Permsteading.com

Ok
We have several raised beds and this winter we used peas and rye grass as cover crops. I'm yanking all that out this afternoon getting ready to drop in some seedlings, mostly herbs & flowers. Here is what all I see (excuse me for not knowing all the names): pill bugs, tiny green aphids, brown stink bugs, those red with spots stink bugs, slugs, black beetles, spiders, & ladybugs. Oh and a very large green grub.

So
Is it safe to plant with all these critters? I don't want them to destroy my plants...any advice? I know they can't all be bad, especially the lady bugs.

TIA

In my opinion a lot of bugs and life in the soil is a great sign! Yes, some are going to do some damage, but it sounds like you have a pretty healthy soil ecosystem going. My thought is, if the bugs like it, the plants will too. I imagine you will have some bug damage, I always do. My method is to plant more than I need, and encourage the predators of the nasty bugs. My favorite garden helpers are the yellow jackets and baldface hornets, they eat all the bad guys! Do what ever you can to encourage predators like that to enjoy your garden. I leave a small brush pile each summer near the garden and inevitably it ends up with a hornets nest in it, which makes a huge dent in the garden bugs. Where are you located? I may be giving you terrible advice, but it works up here in the PNW.

I agree with Matt, and those last two you mentioned: the spiders and ladybugs are definitely your friends. The ladybugs will be there because of those green aphids. I always go on the theory that everything has its place and job to do. Sometimes it's not the job you want doing, but like Matt says, plant more than you need and then if you end up with more than you need, give to the community.