The recent warm weather has provided a good fall opportunity to clear crops and fields for winter.
Hopefully, much of the outdoor work has been completed and we have the last few fields left for late planting.
Another cleaning task that should be performed is a thorough cleaning and disinfection of the greenhouse.
By doing this now, you won’t have to rush to prepare just before the plants arrive in spring, and you’ll be ready for the next growing season sooner.
Start with a thorough cleaning. Remove weeds, plant debris, excess pots and trays, tools and excess media, and any other items left in the greenhouse.
Eliminating weeds in greenhouses helps control insects and disease during the spring growing season.
Sweep thoroughly to remove loose material and use specialized products to remove algae, dirt, and other hard-to-clean materials from surfaces. Consider a strong wash in hard-to-clean areas.
Starting at the top of the structure, remember that disease-causing organisms are everywhere. Without doing anything more now, you have taken an important first step.
Eliminate potential overwintering sites for disease and insects by removing live weeds and other plant material. Consider reducing vegetation growth in the area.
disinfection tips
After cleanup, clean and disinfect empty benches, potting areas, storage shelves, tools, remaining cell packs and flats that you plan to reuse.
Sanitizing solutions may contain approved sanitizing products such as Green-Shield, Physan 20, KleenGrow, ZeroTol, OxiDate, SaniDate, or other labeled materials.
When using commercial products, follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Be especially careful if the area to be disinfected needs to remain wet for a period of time. Some materials work in contact, while others require a period of soaking.
Some growers use chlorine bleach (10% solution) for disinfection, but this is only recommended for reusable pots and flats, not floors, benches and walls. increase.
If you are using a 1-9 bleach solution, be aware that a 30 minute soak is required for it to be effective, and the presence of dirt or other organic matter will reduce the effectiveness of the solution.
After immersion, be sure to wash off chlorinated items with clean water. Also note that while chlorine bleach is an effective disinfectant, the strength of the chlorine solution is reduced by 50% in just 2 hours.
Therefore, you should prepare a new solution each time you plan to sanitize. This includes new solutions after lunch if you start work in the morning.
Keep in mind that chlorine is corrosive and can damage plastics and metals with repeated use. Also, chlorine can be irritating to the respiratory system, so use it only in well-ventilated areas.
Disinfectants are probably not 100% effective, but reducing pathogen spores is an advantage when you start the next harvest in your greenhouse.
When cleaning the greenhouse, consider the material of the benches and tables. Are they easy to clean and disinfect, such as wire or metal, or are they difficult to clean, such as wood?
If possible, consider replacing wood and other hard-to-clean materials with new, easy-to-clean materials whenever possible.
Finally, once you’ve cleaned and disinfected your greenhouse, leave it in until spring.
I hope you have space in your home for those special plants that your family wants to save for next year.
