January is the perfect month to start planning your 2020 garden now!
It is the perfect time to start taking stock of where you are, what you need to change; all with an eye to improvement or the realization of a goal or two. It’s good medicine.
For the Michigan gardener, planning for pest control and making prevention a priority this winter for the upcoming Michigan garden season is not only smart, but can help avoid insect nuisance this year! One can include in their plan the simple modifications to the pest’s habitat that reduce its food, water, shelter, growing room or other needs. Crop rotation and enhancing the environment for the pest’s predators, parasitoids and pathogens (flower mixes can be used to attract pest predators, for example) are effective strategies. Other cultural control strategies include changing watering practices, adjusting soil pH and selecting plants that are more resistant to pests.
By starting now, near the first of the year, Michigan gardeners have more opportunity at this than most. Sure, everyone at least considers turning over a new leaf at the beginning of the year. But gardeners consider these resolve-to-make-it-better ideas when they plant in the spring, put the garden to bed in the fall, and all winter long as they peruse seed catalogs, read old gardening journals, and draw schematics that show exactly where the tomatoes will go. They’re always resolving to do something. Starting your planning for your Spring and Summer garden now, is key!
At Presidio, we would be happy to guide and help plan for this upcoming season. We will take the time to answer any questions, as well as provide tips to keep an invasion from happening in the future. To a successful garden and Happy 2020!
