Spring cleaning is a time-honored tradition. In the yard, though, a University of Georgia scientist said "winter cleaning" is a better idea.

"You can prevent a lot of spring problems by doing some work now," said Taft Eaker, an extensionÿ homeowner IPM (integrated pest management) specialist with the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Eaker manages the university's Homeowner Plant IPM Diagnostic Clinic, which diagnoses insect- and disease-causing agents of homeowner plant samples. The Homeowner IPM lab handles about 2,000 home plant samples per year.

"Here in the lab we identify many diseases and insects that could have been controlled by doing a little work through the winter," he said. "That little bit of work can save many dollars in control of these problems or in replacing plants."

Raking leaves, removing spent flowers and cleaning up fallen limbs removes overwintering sites for insect pests, he said. And getting rid of the bugs' winter homes will make them less plentiful next spring.

"Diseases overwinter in that debris, too," Eaker said. "That's another reason to clean it up. The disease organisms may go dormant through the cold season, so you may not see signs that they're there. But come spring, you may have problems."

Cleanup is important in home orchards, gardens and landscapes, Eaker said.

In the orchard, prune dead branches from fruit trees, he said. Your county extension agent can show you how to prune properly to avoid damaging trees.

Cut back bunch grape and muscadine vines to the main stem. Destroy weeds and clean up any plant debris and fallen fruit.

In the landscape, he said, prune shrubbery in winter only for corrective reasons.

Remove old mulch from flower beds and from around trees and fruit bushes and destroy it. Or add it to your compost pile.