WASHINGTON — With another round of freezing temperatures this week, many people are ready for spring already. But this bitter cold could mean good things for your garden later this year.
“If that frost can get down 6, 7 or 10 inches into the ground … this will kill things like corn ear worms, flea beetles and harlequin bugs that can plague people’s gardens,” says University of Maryland entomologist Mike Raupp.
The longer it stays cold, the happier homeowners who aren’t fans of stink bugs will be. Raupp says some of the bugs, living in warm spots such as attics, may have been fooled by the handful of spring-like days in early February and come out to play.
“These early risers might not be able to survive, especially with this blast of arctic air,” he says. “They’re not going to do well.”
While you might see them starting to gather around your windowsill or doorways, he says the cold air will kill them.
A late spring also means fewer generations of pests such as aphids, scale insects and spider mites eating away at your garden. Raupp says these pests will be limited to only a few rounds if the cold temperatures persist.
“This translates into less damage to your roses, less damage to crops, less damage to your vegetables,” Raupp says.
And an easier time for farmers as well, which could mean cheaper produce later this year.
