Keeping racoon out of garden

[ArthurDent004]

A former co-worker told me Friday that earlier in the week he lost almost all the plants in his back yard garden. He didn't see what did the damage but he swears it had to have been a raccoon. He had 11 or 12 tomatoes ripening on the vine and also lost bell peppers, cucumbers, and squash. The only thing that survived was his jalapeno peppers.

I said I'd pass on his tale of woe and ask for suggestions on how to keep the varmints from his garden next year.