Instead of spraying chemicals on your plants next spring, how about being a little proactive and rocking the boat for those pests now, before they get out of control.
It's not too late to get out there and till the soil. It might be a bit hard, but today's wet weather and above-freezing temps are sure to have softened it just enough.
Tilling now will disrupt the life cycles of many insects that can damage your plants next season. Breaking up the soil will expose larvae and pupae to the cold, harsh elements and make them vulnerable to, well, death, reducing their population next year.
This also will disrupt weed seeds that have settled in the bed. And that's a double-whammy. Insects that overwinter in your garden beds survive on weeds that sprout up before your perennials or vegetable plants take their places.
And be sure to clean up debris and dead plants, if you haven't already; they provide shelter and food for those overwintering pests.
Next, cover the area with mulch or leaves to keep it from eroding and to keep remaining weed seeds from germinating in spring.
