Vegetable Garden - Finished weeding- what steps to take now!

I finished weeding as best I could, I have a raised bed. I use compost, some I've made, some I purchased from Garden's Alive. When it comes to preparing the vegetable bed what steps should I take? Should I go after the bugs now, or just add the compost and turn the soil? Put down the WOW preemergence so that weeds won't take over again before I'm ready to plant? I live in S. Jersey and the weather here is just starting to break. I can't tell you how hyped I am! I just want to know where to get started.

WOW preemergence?? I don't believe I've heard of that, please tell me more. Actually you should turn your compost into your soil, you can lay several layers of wet newspaper down in the bed to help smother weeds before you add your compost/amendments. Please google companion planting and find out about planting plants to repel bugs...No bugs if you have nothing to feed them yet. grin

Here's the link for WOW! Supreme

http://www.gardensalive.com/product.asp?pn=2836

There are bugs in my soil. All kinda beetle looking types. Some are small and black, others are about an inch long and are black with an orange trim, grubs, there's one that looks like a worm with horizontal stripes (orange and beige?). Any ideas or suggestions?

Thanks for the information on the WOW, I know it's garden's alive, but there not one bit of information on the ingredients in the package, so I am old and cynical and just cause it's got natural or organic on the label, don't make it so.

Do you have pictures of these critters?

WOW is a byproduct of the corn industry. It is properly called corn gluten. It works by attacking the very first hair roots. The very first rectel is a hair root. If not the very first hair root off it is. If your garden plants have hair roots when they are first emerging corn gluten might be a problem. I am not sure how it would determine between hair roots on emerging good seed from emerging bad seed. I believe it is usually suggested for lawn use in which case the crop is already fully developed and not dependent on new seed and first hair roots. There it can get after early growth from seed you would not want to grow.

Incidently I tried to get answers from the sellers to my use of the above reasoning. They never responded to this or several other products being sold without clear label as to the contents. I will not deal with and have little respect for Circus Advertisements.

PS...........I also telephoned them. Someone read the catalog page to me. No thanks!

Thanks doc, I've used corn gluten and it's worked quite well. Of course I didn't use the fancy kind I used the animal grade corn meal. I still will not buy nor use any product that I cannot get information nor the ingredients are readily apparent on the label or in the advertising. The latest "go green" hype is bring out the sharks and just because they say it is, don't necessarily make it so.

add compost , turn,
don't use WOW until we say you can (the two docs know their stuff) I'm sure docgipe is right that it'll prevent All new seedlings from growing.
Don't use any bug stuff now.
What do you want to grow?

No it will not prevent all new seedlings from growing....just enough to kick the heck out of a gardening dream. It's OK on lawns. Corn Gluton has a little bit of nitrogen as a goes with.

There is no reason to kill all bugs in soil - some may be beneficial in that they prey on "bad" bugs. They are also part of the living web of life that makes your soil fertile. If you are going to the trouble of using compost then you really don't want to try to "sterilize" your good soil!

The most enlightened approach in pest management says to first and foremost identify the problem pest. Then you can employ methods to deal with the specific bug - that is really the most effective way.

What harmful bugs you get will depend on what you are growing.

I haven't used corn gluten. We are heavily mulching with grass clippings and this works great at keeping down weeds since it forms a pretty solid mat.

I agree totally with the practice of never letting the sun lick the surface of the soil. Cover crops from fall to spring meet this end as well as mulches applied after the desired plants are up and growing. Until they are up enough to apply mulches the good old hoe handle is the best thing to grab.

With mulches the tiny little bit of rotting that takes place between the soil and the mulch is an on going addition of natures best composting efforts. All no till practices or methods meet this end as the layers of organic material slowly rot into the top few inches of soil.

The mulch of any organic type holds moisture better and provides a more even growing temperature as well as blocking light which triggers and supports the growth of unwanted growth. The unseen biology including life forms up to worms and some insects are in their best working just below any mulch. When you keep the top two inches including the mulch happy what is below will take care of itself.....no need to hoe or till until fall prep is in order. The few weeds that persist can be pulled more easily or simply bent over and covered with some more mulch.