Hygiene

The key to good greenhouse management is hygiene. By keeping the greenhouse as clean as possible, the likelihood of pests and disease becoming established is limited. Since this is a new greenhouse, there were no pre-existing problems, and I’d like to keep it that way.

During the season, a great deal of potting soil gets spilled on the ground, enough that weed seeds can germinate and grow, creating habitat and food for pests. I am sweeping up all of that soil along with the leaf litter that blew in in the fall.

I’ve placed all of the pallets that were being used for benchtops outside where any pests that have snuck into the cracks and crevices can be exposed to the cold, wind, sun, water and snow, as well as hungry small birds.