HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Around the beginning of October, you need to get prepared for the Asian Lady Beetle invasion. If you live near woods and have had these pests before, I think you are going to get dumped on this year if you know what I mean.

As I say with a grin, I'm going out on a limb so to speak and say this year looks like big trouble with the Asian Lady Beetles. I say this only because of all of the succulent new leaf growth caused by a wetter than usual summer.

Along with the Asian Lady Beetle alert, you need to be thinking now how your lawn, shrubs, flowers and trees can look better next year.

One very important way to get more bang for your buck is to keep the soil maintained with the nutrients needed by the plants I just mentioned. There are four main nutrients that are essential for plant growth and needs to be available in the soil. They are Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium and Calcium.

If you don't have a balance of these plant nutrients, your plants won't grow to their fullest potential. There is only one way to determine composition in your soil and that's with a soil test.

To make things simple, just contact your local County Extension Office and ask for a soil test kit. In most situations they are free for the asking. One other comment, make sure to take that soil sample no later than about the middle of November if possible.