Hi James,

Thank you for your question about when to begin Spring garden cleanup. Given our warmer winter, now is a good time to begin garden clean-up, as many plants are developing new growth.

Regarding your question about disturbing insects, Gail Langellotto, an entomologist and professor at OSU, who studies pollinators and the ecology of urban and suburban landscapes, provides the following information:

“It is true that if you destroy an insect’s habitat while it is overwintering, that it is highly unlikely to survive into the next season. However, the typical maintenance and cleanup tasks for spring gardens are unlikely to broadly harm insect pollinators, with the possible exception of cavity-nesting bees.”
Source: Should I wait to clean up the garden in order to help conserve insects? | OSU Extension Service

Here is a link for more about Gail Langellotto | College of Agricultural Sciences

If you need additional information, I recommend you call the Deschutes County OSU Extension office in Redmond at<personal data hidden> and ask to speak with Amy Jo Detweiler (oregonstate.edu). Amy Jo is our Community Horticulturist. She welcomes your garden questions and is a great resource.

The OSU Deschutes County Extension website provides many helpful publications about gardening in Central Oregon. Following is a link to this website, which will direct you to gardening topics and plants that are specific to our geographic area and climate.
Central Oregon Garden Publications | OSU Extension Service (oregonstate.edu)

The OSU Extension also publishes monthly garden calendars that provide general recommendations for garden chores for Oregon by region: Monthly Garden Calendars | OSU Extension Service