Raised beds look so tidy in winter that it’s tempting to “do the right thing” and clean them up fast. But one winter cleanup habit can backfire by moving fungal spores from old plant debris straight into the soil you plan to grow in later. The frustrating part is that it feels productive: raking, chopping,…
garden sanitation
Why January Is When Smart Gardeners Plan for Pest Cycles
January feels quiet in the garden, but it’s the loudest month for prevention. Pests don’t disappear in winter—they pause, hide, and wait for the exact conditions that show up when spring plants start pushing new growth. If you’ve ever felt like aphids, slugs, or squash bugs “came out of nowhere,” they didn’t. They were already…