""I keep reading that I should remove plant debris from the garden in fall to reduce overwintering diseases and insects.""

I also read that we should mulch the perenials to protect the roots from the low temp. Would bugs etc not hide among the mulch?
Others say to leave the fallen leaves as mulch for the plants.
This is really confusing. So, which one is debris and which one could be left as mulch?

hamiltongardener,

You have it figured out. If plant material is diseased, then remove it, otherwise you can just leave it until spring. If you want to please everyone, you can cut the plants down to a foot or so high. This will still trap leaves and snow to help out insects. And if you figure out how to keep the bad guys out of the garden, then bottled it and sell it.

Yes, IF the plant is diseased, then definitely remove it and dispose of it in a manner that will insure that you don't let it spread.

Otherwise, it is completely up to you. Heck, it's up to you either way, but I don't think anybody would recommend leaving blight blasted tomato plants in your garden.

I do remove all my annuals and toss them in the compost pile. That way it is easier to spread amendments on the veggie garden. Kay.

While removing plant debris would limit the places insect pests, and plant diseases, could overwinter that would also limit the places the beneficial insects could overwinter. I've not removed last years growth from the garden beds in years and have not seen an increase in insect pests or plant diseases as a result.

I actually cut all my ornamental grasses (seedless) and just stack them on top of the garden kinda criss crossed. They break down very slowly, but since I till the top 4" pretty well, they get broken down into the top mulch. Rest of the late greens, chards and collards, just rot in place now. Dunno if this is reccomended or not, but the garden is doing better every year, and I have quit adding any nutrients and micronutrients. TiMo