It’s hard to avoid the news about the inbound Brood X cicadas. While there’s general consensus that the 17-year cicadas are both amazing and messy, there are differing opinions about how you as a home gardener should respond.

Option 1: Roll with it. According to our friends at Bartlett Tree Service, nearly all trees and shrubs are perfectly able to withstand the stresses of the cicada invasion and measures such as netting should be used only for the most valuable and vulnerable specimens.

Option 2: Prepare. According to noted entomologist Michael J. Raupp, planting of new trees and shrubs should be delayed this spring if possible and/or netting used to protect sensitive young trees.

Option 3: Panic. There’s really no reason to panic and your garden’s in no significant danger.

At Backyard Bounty, we always try to work with nature instead of against it. For this spring, we will be using floating row cover to protect particularly sensitive, newly-planted trees such as redbuds and fruit trees.

Beyond that, we will be taking the opportunity to marvel at these amazing creatures.