That fall, I did a deep dive into finding effective tips for keeping those sneaky squash bugs away.

Do Squash Bugs Come Back Every Year?

Want more gardening tips?

Squash bug

Judy Gallagher / Flickr / CC BY 2.0

However, sanitizing your garden in the fall helps avoid squash bug problems.

Here’s what to do.

Instead, bag infested plants and throw them in the trash or burn them.

Squash bug.

Squash bug.Getty Images / PhotoLibrary / Dr. Larry Jernigan

Destroying old cucurbit plants should also reducepowdery mildewissues from developing.

Squash bugs bury themselves up to 6 inches deep in garden beds, so youll want to till accordingly.

Rotate Crops in the Spring

Rotate cucurbits into a new section of your garden the following spring.

Squash bug invasion with nymphs

Lisa Zins / Flickr / CC BY 2.0

Install Row Covers

Install row covers over your crops after rotating them.

This prevents lingering squash bug adults from landing on your plants and laying eggs.

When your plants start to flower, remove the row covers or hand-pollinate the blossoms for a good harvest.

Here are a few more ways to manage other pests at the end of the growing season.