What are the best plants to grow in a vegetables garden to keep pests away?

Hey guys,

Waht do you think are the best plants to grow in a vegetables garden to keep the pests away from the veggies?
I have tons of ants and other bugs in the garden that eat all my crops.

Any tested suggestions?
I've tried Marigolds and Mint, but they were eaten as well....

Thanks!

Sprinkle spent coffee ground where you have ants since they hate the coffee grounds.  I had a lot of problems with ants this year.  It was water that was attracting them to my garden.  They were walking up the garden hose in droves.  So with the help of the coffee grounds and vinegar, I was able to get rid of them,

There are two different plants that are called "marigold".  So knowing which one you planted might help.

One plant that many people call marigold is pot marigold, Calendula officinalis.  As far as I know, they will not help with pests.




Usually, strong-smelling plants help deter pests.

The marigold, tagetes is very strong smelling.




I also like to plant sweet alyssum, Lobularia maritima.  It is very fragrant and has a sweet smell.

Thank you, this is very helpful

I will try the trick with the coffee.
And indeed it is the calendula type marigold that I've planted,
so it might explain why it didn't work...

Calendula is very good for skin salves and ointments. I've used some lotions from the stores to help with bug bites made out of calendula and I'm growing some for the first time to make my own lotion.

Nasturtiums are also supposed to be good as a trap crop.

Herbs in general can be helpful at deterring pests.

Yes, Calendula is great for many skin conditions and for diaper rash too.
Its oil is safe to use on children and it has great smell.

I make my own infused oil of it, it's very simple.
Basically you just need to grind the dried flowers and soak them in carrier oil, like sweet almonds cold-pressed oil, for 3 weeks, then strain it and that's it.
the ratio of the calendula and the oil should be 1:20

I feed birds.  Hundreds.  All shapes, sizes and colors.  I go through pounds of bird seed a week.  I see finch and flycatchers in my gardens and on my vegetables all the time.  I have NO pests.

Best eradicators ever but it’s taken 5 years of constant and varied foods to get the army working.