All the harvest has already been harvested, and now it’s time to take care of the greenhouses. In an unkempt structure, fungi can easily develop, and insect pests will choose this warm place for wintering. Some owners use greenhouses in winter to grow onions, garlic, greens, while others prefer to plant crops only in spring. No matter what the choice of the summer resident: whether or not to close the greenhouse for the winter, in any case there should be perfect order and cleanliness. Let’s analyze how to prepare a greenhouse for winter.
General cleaning in the greenhouse
Before preparing the greenhouse for winter, it is necessary, first of all, to put the room in order. This process is painstaking and takes time.
In order to properly clean things up, you need to do the following:
- Remove old plants. Top of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers; as well as the remaining green bushes and weeds must be dug out of the ground, raked into a separate pile and burned. Plant residues (except weeds) can also be used as raw materials for compost. If you do not get rid of dried stems in time, they can become a habitat for many pests. Therefore, the preparation of the greenhouse in autumn must necessarily include the cleaning of dead plants.
- Remove excess inventory. This applies to both garden tools and empty containers (boxes, bowls, etc.). You also need to dig up supports, cut the ropes used to tie the bushes.
- Wash all parts of the structure. You can wash off dust and dirt from the inner walls using a hose. Some hard-to-reach areas are additionally treated with brushes. Special attention is paid to the corners: cobwebs accumulate there, there may be insect nests. Polycarbonate sheets can be treated with chlorinated lime (400 g of substance per bucket of water) or a concentrated solution of household soap.
- Clean the sides of the beds, if they are installed in the greenhouse.
After wet cleaning, the greenhouse should be left open for uniform ventilation, thanks to which, in addition, all surfaces will dry quickly. If this is not done, molds will begin to develop.
Preventive measures against fungi
Special procedures are carried out in case of infection of plants with infectious diseases, although many summer residents update the soil and carry out treatment with drugs for prevention.
Soil replacement
From each bed, you need to remove from 10 to 20 cm of the top layer of soil. The remains of the earth are carefully dug together with ash and granular fertilizers. From above, the earth is watered with a solution of potassium permanganate. After that, a new top layer of soil is formed, consisting of sod land with sand and loose compost.
It will not be superfluous to dig paths as well. It is most convenient if they are sandy. The sand layer is cultivated with pitchforks, and then leveled with a rake and compacted. It is not recommended to make flooring from slabs, as slugs often accumulate under them.
Treatment with fungicides
In garden stores, you can easily find effective insecticides such as “Fitosporin-M”. Treatment with copper sulfate (10%) and Bordeaux liquid also gives a good result.
Fungicide solutions are poured into containers with sprayers. The stream will go purposefully, which will help reduce the consumption of the drug. All internal surfaces of the greenhouse, as well as the soil, are treated. Biological preparations work only at positive temperatures (not lower than +10 degrees). Otherwise, the substances lose their activity, the treatment will be pointless.
Another method of combating fungi is fumigation with sulfur bombs. Many summer residents are afraid to use this method, as it is dangerous for health. Therefore, if it is necessary to use sulfur checkers, you need to know how to properly process the greenhouse for the winter with this tool.
First of all, you need to take care of thorough personal protection:
- respirator;
- glasses;
- gloves;
- rubber boots and others.
Vapors should not come into contact with mucous membranes and skin. Before starting disinfection, you need to watch educational videos, read reviews of other summer residents. It is also worth considering the fact that sulfur provokes the development of corrosion on metal parts of the frame. Manufacturers indicate in the instructions for the greenhouse whether it is permissible to fumigate it with checkers.
Pest control
Eggs laid by insects often remain in the crevices of the structure and in the ground. Preparing the greenhouse for winter necessarily includes the destruction of larvae. Aphids, nematodes, and spider mites are considered the most dangerous. Only sulfur checker completely eliminates both fungi and larvae.
For pest control, it is recommended to use “Haupsin”, “Fitoverma”, “Trichodermin”, “Karbofos”, chlorinated lime. If moss has appeared, it can be fought with iron sulfate. It is best to use biological preparations as prevention: they are effective, completely decompose, without harming either the soil or people. Treating the greenhouse for the winter with such compositions is not difficult, and the preparations themselves are inexpensive.
Use of siderates
Plants of this group help to clean the soil and increase its fertility. Mustard, peas, rape have a positive effect on cucumbers; for tomatoes – beans, lupins, other types of legumes; and for pepper, in addition to those listed above, alfalfa and oats. After complete decomposition, these plants will turn into valuable organic fertilizers.
Polycarbonate greenhouses are durable, reliable and do not require complex maintenance. It will not be difficult to prepare the greenhouse for winter in the fall. And then you yourself decide to leave it until the next season or continue to grow greens in winter.
