The closed method of growing vegetables is very popular in our latitudes, so it makes sense to handle the greenhouse with care. The conditions for plants there are good, but the specifics of the room and its microclimate contribute to the emergence of various kinds of problems, including diseases. The editors of HomeMyHome will tell you on their pages how to avoid all this, so today we will find out what treatment of a greenhouse in the fall includes and how it is carried out.
Let's prepare the greenhouse for winter and next year PHOTO: teplica-exp.ru
Why treat a greenhouse in the fall?
This question could be called stupid if it were not for its obviousness. Naturally, because every gardener must remove all unnecessary things from his garden. Typically, autumn garden care requires a special calendar of work: the greenhouse is processed not only in the fall, but also in the spring. In the fall - in order to prepare the room for winter. Proper treatment of the greenhouse will help not only get rid of harmful insects and diseases, but will also significantly save time in the spring: you will not have to do work when you need to plant young trees as soon as possible.
Strengthening the polycarbonate greenhouse frame
Strengthening the frame is very important even if the winter in your region has little snow and is not very severe. The thing is that only some greenhouses can withstand a lot of weight, but the majority of structures can withstand an average of 200-400 g/m2, then the frame suffers and the structure collapses.
The amount of snow in different winters is very different, especially if you take into account some regions. Therefore, the frame of the greenhouse must be strengthened so that it can easily withstand 30-50 cm of snow. This is necessary if the building is located on a suburban area and you do not have the opportunity to remove snow from its roof every day.
To strengthen the frame of the greenhouse, supports are used, which will take on a certain part of the weight, preventing the frame from bending or breaking due to excessive pressure from above. Supports should be installed under the main frame, as well as its joists. Do not allow any part of the frame of one and a half meters or more to be left without special support.
The support is installed under the frame and secured to it so that, due to pressure, it does not jump out and pierce the greenhouse cover if the frame suddenly drops under the weight. The lower part of the support rests on the ground, and you can also install a stone or brick under it.
Stages of preparation for the next season
Before you start processing your greenhouse, first prepare for the process. It’s not difficult to treat a room, the main thing is to know and follow the sequence of steps:
- Cleaning procedure (cleaning and digging the soil during autumn work).
- Washing (metal frame and polycarbonate).
- Treatment of premises and soil with chemical, biological preparations or folk remedies.
Autumn cleaning in the greenhouse
First, you need to get rid of all plant debris: during the summer season, the greenhouse stores a lot of remnants of wilted plants and weeds. But they nevertheless still harbor all sorts of pathogens and diseases. Not only faded crops are harvested, but also the mulch layer: over the entire period of use it becomes rotted and unusable. Wet mulch can become a source of late blight infection. Therefore, remove it. During cleaning, it is necessary to temporarily remove supports, pins and coverings. The film covering of the greenhouse is a little simpler: it can be easily removed, washed separately, dried and stored.
Digging of the soil is carried out after the preliminary use of disinfectants. Soil disinfection is a vital procedure that helps destroy any larvae that have gone to winter. It also destroys pathogens. How to do the soil digging procedure:
- Stick in the shovel. This depth is optimal for digging the soil.
- Change the top layer if the time has come. The top soil layer is removed approximately every 3 years. And replace it with a new one (can be purchased at a farm store). The old layer can be thrown away or composted.
Processing of greenhouse structures
Most often, a polycarbonate greenhouse is used for growing: it is more durable. But it is also more demanding in terms of care. Processing a polycarbonate greenhouse in the fall includes several rules. Without following them, you risk damaging the coating and the frame itself. In order to properly wash a polycarbonate greenhouse, you don’t need too much:
- Broom or broom (for cleaning remnants of cobwebs in hard-to-reach places).
- Telescopic mop for windows (for cleaning the coating inside).
- Microfiber cloths, soft sponges (for washing).
It is the internal cleaning of the greenhouse that is more important. The outside of the greenhouse can be washed with plain water, because the main process takes place inside. What compositions or means are suitable for washing the frame: water with diluted laundry soap or water with dishwashing detergent. The detergent composition is applied to the coating for no longer than 10 minutes, then washed off with water. The same procedure is carried out with garden tools that are still suitable for use.
Important: polycarbonate greenhouses are washed only with soft sponges or microfiber cloths. The use of iron sponges and silencers will cause significant damage to the coating.
Solutions for cleaning greenhouse walls
You can wash the greenhouse with anything, as long as you follow the correct dosage. Composition options:
- Soap and water (a bar in a bucket).
- Dishwashing liquid and water.
- Potassium permanganate solution and water.
- Baking soda diluted in water.
- Glass cleaner.
- Chloride of lime (400 grams per 10 liters of water).
Disinfection of soil in greenhouse beds
Another equally important procedure in autumn gardening. The future growth of seedlings next year depends on the condition of the soil. The healthier it is, the better it is for you. Soil disinfection helps not only to get rid of insect larvae, but also to destroy mold. You can disinfect soil using chemicals, biological agents or traditional methods. The soil disinfection procedure is carried out along with the greenhouse disinfection procedure.
Attention: when cultivating the soil and greenhouse, be sure to wear personal protective equipment so that the toxic vapors of the drugs do not penetrate the body. Afterwards, rinse your mouth well, wash your face and hands. The maximum time for disinfection is no more than 10 minutes. Afterwards, be sure to ventilate the room.
Biological products
Summer residents like such preparations because they are non-toxic and do not accumulate in the soil. Good drugs:
- Vermitex (saves from spider mites, aphids).
- Trichodermin (100 ml per 10 liters of water).
- Alirin-B (one tablet per bucket).
- Baikal EM-1 (destroys pathogens).
- Treatment with phytosporin.
Herbal infusions
How to treat a greenhouse against pests? This is a question many gardeners ask themselves. And many people have known folk methods since time immemorial, for example, infusions of herbs and other crops. Most often, summer residents use decoctions and infusions from:
- Mustards.
- Luke.
- Garlic.
- Dandelion.
- Hot pepper.
Sowing green manure
Green manures are natural green fertilizers, sources of nitrogen and other useful microelements. They are sown after digging the soil and disinfecting it. When they fade, there is no need to remove them, just cut them off lightly.
Change or disinfect the soil
The soil in the greenhouse is actively exploited, accumulating the remains of fungicides, insecticides, fertilizers and salts. Because of this, within a few years it becomes unsuitable for growing plants and turns into a breeding ground for diseases and pests. The best solution would be to change the soil every 2-3 years. It is necessary to remove a layer 25-30 cm thick (on the bayonet of a shovel), and before this you need to remove the mulch, if any.
If it is impossible to replace the greenhouse soil, it will have to be revived. To begin, disinfect the soil with biological products that, in addition to suppressing microorganisms, heal the soil, for example, Fitosporin-M, Fitocid®-r, Baikal EM-5, Baktofit, Trichoderma Veride 471, etc. They are introduced into the ground two weeks before autumn frosts to a depth of 5-10 cm. In the spring, the treatment can be repeated. Then add 40-50 kg of compost or rotted manure to each square meter and carry out a deep two-level digging. Then water the soil with preparations that accelerate the decomposition and humification of plant residues.
For those who are not afraid to put in extra effort, building warm compost beds in the greenhouse is a good option. To do this, a layer of fresh manure 15-25 cm thick is added to the dug trenches, a layer of plant residues 25-30 cm thick is added on top, and at the end 20 cm of soil or ready-made compost is added. During the fall and early spring, the contents of the trenches will begin to decompose, and in the spring you will receive a ready-made warm ridge with fertile soil.
- Do-it-yourself warm beds - step-by-step instructions with video
Detailed and visual recommendations for creating warm beds in your garden.
If you cleared the greenhouse from planting at the beginning of September, you can improve the soil in it with the help of green manure. Plant oilseed radish, oats, mustard or other fast-growing, cold-resistant green manure, and just before the cold weather, mow the green mass and incorporate it into the soil.
- What green manures can be sown in the fall after harvesting?
We'll tell you how to improve the soil by planting green manure plants in the fall.
Three ways to disinfect a greenhouse
Various drugs and folk methods will help destroy fungal pathogens and late blight. According to their classification, they are divided into:
- Fumigation.
- Heat treatment.
- Spraying.
Each method is useful in its own way, depending on what exactly you are trying to get rid of.
Spraying
The walls of greenhouses are treated with this composition. The smallest particles of the solution reach the most remote corners of the room and destroy the causative agents of late blight and other garden diseases. Most often, a solution of copper sulfate is used for these purposes. This product is almost universal, since it can be used to treat not only structures, but also soil. Vitriol is taken at the rate of 100 grams per 10 liters of water. To consolidate the result, it is better to repeat the procedure after a couple of weeks. Another good drug is Percel-6.
Fumigation of greenhouses
This procedure is carried out using special checkers: sulfur or tobacco (they will be discussed in more detail below). The smoke released during smoldering is extremely toxic both for diseases and for the person himself, so do not stay in the room for more than 10 minutes. Use PPE.
Sprinkling with powder mixtures
These compounds are used to disinfect soil. Slaked lime is recognized as one of the best. Only it needs to be applied in a thin layer, no more than 200 grams per 1 square meter. m. After the lime is evenly distributed over the soil, it is dug up.
Mechanical means of soil disinfection
One of the methods is traditional - this is thermal treatment with steam (more details below). The second method is to install special devices: electrical or on an electrode. However, as practice has shown, they are ineffective; moreover, these devices do not have a certificate from the Ministry of Agriculture.
Cleaning up plant residues in a greenhouse
Plant debris (leaves, tops, rhizomes) and mulch may contain pathogens of dangerous diseases. The first step in cleaning a greenhouse is to remove absolutely all plant debris from it after harvesting . These include any parts of plants (tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, eggplants, bell peppers, etc.) that were grown in it, weeds. In this case, they must be removed along with the rhizome .
In addition, you need to remove all the mulch!
Advice! Parts of plants and mulch should not be taken to the compost heap or to another part of the garden. It's better to burn them right away!
Treatment of greenhouses and greenhouses from pests and diseases in the fall without replacing the soil
This type of treatment is preventive. If you just imagine for a second how many layers of earth will have to be removed when replacing the soil, then this method suggests itself. Means for autumn disinfection use chemicals, but are based on the purpose of treatment:
- From insects.
- From diseases.
The most popular means is copper sulfate. For soil, take a less concentrated solution: 1-1.5%. If you want to destroy mold or bacteria, use Previkur. Just keep in mind that treatment must be carried out not only in the fall, but also in the summer, several times a season.
Chemical Selection
Processing greenhouse greenhouses is a painstaking and time-consuming process. And the better you treat the room, the longer you will be calm. As a rule, chemical agents are used to destroy pathogens: they are more aggressive towards them. Most popular:
- Abiga Peak.
- Consento.
- Spraying with Bordeaux mixture.
- Copper oxychloride (at the rate of 40 grams per 10 liters of water).
- Spark.
- Karate and others.
Biologically active agents
Such substances are safe for people and animals. The most popular drugs are Fitosporin and Trichodermin. How to use: water the beds.
Folk methods and means of struggle
Many summer residents do not want to turn to “chemistry” for fear of harming or accumulating the drug in the soil, so they use their own methods. What do they use most often:
- Infusions: tobacco, garlic, onion.
- Solutions: vinegar or soda.
- Heat treatment.
Heat treatment
Cultivating the soil in a greenhouse with an increase in temperature eliminates the need to use aggressive chemicals. High temperatures kill pathogenic microflora, including late blight, which affects tomatoes and cucumbers.
Basic methods:
- Fumigation with a sulfur bomb has an amazing effect. At the same time, the structure of the structure (cracks, material, supports) and the soil to a depth of 10–12 cm are processed.
- Covering the ground with a layer of snow is suitable for spring work. At the end of February or beginning of March, lay a layer of snow 15–20 cm thick on the garden. Low temperatures kill more than 50% of harmful bacteria.
- Steaming. The film is stretched in the area, the edges of which are fixed. Hot steam is fired under it so that the soil warms up by 30 cm to 70 ℃. When steaming, pathogenic flora dies.
Disinfection of a greenhouse in spring
Preventive work on cleaning and disinfecting a greenhouse in the spring is no different from the autumn and includes the same steps: cleaning and washing; disinfection of metal frames; coating it with anti-corrosion; disinfection of the coating with phytosporin; soil disinfection with slaked lime or copper sulfate solution (3-5%).
Solutions for disinfecting coatings
To protect the coating from mold, moss and other troubles, use a strong solution of potassium permanganate or a solution of chlorine of lime.
Frame disinfection solutions
If the greenhouse is unpainted, use 1% Bordeaux mixture (spraying) for disinfection. A solution of potassium permanganate, formaldehyde, copper sulfate and quicklime also do a good job of this.
Fumigation with sulfur bombs
This method is toxic, but effective. But remember that they cannot be used in greenhouses with a metal frame or an unpainted frame. Use the checker strictly according to the instructions: about 9 checkers are suitable for a small greenhouse 3*6. They have a wick. Place the checkers strictly in all corners of the greenhouse on surfaces that prevent combustion. Close all the windows and doors so that not even a particle of air gets in. Then light the wick. Approximate smoldering time is 5 hours. After the checker has decayed, leave it for three days. Afterwards, ventilate the room well and wash the inside with a soap solution.
Fumigation with tobacco sticks
In principle, the method is almost no different from using sulfur bombs, just remember that the best effect can be achieved in a humid environment. Therefore, spray the soil and interior surface with water before use. Next, proceed to fumigation:
- Seal the room.
- Place checker stands in the corners: bricks or metal utensils.
- Light the wick outside and wait a minute. Then bring the checker into the greenhouse and place it on a stand.
- Wait a few hours and then ventilate the room.
Autumn disinfection of a greenhouse: how and with what to treat
It is very important to take care of the health of the soil, which can be seriously contaminated. During the entire warm period, we constantly create a convenient climate for the reproduction of various microorganisms, and even though we destroy some of them in time, many still remain in the greenhouse. It is necessary to combat infections and various pests correctly so that next year you can start growing crops in absolutely healthy soil.
First of all, the layer of soil must be replaced, the rest of the soil must be sifted, and only then the next steps must be taken.
If you remove a layer of soil from the greenhouse, then you cannot replace it with soil from the garden or vegetable garden, or from under other plants.
Next, you need to thoroughly clean the racks, structure frame, film or other covering from dust, dirt, and so on. Afterwards, the room and greenhouse structure should be fumigated. For this you can use sulfur bombs or sulfur itself, 70-80 g for each square meter of the greenhouse. Having spread sulfur or checkers evenly over the area, generously spray the structures with water to increase toxicity, and light the sulfur. Then close the door, but be sure to watch the process.
When fumigating, be sure to use a gas mask and protective gloves.
After fumigation, disinfection of the structure should be completed with the next stage - ventilation and additional processing. Open the doors and windows wider to flush toxic gases out of the greenhouse after several hours of fumigation. Wash glass or plastic surfaces and structures thoroughly. This can be done using a pemoxol solution (1-2%) and nylon brushes. After such washing, it is necessary to rinse all surfaces with clean water, preferably from a hose.
Additional treatment and disinfection of the greenhouse in the fall
After you have washed and cleaned the frames, proceed with the additional disinfection procedure. This will consolidate the results from the previous stages. Once you have disinfected the soil, dig up the top soil and carry out the freezing procedure. This will help get rid of most of the pathogens.
Biological products for tillage in autumn
Water the soil with a solution of copper sulfate. Then, pour plenty of phytosporin solution, because copper will destroy not only diseases, but also beneficial bacteria. There are also special ready-made preparations that are known to many. You just need to use them in cloudy, warm weather. List:
- Trichoderma.
- Alirin.
- Maksim.
- Alatar and others.
How to treat a greenhouse in the fall against ants and aphids
These insects are not only annoying, but also dangerous. Especially when they are adjacent to each other. It’s not for nothing that aphids are called “ant cows”: it provides them with a valuable and nutritious product: honeydew. Aphids are to ants what a cow is to us. In this regard, aphids and ants are always an advantageous neighbor: they protect them, help them move to a new place and literally fight to the death for a drop of that same dew. This all sounds interesting, of course, but if they are not destroyed, your seedlings will die. Use everything you can: folk remedies and drugs:
- Soil treatment with Karbofos.
- Freezing the top layer.
- Sulfur checker.
- Preparation Spark, Kinmiks, Anteater, Ant.
- Ammonia solution (200 ml per bucket of water). Spray the soil.
- Infusion of fermented nettle: kilogram per 10 liters of water. Spray from a spray bottle.
- Tobacco mixed with ash and water: 200 grams per 10 liters of boiling water. Leave for a day and spray.
How to disinfect a polycarbonate greenhouse in the fall from clubroot, gallonweed, and blackleg
The simplest method is spraying with phytosporin or a solution of potassium permanganate. The drug Karbofos helps get rid of nematodes and blackleg. Dosage: 90 grams per 10 liters. Carbation diluted in water at a dosage of half a kilo per bucket of water will help get rid of clubroot. Before use, dig up the soil and water it with the preparation.
How to treat a greenhouse against late blight
Late blight is almost in first place in terms of danger and speed of spread. “Thanks” to her, more than one tomato crop has perished. Infected bushes can only be thrown away and burned. But in order not to do this, it is better to prevent the disease. How:
- Carry out standard activities: remove plant debris, dig up the soil, destroy or treat garden tools.
- You can replace the top layer of soil by moving it outside the room.
- Water the beds with 1% Bordeaux mixture.
- Instead of Bordeaux, you can use steaming: pour boiling water over the beds, cover with polyethylene and leave for 2 days. After the procedure, pour vitriol, sprinkle with dry lime and dig.
- Fumigate with sulfur.
- If the infection is severe, use formalin.
