If your garden was plagued with pests this past summer, utilizing Integrated Pest Management
practices now such as cutting back and removing foliage and stems of plants and infected
foliage will give you a leg up on insect and disease invasion next year.
Some insects lay eggs on the underside of leaves which will hatch next spring if left alone. It’s a
good idea to put clippings from plants in a pile away from where they are. This way if there are
eggs from pests present they will not spread to other plants nearby. Cutting stems all the way
back to the ground also helps immensely as things like slugs will hide deep in the petioles of
Hosta and Daylily. Thorough garden cleanup will also allow sunlight and air to dry out the soil
surface helping to suppress pathogens that thrive in piled up leaf litter. It will also help plants
get off to a disease free start next spring.
Also be sure to remove any weeds you may see while cleaning up garden and planting beds
areas. Small weeds turn into bigger ones next year. Even though it’s later in the year systemic
herbicides such as Glyphosate and Round-Up can still be used. Systemic products work slower
in cooler weather but are still effective.