Should I clean and till my vegetable garden this fall or early next spring?

Question:

Should I clean and till my vegetable garden this fall or early next spring?

Answer:

Fall clean-up and tillage provide several benefits.  Many plant pathogens overwinter in the garden on infected plant debris.  Removal and destruction of the diseased plant debris reduces the severity of many diseases.  Removal of the plant debris also eliminates over-wintering sites for some insects and helps reduce insect populations.  Additionally, a fall-tilled garden dries out and warms up more quickly in spring, permitting earlier planting of cool-season crops.