for me.

As far as insects go I don’t have a real problem with them because I keep a good crop rotation going. The trick is to not plant the same thing in the same spot for at least 3 years. It can get tricky but if you actually keep records of your garden it works. A few bugs won’t hurt your crop; it’s when their eggs hatch the next year that you have an infestation. That’s my theory anyways.