Can insect pests survive the winter and affect my garden next year?
Yes, many insect pests can survive cold winters by “overwintering” under plant debris and leaves on the ground. This is why it is very important to remove plant debris after harvesting this year’s crops and then till the soil. By tilling, you are removing places these insects can “overwinter,” destroying larvae or pupae in the dirt, and burying the eggs so far down in the soil they won’t hatch in the spring. Very cold winters of the far north may kill the adult insects or larvae, but the eggs may remain unscathed and ready to hatch as the weather warms.
