How to prepare the soil in a new greenhouse in spring. What can be done in the greenhouse in early spring. There are several methods for disinfecting soil in greenhouses.

Preparing a greenhouse in spring for the new season is an important and necessary process that determines the quality and quantity of the crop. It is better, of course, to carry out this procedure in the fall, but often gardeners transfer it to the spring. To do everything right, you need to use special tools, follow the recommendations of specialists.

After several years of operation of the greenhouse, pathogenic microbes and other microorganisms can live and multiply on its walls and in the soil. In order to protect the plants and not harm the crop, spring processing of the structure is necessary.

During their growth, seedlings receive nutrients from the soil. Therefore, it is required to prepare the greenhouse correctly for the new season in the spring. Necessary:

• inspect the greenhouse for damage. If they were identified - eliminate;
• carry out a complete disinfection;
• fight pests whose habitat is in the ground;
• restore soil fertility.

When to process

The processing of the greenhouse in the spring should begin before the snow melts - it should be brought in and cover the entire area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe soil with it. For the initial procedures, its role is not overestimated. Benefits of using snow:

• melt water penetrates the soil, saturating it with useful microelements;
• because of the snow, the ground freezes, which leads to the death of pests that have not yet awakened.

Attention!

You can get rid of frost from polycarbonate if you open all windows and doors at sub-zero temperatures. When the temperature conditions even out, the crust will be easy to remove.

In the last month of winter, you need to clean and disinfect the soil. In addition, greenhouses need processing. In particular, if the wood parts are rotten, then replacing them is indispensable. Corroded metal structures should be:

• clear;
• process to get rid of rust;
• apply a primer;
• paint.

You can use folk remedies for these purposes.

Stages of preparing a greenhouse for the season

To properly process the greenhouse for spring sowing, you need to do a lot. In addition to preparing the soil, you need to wash and disinfect the structure itself, which can become a breeding ground for bacteria and pests.

Clearing the area

Before starting work on processing the greenhouse, you will have to remove everything from it that can interfere with this process. Even the supports that support the roof in the event of a large amount of snow need to be dismantled.

Everything that is taken out of the greenhouse must be carefully examined and processed:

• whitewash wooden structures with lime with the addition of paint glue. If the elements are rotten, then they require replacement;
• treat metal products from rust, if its foci have been identified. This can be done both by folk remedies and purchased. After this manipulation, paint the metal supports.

Attention!

If heating equipment is installed in the greenhouse, then it needs to be painted. At the same time, it is not recommended to use oil paint - it reduces heat transfer.

If everything that was taken out is not damaged, then processing can be refused.

Waste collection and disposal

Be sure to get rid of last year's weeds, ropes and pegs that were used by gardeners to tie vegetable crops. Roots, leaves, stems of plants also need to be removed.

Collected garbage must be burned. At the same time, the ash that will be obtained during the disposal process will be an excellent fertilizer. It will help to saturate the earth with useful trace elements (zinc, phosphorus, iron, etc.). If dry ash is used for fertilizer, then it must be scattered before digging the soil at the rate of 3-5 cups per 1 sq. m. If for feeding, then in a bucket of water you need to dissolve 1 cup of the substance.

Fight against dust and dirt

It is necessary to provide clean conditions for growing seedlings and vegetable crops by washing the greenhouse. Remove dirt and layers of dust with:

If you follow these rules, you can clean the greenhouse and not harm the soil.

Greenhouse disinfection

After the greenhouse has been washed, you need to disinfect it. Bordeaux mixture is used to fight diseases. Some gardeners who prefer folk remedies to fight diseases and pests resort to the help of a decoction of pine needles.

You need to prepare it as follows: half fill the bucket with pine branches, pour liquid. When this remedy is infused, it can be used. For a quick preparation of this remedy, you can cook it for 20 minutes. Summer residents can also replace needles with nettles - the preparation of a decoction is similar. If the greenhouse has been badly affected by fungal infections, then you can resort to fumigation.

Attention!

Before this procedure, all the cracks in the greenhouse must be sealed so that the vapors of the agent used do not evaporate into the air.

Fumigation is often done by gardeners, because this way you can process the soil and the structure itself.

Soil preparation for planting

Disinfection methods that act on the frame can reduce the cost of labor resources for tillage. According to the rules, every year you need to change its top layer (the first 12-15 cm) to a new one. But there are alternative ways to replace:

• tillage with boiling water - per 1 sq. m. 3 buckets of liquid are required;
• pour boiling water and cover the soil. The resulting steam penetrates deep, destroying pests;
• soil disinfection with a 1% solution of potassium permanganate or a 3% solution of nitrafen. This will help to exterminate insects wintering in the soil;
• disinfection with carbation at a concentration of 2%.

The rest of the chemicals are best used in the fall.

How to fertilize the soil in a greenhouse in spring

When sowing seeds, you can use any fertilizer. For smaller households, it is better to use natural or organic feed. In particular, phosphate fertilizers can be replaced with bone meal.

It must be sprayed on the beds and patched up in favor with a chopper or flat cutter. After such fertilizer, you need to water the earth and cover it.

Manure is often used to improve soil fertility. But it can be replaced with such mixtures:

• sod land and peat - in a ratio of 1 to 3;
• peat, sawdust, mullein - 3:1:0.5;
• ammonium nitrate, superphosphate, potassium chloride;
• phosphorus and potassium;
• bird droppings. Dissolve 1 matchbox with this content in a bucket of water, with a volume of 10 liters.

Mix the components of the last solution well, let it brew for a day.

How to prepare the soil in a greenhouse in spring

Basically, the beds before spring planting begin to prepare in the fall. During this period, the soil is fertilized, mulched with small branches and residues from the tops of plants. If these procedures were carried out in the fall, then nothing more is required in the spring.

Mulching the soil in the greenhouse

Gardeners use mineral and organic fertilizers to fertilize the soil in autumn. Mulch made from crushed tops of weeds and vegetables copes with this task. A layer of these products is laid on the beds, while digging is not needed.

This is due to the fact that the mulch retains the necessary moisture in the soil. If you do not dig up the soil, then you can simply loosen it.

Sowing green manure

To increase the fertility of the beds, various means are used, including mustard and oilseed radish. The sowing of such green manure is accompanied by the following rules:

• the soil must be prepared - fertilized in the fall, loosened without turning the upper layer. Loose earth is the best springboard for their emergence and growth;
• beds and grooves are not needed for sowing;
• water the seeds, cover.

In those beds where mustard grew, it is not necessary to use nitrogen fertilizers.

Methods for disinfecting greenhouses and soil

To cultivate the land, a polycarbonate greenhouse in the spring, before planting seeds or seedlings, different methods are used. This must be done in order to exterminate fungal infections and pests wintering in the soil or on the walls of the structure. Popular methods are biological, chemical and temperature.

Biological

More and more gardeners and farmers decide to process a polycarbonate greenhouse in the spring in a biological way. To do this, you should purchase a special preparation, dilute it and treat the soil with the resulting solution. This method is inferior in efficiency to chemicals, but the crop will be environmentally friendly.

Attention!

When using biological agents for treatment for the purpose of prevention, the effect of their action will be much higher.

Preparations that do not contain dangerous chemical compounds can destroy pests and increase yields. There can be no overdose, but fertilizers must be applied to moist, warm soil.

Chemical

Gardeners resort to the use of special means if it is necessary to disinfect structures and plants. Chemicals will save time for this procedure. But there is one significant drawback: they penetrate deep into the soil, vegetables, fruits, berries, etc.

The range of such tools is wide, so you need to choose the one that will solve the problem.

temperature method

The steaming procedure will also help to disinfect the soil. To this end, it is poured with plenty of boiling water.

Attention!

The volume of liquid can be up to 100 liters.

After completing this manipulation, the earth must be covered so that all moisture remains in it. Under the action of steam, approximately 80% of dangerous microorganisms will die.

How and with what to properly treat a greenhouse from diseases

Pathogenic microorganisms can hide in the soil and in the greenhouse. Therefore, you need to process the entire structure. To do this, gardeners resort to various methods, both folk and chemical.

Fitosporin

This tool is used to destroy phytophthora. This infection develops in a humid and warm climate. If you do not treat the greenhouse in the spring, then the entire tomato crop may die.

You can buy phytosporin in the form of a liquid, powder and paste. If the solution was prepared correctly, then it can be stored for 12 months in a dark, cool place.

For a more effective fight against late blight, you can prepare a solution with phytosporin and other means. For a bucket of water you will need:

• 4 tbsp phytosporin solution;
• 3 tbsp hydrogen peroxide;
• 10 tablets of metronidazole.

The resulting solution can be used for soil and greenhouse treatment. Such disinfection should be carried out throughout the season every 10 days.

sulfur checker

They are produced in the form of tablets, which are equipped with a wick. To process a greenhouse, you need to put the required number of tablets in it and set fire to the wick. During the procedure, all openings of the greenhouse must be tightly closed.

Attention!

It is necessary to process the structure with this method only 14 days before planting vegetables.

To use a sulfur checker, you must meet certain conditions:

• the temperature in the greenhouse must be at least 10 degrees Celsius with a plus sign;
• the ground should be dry at a depth of 10 centimeters.

Before using this tool, you need to think, because it reduces fertility and causes corrosion of metal products.

blue vitriol

I have been using this solution for a long time for the prevention and control of diseases. The concentration of the finished product depends on this. In the first case, 75 g of the drug should be diluted in a bucket of water, and if outbreaks of infections were noticed, then the proportion increases to 150 g per bucket of water.

To work with copper sulphate, personal protective equipment is required. Processing should be carried out with such a solution no earlier than a month before the start of planting. At the same time, the air temperature in the greenhouse should be at least 10 and not more than 15 degrees Celsius with a plus sign.

Potassium permanganate

Potassium permanganate is used for tillage before sowing. Every year you can not change the top layer of the earth, but it is better not to neglect disinfection. The use of potassium permanganate for these purposes has the following advantages:

• extermination of causative agents of ailments;
• stimulation of biological processes;
• pest control.

Attention!

A solution of manganese is only suitable for processing peat, sod and chernozem soil.

Always prepare a fresh solution of potassium permanganate. For 10 liters of liquid, 5 g of manganese crystals are enough.

Bordeaux liquid

This remedy is prepared from a solution of copper sulfate and diluted lime. Cooking:

• dilute copper sulfate in a small amount of water at a temperature of 50 degrees, mix thoroughly;
• add more liquid to get the required volume;
• dilute slaked lime in water;
• mix the two resulting solutions.

For processing 1 sq.m. you need 10 liters. Bordeaux liquid is used to combat fungus and bacteria that multiply on plants.

White

In summer, organic plaque forms on the walls of the greenhouse, which must be removed. If this is not done, then bacteria will begin to multiply in it. This will lead to plant diseases, and the crop will not be stored for a long time.

You can avoid such consequences if you use whiteness to kill bacteria. It can also be used to disinfect garden tools.

Whiteness is an excellent antiseptic, but it is better to refrain from using it for tillage and washing polycarbonate greenhouses.

Laundry soap

Vegetable growers often do not welcome the use of chemicals. For the treatment of greenhouses, they use laundry soap, it is better if it is a 72% bar. It must be grated and added to a container with warm liquid. Next, you need to mix well until completely dissolved.

The resulting mixture should be applied to walls, wood and metal products for 120 minutes. After this time, it must be washed off with water. The procedure must be performed carefully so that the solution does not fall on the soil.

farmiod

The drug is used to combat any kind of infection and pests. It is available in liquid form. To process a polycarbonate greenhouse in the spring, before planting, you need to use a sprayer.

Pharmaiod application:

• pour liquid into the sprayer and add the drug to it. The proportions are indicated in the instructions;
• farmayod is thick, so it needs to be shaken to completely dissolve;
• the use of the tool requires the presence of personal protection.

Attention!

After processing the greenhouse with farmiod, it must be tightly closed and not entered for 4 days.

After the expiration of this period, you can start landing work.

Handling Precautions

Basically, chemicals are used to disinfect the greenhouse, so certain rules must be followed when working with them. This is necessary to avoid poisoning.

1. In the manufacture of mixtures for processing polycarbonate greenhouses in the spring and working with them, be sure to use protective equipment: gloves, goggles, masks or respirators, gowns, etc.
2. It is forbidden to smoke, drink and eat in the building where chemicals are stored.
3. After processing, the clothes that the gardener was wearing should be ventilated and washed.
4. Wash exposed areas of the body thoroughly under water.
5. Rinse mouth and nose.

If the greenhouse is treated with a sulfur checker, then you need to leave the structure immediately after lighting the wick. You can't enter it for several days.

Soil and greenhouse cultivation are important steps before starting gardening work. Therefore, it is necessary to approach these procedures responsibly, following all the recommendations.

Protected ground facilities enable amateurs to grow seedlings of garden crops, seedlings of flowers, root cuttings of fruit and ornamental trees and shrubs. But before settling by green residents, they must undergo certain training. How to properly prepare the outside and inside the greenhouse so that in the spring you can start growing the planned crops in it, you can find out from the article.

Cleaning the interior from plant residues

The process of preparing a greenhouse in the spring also includes such an obligatory item as liberation from the remains of plants that live here last season. This step makes it possible to prevent the development in a closed system of closed ground of some diseases that affected the predecessors. For example, most pathogenic fungi do not die with the plant, but safely overwinter on dried leaves and stems.

Attention! Remains removed from the greenhouse are best taken outside the site or burned.

The roots of obsolete plants should also be removed from the greenhouse without fail. At the same time, you can replace the top layer of soil. Step by step, this procedure looks like this:

1. Remove from 5 to 7 cm of soil. Roots are picked and discarded. The earth is transferred from the greenhouse to the open space.
2. Lay a layer of humus, and then manure.
3. All are sprinkled with a small (about 3 cm) layer of garden soil.

Additionally, soil disinfection should be carried out. To do this, use a solution of copper sulfate, which is poured into the soil in the greenhouse after loosening.

How to disinfect

Spring treatment with disinfectants of the interior during the preparation of the greenhouse is very important, since only this technique can destroy the spores of a fungus that is dangerous for crops and causes late blight. It is carried out in several ways:

• with the help of sulfuric gas checkers;

Disinfection with checkers

• spraying with slaked lime mixed with copper sulphate;
• treatment of walls, ceiling and soil with special biological products.

Attention! All dez. solutions are poisonous. They should only be handled with appropriate protection.

For gas treatment most often used checkers with sulfur "Climate". During their combustion, acids are formed that penetrate even into imperceptible cracks. Thus, fungi, slugs, spider mites are destroyed. The procedure is carried out with the door and vents tightly closed. 50 g of sulfur are required per 1 m³. Ventilate the greenhouse 3 days after fumigation. Some greenhouse owners oppose this method of disinfection, citing its low efficiency and the high percentage of sulfur compounds entering the non-draining soil of the protected ground, which is a guarantee of its absorption by plants.

Processing in the following way consists in spraying the walls, ceiling and frame with a solution of a mixture consisting of 3 kg of slaked lime and 500 g of copper sulfate (per bucket of water). This method is also not good enough due to the fact that the drugs are toxic to humans.

The use of biological preparations during the preparation of the greenhouse for spring plantings is considered the most effective, safe and promising way to get rid of fungi and harmful microflora. In addition, according to manufacturers, such processing increases productivity. For 10 liters of water you need 100 g of the drug.

How to prepare the soil

For normal plant growth and, accordingly, to obtain a good harvest, an adequate supply of nutrients in the soil is required. Therefore, before planting crops in a greenhouse, prepare the soil.

Here you can use 2 methods:

• introduction of organics and minerals;
• sowing .

• legumes;
• cereals;
• phacelia;
• mustard.

They are sown in the greenhouse very densely, early in the spring. A week or two before the planned planting of vegetables, green manure is cut with a flat cutter and added dropwise to a depth of 3-4 cm.

The preparation of the greenhouse is a very important event, on the correctness of which the well-being of the planted crops depends. After reading the article, viewing the photos and videos attached to the article, most fans will be able to figure it out and do the work on their own.

What to do in a greenhouse before planting: video

If you have a greenhouse or even several at your summer cottage, with the onset of autumn cold weather (after harvesting), you must immediately begin preparing these structures for winter. This work is very important - the quality and quantity of the crop obtained in it depends on how well the greenhouse winters.

In autumn, the greenhouse needs a whole range of activities. But after it is held in the spring, you will only have to plant seedlings in a clean and healthy "house".

Greenhouse conditions are necessary for plants to protect themselves from their main enemy - cold. Inside the greenhouse, thanks to the ingenious design and materials from which it is made, a constant temperature is maintained and the humidity necessary for the plants to develop successfully is maintained. But precisely because of this ability of the greenhouse to create favorable conditions for plants, there is a danger that weeds and pathogens will also feel great in a warm and humid environment. Bacteria that remain in the greenhouse after harvesting will safely survive the winter, and in the spring they will attack young seedling sprouts. Harvest can not wait.

Therefore, preparation does not involve protection from winter cold, as is done with perennials or young tree seedlings, but also the final processing of all components of the greenhouse.

Autumn processing of the greenhouse includes two main areas of work:

• putting in order the soil in greenhouse beds;
• disinfection of the structure (framework, covering material).

You should start with tillage. And it is necessary to start work before the onset of serious cold weather.

Autumn processing of greenhouse beds

It all starts with cleaning. On a dry, not rainy and windless day, go to the greenhouse and remove all plant debris from it.

The first stage - general cleaning

With the release of beds from annual crops, there are not many questions - just remove obsolete plants, and, if possible, all their parts, underground and aboveground. The same applies to the remains of fruits and vegetables - in a word, everything that interferes with the cleanliness of the ridges must be removed.

Advice! Even if the plants in the greenhouse were not sick, not affected by pests, and you did not treat them with chemicals, do not send the collected plant residues to the compost pit and do not leave them on the site. There are two ways to dispose of plant waste - burning or landfilling off site. If your gardening association provides organized waste collection, you can send waste there.

In addition to annual plants, perennials are sometimes located in the greenhouse. Perennial weeds are treated in the same way as with the remains of cultivated plants - they are uprooted and disposed of. Cultivated perennials - for example, garden strawberries - are subject to a thorough revision to remove rotten, dried, damaged specimens. They are also removed along with the root, and in the spring new ones are planted in their place.

The second stage is the removal of the soil

This is the most time-consuming task of all that you face in the process of autumn greenhouse processing. But you have to do it, and do it well. If annual vegetables, flowers, or other useful plants are grown (and in most cases they do - that's what greenhouses are for), the topsoil must be removed annually. This is an immutable rule that underlies the future harvest.

The layer of removed soil is at least 15 cm. There should be no difficulty with where to put this soil - it can be taken out to open ridges, sprinkled on flower beds, under trees, in alpine hills. Only before this, it is desirable to disinfect the removed soil.

The question is more complicated - what to fill in the greenhouse instead of the removed soil. In a short period, you need to create a new fertile layer. This is not easy to do, since beneficial microorganisms have a limited period of time - before the onset of frost, to start processing new soil. Therefore, the soil must be ideally suited.

There are two ways to replenish greenhouse beds with soil:

• import from outside (purchase);
• self-preparation (compilation of various components in accordance with the necessary requirements).

The first way is easier, but has "pitfalls". It is the purchased soil that does not guarantee the presence of all the necessary components in it. Moreover, contrary to promises, unscrupulous sellers can bring you soil previously taken from other greenhouses. In appearance, it will be loose, dark, humus, fertile, but pouring it into a greenhouse is the same as not removing your waste soil, or even worse. New earth - new bacteria in addition to those already present on your site.

There is only one way out - to prepare the soil yourself.

Table number 1. What should be the soil for replacement in the greenhouse.

Soil parameter	Description
Correct Structure	The soil should have such a structure that it is not necessary to carry out loosening after each watering. In this case, the soil fractions should not be small, resembling dust, which, when mixed with water, gives dirt, and not large, through which water passes like through a sieve.
High nutritional value	The soil must contain all the nutrients that plants need for full development. It should be rich in humus, that is, it should allow plants to quickly build up a high-quality and powerful root system, which, as you know, is impossible without its (humus) help.
No mineral salts	Yes, the initial soil in the greenhouse should be without mineral fertilizers. The nutrition of the soil is not enriching it with minerals, which will destroy the young sprout instead of providing it with nutrition. The sprout is incapable of assimilating mineral elements, it is like feeding a newborn baby with fried potatoes. The necessary mineral fertilizers will be applied later - in the spring, after planting seedlings.
moisture capacity	The soil must necessarily accept moisture and retain it, this is especially true for heated stationary greenhouses.
Neutral pH	This is important - the content of acid salts and alkali must be balanced.
Disinfection	Pathogens should not survive in this soil by spring. This can lead to the death of all seedlings or subsequent diseases of seedlings. Only thoroughly disinfected soil can guarantee the absence of bacteria.

As for the composition of the soil, it is classic and includes:

• peat of high formation;
• river or lake sand;
• compost or manure.

And then the soil is designed to stop the effects of harmful substances, processing them, if not into useful ones, then at least neutral ones that do not harm plants. Humic acids help the soil in this, which make it fertile and meet all the parameters of a good soil. Manure, litter, turned into humus, processed by insects - this is a simplified scheme for replenishing the soil with such valuable and necessary humus. In this scheme, there is no place for mineral compounds, which are probably contained in purchased soils.

But if there is no time to wait until beneficial microorganisms create a fertile layer, you can use humic acids. The soil prepared for replacement is treated with Flora-S according to the instructions. After that, it remains only to disinfect the soil. But for this it is not at all necessary to pour boiling water, urea into it and poison it with potassium permanganate. The hay stick, which is contained in the Fitop-Flora-S preparation, will cope with the task much more efficiently and with benefits for the soil.

Fertilizers "Flora-S" and "Fitop-Flora-S"

Advice! Whatever type of vegetables you grow in a greenhouse, every five years you need to carry out a complete (not superficial, as annually) replacement of the soil to a depth of 35 cm. There is another option - in the fifth year, transfer the entire greenhouse to a new location.

Manure prices

humus

The third stage - disinfection

While the soil treated with humic acids "ripens", it is necessary to carry out disinfection in the greenhouse. Here all means are good, but the most commonly used are treatment with urea or other disinfectants and fumigation with sulfur. The second method is good because it can be used to disinfect not only the soil layer remaining in the greenhouse, but also the entire structure from the inside.

Important warning! Sulfur cannot be used to fumigate greenhouses, which are based on a metal frame.

Table number 2. Greenhouse disinfection methods.

Disinfection method	Description
	An aqueous solution is prepared from the substance. The proportions are as follows: 50 g of urea per 10 liters of water. The water is cold, the urea should dissolve completely. The resulting solution thoroughly waters the entire soil area in the greenhouse, not only reclaimed beds, but also passages, paths, aisles.
	Old-fashioned way - 50 g of sulfur per m² of working area of ​​the greenhouse. Add kerosene to sulfur (arbitrary proportions), close all windows in the greenhouse and plug the cracks. Set fire to sulfur with kerosene and immediately leave the greenhouse, tightly closing the door. The effective temperature for this procedure is +12°C. The modern method of sulfuric disinfection involves the use of smoke sulfuric bombs. But it works faster - 6 hours is enough (against 48 "sulfur-kerosene" method). Precautions are the same: respirator, goggles, gloves, retreat after setting fire as quickly as possible.
	Can be used: - formalin liquid composition 2.5%; - copper sulfate in a solution of 0.75%; - slaked lime with water, diluted up to 10%; - Creolin solution 2% concentration.

Video - How the greenhouse is disinfected

Processing of the greenhouse structure and covering material

Disinfection of a structure can be carried out in different ways, depending on what materials the greenhouse is made of. In all cases, except for the preliminary treatment with sulfur, it is necessary to disinfect the frame and all covering material separately. Any stationary coating that remains to winter on the frame, as well as any removable coating that is removed for storage in order to be reused in the spring, is subject to mandatory disinfection.

Frame processing

Frames are of three types:

• metal;
• wooden;
• PVC.

Do not forget that the metal frame is not subject to sulfuric treatment - sulfur can “eat” the metal, rendering the frame unusable.

Table number 3. How to process the frame of the greenhouse.

frame material	Processing methods
	Washed with boiling water with the addition of vinegar. At least 50 ml of vinegar is consumed per liter of boiling water.
	It can be treated with the same concentration of acetic solution as metal, but the water temperature should not exceed +60°C.
	It is best to use copper sulfate. The maximum concentration of the solution is 10%.

Coating processing

It also depends on what kind of material is used.

Film and glass

If the greenhouse is covered with a film or glazed, the coating is treated with a hot (at least + 40 ° C) solution of laundry soap. A bar of soap without impurities and with a high content of alkali weighing 100 g dissolves completely in boiling water (you can grate it). The solution, stirring, is cooled to the desired temperature. With a brush, a thorough treatment of all coatings is carried out, first from the inside and then from the outside.

Polycarbonate

It is processed not with active alkali, but with a solution of potassium permanganate. It should be intense and hot. It is not enough just to pour over the entire coating, trying not to miss a centimeter. It is important to wash the polycarbonate well from the inside. Particular attention - the corners, lower and upper (under the ceiling, wasp nests can be preserved). Outside, the structure can simply be poured with a solution. After disinfection, all doors open, a draft is provided and a quick drying of the greenhouse is arranged.

Removable film cover

Removable reusable film should also be treated with potassium permanganate, dried and sent for storage packed in a large sealed bag.

Prices for potassium permanganate

potassium permanganate

Strengthening the frame

If snowy winters are likely in your area, one more important work needs to be done before disinfecting a stationary greenhouse - strengthening the frame. For this purpose, temporary supports and arcs are used, which are installed inside. You can make them yourself or buy ready-made ones.

The emphasis is on the upper part (skate) of the structure. In order to protect a six-meter greenhouse from collapse, you will need at least four T-shaped props. They are fixed on the upper rungs of the structure and serve as additional insurance against collapse and breakage.

Advice! If the greenhouse is located in a windy area, and the amount of snow cover can increase critically, then double the number of props.

The supports are placed on a solid foundation. It can be plywood, metal sheet or other sealant. If you install props on the ground, under the weight of snow, they can sink into the soil.

For a polycarbonate greenhouse, there are norms for maximum loads on the frame. On average, they are as follows: 70 cm of dry, light snow and no more than 30 cm of wet, packed snow. Glass can withstand a load half as much, and a film, even the densest one, can withstand a maximum of 20 cm of dry snow cover.

That is why it is important to remove snow from the roof and walls of the greenhouse in a timely manner. Even if the design of the greenhouse provides for independent snowmelt (most modern polycarbonate greenhouses have this function), it does not hurt to control the process from time to time.

After installing the props, disinfecting procedures are carried out, the greenhouse is thoroughly ventilated (especially from sulfur checkers), dried and new soil is laid in it.

The summer season begins, and experienced gardeners first of all begin to prepare greenhouses.

They will protect plants from spring frosts, and then bring an earlier and more abundant harvest of such heat-loving crops as tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, eggplants, etc.

What should be done to prepare greenhouses for the season?

Disinfect the frames with blue vitriol.

Clear the soil from last year's plant residues.

Remove old soil. The soil in the greenhouse should be changed every 3-4 years so that diseases and pests do not accumulate and crop yields do not decrease.

Fill the greenhouses with new nutritious, light soil. Its temperature should be at a depth of 10 cm not lower than +10 C. You can first lay manure (about 20 cm), carefully adjusting it around the edges and corners so that there are no voids, sprinkle fluffy lime on top (0.5 kg per 1 sq. . m), then put a layer of peat or sawdust to absorb excreta (ammonia) and, finally, pour the soil mixture (20 cm).

Spill the earth with hot water and cover with foil. The greenhouse itself can also be covered with old blankets. So the soil warms up faster.

For planting use a flat surface or ridges, usually 1 meter wide. In the ridges, the soil warms up better and is easier to loosen and water. Combs are often used, which are smaller than the ridge and are designed for one row of plants.

When and how to plant

The reference point for planting is the temperature of the soil at a depth of 10 cm at 8 o'clock in the morning.

For a tomato, it should be at least 12 C, for cucumber, pepper and eggplant at least 14-15 C. The day before planting, the seedlings are well watered. It should also be planted in moist, abundantly spilled soil, compacting the ground at the root.

It is better to plant plants on a cloudy day so that they take root better and do not get burned.

Greenhouses and greenhouses are usually small, and you want to grow as many vegetables in them as possible. Therefore, it is important to correctly place the plants in height so that they do not obscure each other, while taking into account the increased demands of some crops for light and air humidity. And since cucumbers do not tolerate drafts, they should grow away from windows and doors.

How to feed

Plants in the greenhouse grow and develop quickly, and, accordingly, the consumption of nutrients from the soil increases, so it is recommended to fertilize every 10-14 days. Cucumbers more often, other crops less often.

Top dressing is usually combined with watering. In the initial period of plant growth, nitrogen fertilizers are used, during flowering, fruit formation and fruiting - phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.

What do they love

In order for plants to successfully develop in greenhouses and greenhouses, it is necessary to constantly monitor the temperature of the air and soil, and ventilate them in time. Remember, greenhouse plants like to keep the greenhouse warm, light and damp.

The optimum temperature in the greenhouse during the day should be 16-25 degrees, at night 4-8 degrees less. High temperatures at night and on cloudy days provoke too rapid growth of the green mass of plants, and this leads to the fact that few fruits will be tied and they will be small.

In addition to light, for normal growth and development, vegetable crops require fresh air.

In unventilated greenhouses and hotbeds, there is a high probability of the spread of pests and pathogens that can kill young plants. Fresh air, periodically launched into the greenhouse, also contributes to the hardening of vegetables - after transplanting to an open garden, they quickly adapt to new conditions. Therefore, when constructing greenhouses and hotbeds, it is necessary to provide for the presence of vents.

By the way

Evening watering (after sunset) will protect plants from short-term frost. To protect plantings, you can simply put containers (basins or buckets) with water in the greenhouse. The fact is that during the phase transition of water to ice, heat is released. Sometimes it is enough to keep the greenhouse from freezing.

five tips from the veterans

1. Before sowing carrots, apply humus or other organic fertilizers. Humus should be added a little, otherwise the carrots will be bitter.
2. Dig up the soil carefully. By the way, if your carrots are born poorly, there are growths on it, then three days before planting, you should water the bed with salt water.
3. After the formation of the first true leaf in the seedlings of tomatoes, every seven days, spray it with skim milk (dilute half a glass of milk in a liter of water) or whey. It also prevents viral infection.
4. Two weeks before planting, onion sets are heated at a temperature of 40 ° C for 8 hours to destroy the pathogen of downy mildew, prevent bolting and faster growth. It is also recommended to accelerate the germination of onion sets the day before planting, cut off the upper part of the neck and soak for 20 minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. After soaking, the onions are washed and soaked for 1 day in clean water.
5. If during the winter the young trees leaned, they must be leveled. Drive in a strong stake from the side opposite from the slope and tighten the barrel with a technical tape, securing it with a "figure of eight".

With the onset of the long-awaited spring, it's time to prepare the greenhouse for planting. The right actions guarantee a good harvest, so it will be useful to draw up a work schedule for yourself, set clear goals.

The processing of a polycarbonate greenhouse in the spring begins with repairs and general cleaning. Throw away all last year's plants, clean it of debris, pull out all inventory, pallets, pots and proceed to the main work.

Greenhouse repair

Each greenhouse, depending on the conscience of the manufacturer, experiences the winter season differently. Wooden components can rot, metal can rust heavily, cracks appear. Therefore, start spring work in the greenhouse with a general inspection and repair if necessary. Repair any damage, structural problems, and check installed irrigation, ventilation, heating, and other systems.

The frame after heavy snowfalls can be deformed. Carefully inspect all fasteners. Unreliable elements, bent parts must be replaced. If the structure sags strongly, take all measures to strengthen it. Place supports or even additional arcs.

The polycarbonate coating also needs a thorough revision. It is advisable to immediately replace places with chips, cavities, cracks, with heavily darkened and worn areas.

Metal elements should be well painted over. This is especially true if you are using a sulfur treatment that promotes corrosion.

How to wash polycarbonate

The best way is warm soapy water with a soft cloth. Take laundry soap and just cut it into a bucket. For hard-to-reach places, use a long mop. If something sticks to the walls, do not rip off or scrape off. Clean only with a wet cloth. At the end, you can rinse again with water from a hose.

With an abundance of any diseases last year, add an agent against these pathogens to the washing solution. But never take chemical detergents containing abrasives, hard sponges, brushes. They can damage the top layer of polycarbonate.

Yulia Petrichenko, expert

Greenhouse chemical treatment

Contrary to popular belief, frost does not kill the pests that plagued you last year. Slugs, snails, aphid colonies overwinter well in pots or in the crowns of perennials. And weevil larvae - in piles of compost or in the roots of plants. Therefore, the preparation and processing of the greenhouse in the spring before planting is of great importance, be sure to go through the necessary chemicals.

A good way to disinfect is lump sulfur. Spread it on iron sheets along the entire length of the greenhouse, sprinkle with kerosene and set it on fire. Take all precautions, wear a respirator, gloves and goggles. Do not forget that the gas emitted is very dangerous for humans. Start setting fire to the sulfur from the far edge, moving towards the exit. Before doing this, do not forget to tightly seal all openings and crevices so that the smoke does not go outside. Keep the greenhouse closed for 3-4 days.

Take the amount of sulfur based on the calculation of 50 grams per cubic meter. If there was a lesion with a spider mite, then increase the dosage to 150 g.

Much easier and faster if you use ready-made sulfur smoke bombs. Usually in the instructions it is written in detail what area and volume they are designed for. In addition, such means as carbation, creolin, formalin and others are suitable. Here we are more guided by what kind of diseases bothered us before, since each drug has its own properties.

Everything that will be in contact with or near your plants also needs disinfecting actions. Dirty tools can introduce bacteria and fungi to young, fragile shoots. Garden tools, seedling dishes can be thoroughly sprayed with 5% dissolved vitriol or bleach (minimum 50 grams per liter of water). In addition, sharpen shovels and choppers well to increase efficiency and ease of work.

The wooden frame of the greenhouse must be treated with copper sulfate diluted in water 1 to 10. Further, it is advisable to whitewash it with a thick layer of lime. And metal parts are perfectly disinfected by dousing with boiling water. If during processing you find moss, lichen, be sure to immediately remove it.

Soil work in the greenhouse

Soil preparation will be most successful if all work is carried out when it has completely melted after winter. It is advised to roast the earth on an open fire. To do this, they take it out of the pallets, put it on a metal sheet and turn on the fire under it. Ten minutes will be enough to destroy weed seeds and various pests, bacteria. Next, sift the soil well and put it back into the greenhouse, mixing with bioadditives.

Scatter the removed earth around the garden. It can be reused in the open garden. But it is not recommended to plant crops related to those that grew in it earlier. Alternatively, this land can still be mixed with manure. Then after three years it can be used again.

You can disinfect the soil by watering it with Bordeaux liquid or a solution of copper sulfate. For acidic soils, bleach works well. You need to do this after digging. But still, this option is not the best for spring. If possible, treat with chemicals in advance, since the fall. It is not known how these agents will affect plant growth.

Boiling water also copes well with pathogenic bacteria. The soil is poured with a large volume of hot water and covered with a moisture-proof blanket.

Polycarbonate greenhouse microclimate

Temperature under control

Preparing your greenhouse for spring may involve trying out new climate control technologies to improve the quality of your crop.

There is a lot of such equipment on the market today, from economical to fancy expensive ones. Pay special attention when setting the heating temperature. It must be adjusted to the light level. On cloudy days you need to make it lower, and on sunny days - higher. Don't forget that elevated temperatures with low light levels will result in thin plants. And low temperatures in bright light, on the contrary, lead to thickening.

When choosing the best option, keep in mind that at a slightly elevated average daily temperature, vegetables will grow faster, fruits will set earlier.

At a lower night temperature, carbohydrates (sugars) are preserved, as a result of which stronger ovaries are observed, leaf thickness and fruit size increase. The ratio of the lengths of day and night affects the shape of the plant. The same temperature around the clock will not give the proper impetus for growth.

It is difficult to give exact values ​​​​of degrees, since they are different for each species, variety, and also terrain.

The source of heat will extend the growing season and will allow you to increase the range. The best choice is a heater with an automatic thermostat. Although, as a simple option, an ordinary potbelly stove will also do.

Find a place to compost

If you still do not have compost, then take care of this omission. First, you have to put the waste from the greenhouse somewhere. Second, your plants benefit from nutrient-rich compost. Try to find the perfect combination of grass clippings, vegetable clippings, wood shavings so that you don't splurge on expensive supplements in the future.

To preserve the compost, turn it over with a pitchfork every month.

Check the ventilation system

Fungal diseases often appear due to insufficient ventilation. To avoid infection, make sure the greenhouse has enough openings for good air circulation. Ideally, there should be two lattice windows located below on opposite sides of the greenhouse, as well as two on the roof. A good option is to invest in automatic ventilation.

Take the time to your greenhouse, and she will thank you with a wonderful harvest.