This practice will also help prevent some disease problems. And, although you may not be able to change the garden site because of space restrictions, you can change the location of individual vegetables within the garden each year. Good seed bed preparation promotes vigorous, early plant growth, allowing plants to better tolerate insect damage. This is especially important in the spring. Wait for a good weather forecast before planting seed or transplants.
Many pests mature or overwinter in the stems and roots of host plants.
Therefore, another cultural strategy for insect control is the removal of plant debris at the end of the season to reduce insect overwintering sites. Some vegetable varieties are resistant to certain insects. This does not necessarily mean that a resistant variety is immune to damage, but it does mean that the variety may be less attractive to the insect or may be able to tolerate more damage than susceptible varieties. Before buying seeds or plants, check seed catalogs for information on resistant varieties that grow well in your area. In small gardens, handpicking of insects from plants is an effective control.