Welcome back to Can You Dig It?, your monthly source for garden and small farm information to avoid tossing your tomato plants in the trash, again.
It seems like the winter of 2026 returned us to winters of the past with actual snow storms and a number of lengthy appearances of “the hawk” (ask your elders). The good news is that while we are not promised tomorrow, we can count on spring being right around the corner—but don’t start throwing plants in the ground just yet!
March is a soggy month, and while you can seed a few things outside (peas for instance), it’s equally important to prepare and do what we can to contain pests and disease so the rest of the summer can be a little more carefree. Here are 5 important actions we need to jump on now to help us reach the finish line and bring the seasonal harvest(s) successfully to our plates:
Set Slug Traps
(Before the Eggs Hatch)
March is when overwintered adult slugs emerge to feed and lay eggs. If you kill them now, you prevent 300 babies in May.
● Place beer traps or board traps at the edges of your beds.
● Board Trap: Place a small wooden board on the damp soil. Check under it every morning. Slugs will congregate there for moisture. Scrape them into a bucket of soapy water.
● In May, the slugs are tiny and numerous. In March, they are large, slow, and concentrated.
Sanitation: The “Clean Floor” Rule
In Zone 6, pathogens survive the winter in the debris you left behind last fall. Spring cleanup is non-negotiable here.
● Rake up ALL old mulch, leaves, and debris from the base of vegetables, fruit trees, and flowers.
● Old squash vines harbor squash vine borer eggs. Do not compost this material unless your pile runs hot (140°F+). Bag it and send it to the municipal compost or trash it.
Row Covers for Root Maggots
(Cruciferous Vegetables)
In Massachusetts, early spring is the only time you can grow cabbage, broccoli, and kale without root maggots.
● Immediately upon planting (mid-April to early May), cover transplants with insect barrier fabric (floating row covers).
● The adult root maggot fly emerges from the soil in mid-spring and lays eggs at the base of the stems. Once the larvae burrow into the roots, the plant is doomed.
● You must tuck the edges tightly into the soil. These flies crawl; they don’t fly in from the top.
Diatomaceous Earth (DE)
for Asparagus Beetle
Asparagus is one of the first crops up in Zone 6, and the asparagus beetle wakes up hungry.
● As soon as you spear your first asparagus, dust the spears and the soil surface with food-grade Diatomaceous Earth.
● It acts as glass shards to soft-bodied insects and larvae but is safe for you to eat (wash the spears thoroughly before eating).
● Reapply after every rain. Once the beetles lay eggs on the ferns in summer, the battle is much harder.
Thin Fruit Trees
(The Preventative Tactic)
This sounds like a yield task, but in New England, it is a disease prevention task.
● When your apple/pear fruits are the size of a dime (late May/early June), thin them to one fruit per cluster.
● Massachusetts is humid. When fruits touch each other, water gets trapped between them, creating a perfect breeding ground for fungal diseases. Good airflow dries the fruit, preventing the need for fungicides later.
● It prevents biennial bearing (having tons of fruit one year and zero the next).
Bonus: Keep an eye on the soil temp, not just the air temp. Even if it feels warm, cold soil slows plant metabolism, making them more susceptible to rot. Don’t plant warm-season crops (tomatoes, squash) until soil is consistently 60°F+.
Workshops/Events
Urban Farming Symposium (hosted by MDAR) @UMass Boston – March 28
Ujamaa Cooperative Farming Alliance (UCFA) “Seed & Culture” Conference, University of the DC Lamond-Riggs Campus – March 6-7
Thank you for your time and send any gardening questions to: canyoudigit413@gmail.com ■