Soil disinfection allows you to protect plants from diseases and. Some gardeners naively believe that during the winter frosts, all harmful microorganisms die. This is not true.
Bacteria and fungi easily survive low temperatures, and wake up in the spring and continue to develop intensively, causing irreparable damage to delicate greenhouse crops. So how to process the greenhouse after winter?
Disinfection Disinfection of the greenhouse in spring should minimize the risk of disease without compromising product quality.
Chlorine treatment
Chloric lime is used both in autumn, immediately after harvest, and in spring.
This is one of the proven methods. In autumn, the soil for the greenhouse can be thoroughly shed with a concentrated solution of lime, but in the spring you just need to spray lightly so that the composition does not damage the growth of future plants.
In 10 liters of water, you need to dilute 400 g of lime and let it brew for 4 hours. After that, the resulting weak solution should be drained into a spray bottle for spraying the soil, and a thick precipitate should be applied to the ceiling and walls of the greenhouse.
Chlorine lime eliminates:
- black leg;
- keels;
- gall nematode;
- phytophthora;
- white rot.
Sulfur treatment
Fumigation of the greenhouse with sulfur- a common way to combat harmful microorganisms. As a result of the combustion of sulfur, oxides of sulfuric and sulfurous acids are released, which effectively fight bacteria. The only drawback of this method is that the resulting sulfur dioxide may not completely evaporate: it will remain in the soil and pass into the fruits of the planted plants.
There are two ways to treat sulfur:
Burning Sulfur Crystals. To process 1 m3 of a greenhouse, you need to take 50–150 g of sulfur (depending on the number of last year's pests). The crystals should be laid out on metal trays, arranged in different angles greenhouses, and then set on fire.
The use of special sulfur "checkers". They need to be placed in the corners of the greenhouse and lit.
Important! Both methods require the observance of the simplest security measures. Fumigation should be carried out by a person in a gas mask and protective gloves. After ignition of crystals or "checkers" it is impossible to be in the greenhouse.
In a fumigated room, it is necessary to maintain low temperature– 10–15ºС. After treatment, the greenhouse should be closed, and after 3 days - ventilated.
Sulfur relieves:
- fungi;
- mold;
- ticks;
- slugs.
Disinfection with formalin solution
A month before planting plants, you can process the greenhouse 40% formalin solution. Before the procedure, the temperature in the greenhouse must be reduced to 10-12ºС so that the formalin does not evaporate. Processing is carried out in a gas mask. After the procedure, the temperature in the greenhouse should be increased to 25ºС, and after a day, the room should be ventilated.
Formalin destroys:
- spider mite;
- fungus;
- mold;
- whitefly.
Treatment with copper sulphate
thorough processing copper sulphate is produced in autumn; in the spring, the walls and ceiling of the greenhouse should be sprayed with a 10% solution of this substance.
Copper sulfate destroys:
- late blight;
- powdery mildew;
- spider mite;
- rot;
- scab.
Treatment with special preparations
Shops are now offering big choice drugs designed to fight With a certain kind bacteria, so gardeners can choose the one that best suits their greenhouse. Special formulations they are also good because they do not require a long break: after them you can continue working in the greenhouse. 
These drugs have a beneficial effect on soil fertility: they fix nitrogen, decompose pesticides, bind heavy metals, produce natural growth hormones.
Soil replacement
it most radical and effective method control of pathogens: the soil affected by bacteria is completely eliminated and replaced with a new one.
Soil replacement - activity difficult and expensive therefore not suitable for large greenhouses.
Important! To reduce costs, you can only replace upper layer(5–7 cm), since it is in it that all fungi and bacteria are concentrated.
Replacement of planted crops
Gardeners know that different plants are prone to different diseases. Therefore, sometimes it is easiest to plant a new crop resistant to the pathogens present in the infected soil.
temperature method
Most germs can be eliminated if carefully spill the soil with boiling water. After watering, the beds should be covered with plastic wrap so that the steam penetrates into the lower layers of the soil and disinfects them.
A photo
Look at the photo: how to process the greenhouse before planting
How to get rid of phytophthora?
Many gardeners are seriously concerned about the question: how to treat the greenhouse from phytophthora in the spring?
Phytophthora – nightmare any gardener. This is a fungus that affects all nightshade crops - tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, peppers. Phytophthora is capable of ruining any plant from roots to fruits.
The fruits of a plant affected by phytophthora, cannot be eaten, and the plant itself must be immediately pulled out and burned to prevent the disease from spreading to healthy bushes. However, such methods often do not bring results: once appeared, phytophthora can destroy half of the crop.
Important! Phytophthora prevention should begin in the fall. After harvesting, you need to carefully eliminate all the remains of plants and burn them outside the garden.
If an outbreak of late blight nevertheless occurred in the greenhouse, it is necessary to treat the soil with a special preparation - Fitosporin. Before the next planting of plants, the treatment should be carried out at least 3 times.
What to do if the earth is "tired"?
Fatigue of the earth in the greenhouse is nothing but the absence of fertility. Every year, plants take all the nutrients from the earth, impoverishing and weakening it. To get a new crop, nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, potassium and much more are required. Therefore, stocks useful substances should be replenished.
The easiest way to improve soil fertility is to sow green manure in the greenhouse. This is the name of the plants that a short time form a large amount of green mass: phacelia, watercress, vetch, mustard, rye, oats, clover. Their shoots and roots become an excellent source of organic matter and soil microorganisms. 3 kg of such greens replace 1.5 kg of manure, which has always been considered the best fertilizer for soil.
When green manure sprout and grow, they are cut off, after which they are plowed into the soil to a depth of 2–3 cm. The dead roots of green manure become food for worms that loosen the soil, improve its structure and saturate the soil with air. After 1–2 weeks, the main crops can be planted on the plowed area.
How to fertilize the earth?
When preparing the greenhouse for planting important role soil fertilizer plays. The gardener can use either organic fertilizers or ready-made mineral complexes, which contain all necessary set nutrients.
Greenhouse Organic Fertilizers
As organic fertilizers apply river silt, peat, tree bark, reeds, humus, bird droppings, seaweed. The undoubted advantage of such fertilizers is their naturalness.
They saturate the soil with nutrients and improve the vital activity of beneficial microorganisms. In addition, only with their help you can easily warm up the soil, which will allow you to plant the first plants much earlier.
The most useful fertilizer for the soil is manure. It has all the nutrients. The soil fertilized with manure becomes loose, light, airy. 
Manure can be introduced into the ground both in autumn and in spring. In autumn, you can use fresh material: until spring, it will overheat and turn into an excellent top dressing for future plants. But in the spring it is better to use rotted manure: caustic substances contained in fresh material can damage root system seedlings.
Mineral fertilizers
Soil fertilization contributes to a significant increase in plant productivity mineral supplements. But they should be used with caution: the wrong dosage can ruin the entire fertile layer of the earth. A gardener who decides to fertilize greenhouse soil with mineral dressings should definitely read the instructions.
There are fertilizers that supply the soil with a certain element: phosphorus, nitrogen or potassium. They are called simple. But more popular complex fertilizers, which provide seedlings with the whole set of nutrients at once.
Every gardener knows how important it is to prepare the soil in a greenhouse for planting. After all, only if all the recommendations are carefully followed, you can get good harvest and provide your family with environmentally friendly products for the whole winter.
Useful video
Watch the video: how to prepare a greenhouse for spring planting, how to process a greenhouse in spring
Pepper, radish or onion, covering the greenhouse and the ridges themselves closed ground should be "awakened" ahead of time for the new season.
Let's take a look with you how to prepare a greenhouse in early spring to sow seeds or plant seedlings in time.
Snow removal
First rid the greenhouse of snow cover. Remove snow from outer walls, and also clean the adjoining perimeter from the outside of the greenhouse (about 2 m wide). On these paths around the base of the greenhouse, strips of dark film can be laid.
Start clearing snow from the top, and then proceed to the sides. Its remains can be removed by gently tapping or shaking the walls.
Advice: if you have a polycarbonate or glass greenhouse, do not remove snow with a shovel or stick. In order not to damage the coating, use an ordinary broom without hard edges to remove snow, plastic broom or a soft broom.
It is worth noting that the most the best option for snow-covered regions - this is the roof of the greenhouse "house", with a slope of up to 40-55 degrees. - the snow almost does not linger on it. But single-pitched or arched structures are recommended to be strengthened for the winter with props.
Greenhouse cleaning
Due to different circumstances autumn work in a greenhouse sometimes you have to finish it in the spring. In this case, plan to clean the nursery early, after snow removal, before the onset of positive night temperatures.
Disassemble and transfer temporary trellises, old pegs, props, remaining inventory, drawers, etc. things in the greenhouse to the storage location so that nothing interferes with further work.
Advice: trellises or stakes in front reuse recommended to be disinfected.
Then remove last year's plant debris and debris - stalks, tops, weeds, etc. Everything needs to be raked and taken away, outside the site, and even better, burned to reduce the risk of disease. This is especially true of greenhouses where tomatoes and other nightshades grew. Do not lay plant residues of tomatoes!
Frame and cover repairs
In a frame on a wooden base, check the crate for strength. Loose elements should be strengthened, and rotten ones should be replaced.
Examine the metal frame of the greenhouse for strong signs of corrosion, if any, replace the damaged part of the frame. When the support is bent (for example, under the weight of snow) - it should be disassembled in trouble spot, bend the guides to their original position and further strengthen them.
Check the integrity of the greenhouse cover: even small cracks can lead to the death of young plants, and harmful bacteria accumulate in the cracks.
In the case of the film, patch up the gaps with tape or even cover the greenhouse in a new way. In a glass greenhouse, all cracked or broken areas should be replaced, and in a polycarbonate greenhouse, cracked, darkened or sagging panels should be replaced.
Advice: a damaged glass area can be replaced with a polycarbonate fragment if glass of the right size is not at hand.
With any coating, especially carefully inspect the roof for defects, on which the heaviest snow load falls.
Then thoroughly rinse the cover with water from the hose inside and out to clean it of accumulated dirt. Thanks to this, the plants will receive more sun, and the greenhouse will take on a neat appearance.
Greenhouse disinfection
It is better to disinfect the earth in the fall. You can do this in the spring, but no later than 15-30 days before planting, so that the poison has time to come out. But the coating and frame in any case should be protected from microbes in the spring of the new season.
Let's take a look at some disinfection methods. greenhouses(they can be combined).
Sulfur bowls. They help against pests - and others, mold, fungus, are less effective against diseases.
For fumigation 1 cubic meter greenhouses take:
- 50-80 g of sulfur balls, if there were few pests last season,
- up to 120-150 g - if a lot.
Checkers (such as "Climate") burn in hermetically sealed closed greenhouse, at an internal temperature not lower than +10 ... +15 C. It is appropriate to drop a little kerosene on sulfur. Smoke should be in close contact with the ground and walls. Not earlier than 5 days after fumigation, the greenhouse should be ventilated.
Slaked lime. More affordable option, helps with many diseases, kills the fungus. In 10 liters of water, dilute 2.8-3.0 kg of slaked lime and 450-500 g of copper sulfate, then spray the greenhouse with the composition. The powder can also be mixed into the soil for the main treatment, on average 0.5-1 kg / sq.m. (depending on the acidity of the soil, the type of soil).
Bleaching powder. At 10 l. dilute 350-400 g of bleach (4% solution) with water, let it brew for 3 hours and spray the greenhouse. If it is polycarbonate, gently wipe the walls with a soft cloth with bleach. Sediment can be used for greasing wooden frame, and dry bleach - sprinkle on the surface of the soil for digging (50-150 g / sq. M.).
Bordeaux liquid. For Bordeaux, a mixture of slaked lime and vitriol 1: 1 is used, 100-120 g per 8-9 liters. water and spill the soil after digging.
Vitriol copper (10% solution) is used to treat the wooden frame of the greenhouse and to disinfect the soil.
Kerosene or gasoline - useful for wiping the metal frame.
Steam treatment - the soil can be poured with boiling water and covered with a film, or the earth can be steamed in a water bath.
mustard powder . Helps against bacteria, viruses, nematodes. For soil disinfection 1 tbsp. dilute a spoonful of powder in 5 liters. water.
Formalin It is used for disinfection of the earth and for wiping glass. It should be diluted 1 to 100 and water the soil with essence at the rate of 20-25 l / sq. m.
Pesticide "Thiazone" eliminates root rot, fungus, fusarium, black leg, clubroot, etc. They are applied to the soil, consumption - according to the instructions, usually 120-160 g / sq.m.
Biologicals ("Trichodermin", "Barrier", "Agat", "Planzir", "Gaupsin", "Fitosporin", "Baktofit", etc.). Most safe way to fight mites and diseases, although not as effective, it is more of a prevention. But biological products are very useful for the soil and plants, increase fertility, decompose pesticides faster, and allow you to get an environmentally friendly crop. The main thing is to follow the requirements of the instructions: on average, 80-200 g of funds / 10 liters are bred. water, which is enough for 25-30 sq.m.
Advice: for any disinfection, use a respirator, rubber gloves, goggles, etc.
It is also permissible to simply remove the top of the soil (5-10 cm), where the diseases overwintered, and take it outside the greenhouse, or to a flower bed, to home construction, etc. A fresh layer of purchased soil or soil mixture should be laid in the place of the removed land in the greenhouse .
Warming up the earth
Despite the fact that the greenhouse soil does not freeze deeply after winter, it dries up and warms up for a long time to t + 10 ... + 15 ° C, which is necessary for seedlings. Therefore, the plot can be heated if necessary.
Advice: a polycarbonate coating that keeps heat well, or raised beds by 45-50 cm, make it possible to do without special heating of the soil.
You can warm up the soil in several ways:
- loosen and prepare the plot, cover the ground with a black film to the very landings;
- loosen, dig grooves to the depth of the shovel bayonet, pour hot water until saturated, and then bury the trenches, cover with any film and leave for 2-3 days;
- do " warm beds": remove 25-40 cm of soil, lay bark, sawdust, paper, etc. on the bottom of the trench, on top - a layer of straw and hay, spill everything with quicklime, lay back the ground, to which it is appropriate to mix soaked manure or compost.
Advice: do not throw snow into the greenhouse - although it will saturate the earth with water, it isolates the soil from warm air, it will warm up much later.
Soil preparation
For early spring plantings, cold-resistant and fast-growing plants can be sown - green manure (mustard, oats, vetch, or peas) with their subsequent plowing.
siderates are important tool preparing greenhouse soil in spring, they help to avoid drying out of the soil, cleanse it of toxins, enrich it with humus and nitrogen, act as an organic fertilizer. Their planting must be adjusted in such a way as to grow, cut and plant 2-4 cm deep into the ground 1.5-2 weeks before planting the main crops. Usually green manure is sown from the middle to the end of March or even in the autumn of the last season, and it is better to choose the sowing day by.
In general, soil preparation in a greenhouse depends on the specific conditions and characteristics of the main crops, and “on average” may include the following points:
- preliminary loosening;
- measures for warming up the soil (film, spilling water, etc.);
- sowing green manure (if necessary);
- organic fertilizer - compost, humus, peat, etc. for the main digging (if there was no green manure) 2 weeks before planting;
- similarly - the introduction of NPK, provided that they were not introduced in the fall;
- neutralization of acidity by adding chalk, lime, dolomite;
- basic digging, deep loosening, leveling the soil;
- spillage of soil with a biological solution.
Having done these simple work on preparing the greenhouse, you can “revive” the soil ahead of time, open the season as soon as possible and accelerate the maturation of greenhouse crops. Thanks to this, by the end of spring you will delight your family and guests with fresh vegetables and herbs grown by yourself, and more!
Nikolai Prilutsky, jack of all trades, ©
Spring. Its approach in many gardeners is associated with tedious but pleasant chores, for example, preparing a greenhouse for spring. In fact, this is a new gardening season that must be met fully armed.
April outside. This is a month of sharp contrasts in nature, often it begins with snow drifts, and ends with blossoming greenery. During the day in early April, the sun warms more and more, and the nights are still cold. No wonder the Russian proverb says: "Do not break stoves - April is still at your shoulders."
From the end of March - the beginning of April, a hot season begins for gardeners - this is the time of intensive preparation of greenhouses and greenhouses for the mass sowing of early vegetable crops. Many, including us, in mid-April, with sufficient heating of greenhouse ridges, are already planting seedlings of tomatoes, peppers, seeds of cucumbers, watermelons, melons, eggplants in the ground, sowing various greens, etc.
What is the preparation of greenhouses for the spring season? In many ways, it is determined by the amount of work that you did in the fall, after harvesting. If you are in the pre-winter period, due to the circumstances:
- they did not clear the greenhouse (hotbed) from plant residues;
- did not disinfect the greenhouse itself and the soil;
- not cleaned from dirt and dried leaves of the coating tie greenhouses, both from the inside and from outside;
- did not put fertilizers in the land ridges,
you have to gradually carry out all these activities (and not only them) in the spring, already in the course of direct preparation of the greenhouse for planting.
Stage 1 - a complete revision of the entire structure of the greenhouse, from the frame to the cover
If the frame has a wooden base, then the strength of all guides, supports, and battens is checked. Rotten and loosened elements must be replaced. If the frame is metal, then the inspection is carried out for deep traces of corrosion. And if one is found, the elements also change. There are times when, during wintering, the frames bend due to exorbitant snow load or even the greenhouse "folds up". This is due to the insufficient rigidity of the greenhouse frame and its unsatisfactory preparation for winter. In this case, the frame will have to be partially disassembled, the bent elements will return to their original state, and the frame will be supplemented with elements that enhance its rigidity.
In addition, an audit of the greenhouse cover is mandatory. Glass fragments that break during the winter are changed unconditionally. This is the safety of the host and the plants grown. Last year's film is examined for tears and other damage. All of them are eliminated either by gluing with a wide transparent adhesive tape, or they are overlapped in a new way. The polycarbonate coating is also carefully inspected. Deflections, torn channels and dark areas are detected, which also need to be replaced.
Stage 2 - cleaning the greenhouse from last year's plant residues
For example, tomatoes are most often affected by phytophthora. It is her pathogens that are preserved and transmitted through the leaves to other crops. Discarded plant remains from the greenhouse should not even be sent to compost heap- it is better to burn them immediately or remove them from the site. By sending the infected plant residues to the compost, you give an excellent opportunity for pathogens to develop and thrive there, and then you yourself will bring them back to the greenhouse.
Experienced gardeners, meanwhile, act differently. The remains of tomato stalks collected in the greenhouse are cut with garden shears into small pieces of 10-15 cm and laid out in a thick layer under the berry bushes in the garden. From above, you can add a little humus or compost and cover with straw. Berry bushes do not care about “tomato diseases”, and in winter such a “fur coat” will warm and feed in the spring.
It is advisable to remove the top layer of soil 5-7 cm thick in the greenhouse. It is in these five centimeters that the greatest accumulation of bacteria and fungi is noted, which can cause various plant diseases. To harvest next year was not infected with diseases, we remove the soil, and in place of the removed soil we put humus, manure or mineral fertilizers.
The laborious process of changing the soil can be replaced by its disinfection with chemical solutions, for example, by spilling the soil with a solution of copper sulphate or Bordeaux liquid immediately after shallow digging. These funds are especially helpful in the fight against spotting, late blight, downy mildew, scab, gray rot and rust.
The removed land can be used in open ground: in flower beds or in beds where there will be no related crops.
Stage 3 - disinfection of the greenhouse in spring
One of the main enemies settling in the greenhouse is phytophthora. Since 1985, when new species of the fungus appeared, the harmfulness of late blight has especially increased. Phytophthora can ruin your entire crop.
Reproduction of the fungus is asexual (conidia) and sexual (oospores). Oospores of the fungus, hidden in the ground, safely tolerate even strong winter frosts, maintaining its viability for several years. That is why it is so important to disinfect regularly.
For gas disinfection of a greenhouse in the spring, sulfur bombs are usually used (such as "Climate"). In addition to sulfur, they contain combustible material and, during combustion, emit gases that penetrate everywhere, even into cracks that are inaccessible for washing or spraying. When interacting with moisture, oxides form sulfuric and sulphurous acids on all surfaces, destroying all kinds of small and harmful animals: ticks, insects and slugs that have settled down for the winter, and at the same time bacterial infections, fungi, mold and microbes are destroyed.
Sulfur is taken at the rate of 50-80 g per 1 m3 of greenhouse volume. If the greenhouse was affected by a spider mite, then the dosage is increased to 150 g per 1 m3. This procedure can be carried out only at a temperature of 10-15 ° C. Before burning sulfur, all cracks should be well covered so that the resulting gas does not escape from the greenhouse. Sulfur must be mixed with kerosene (but not with gasoline) and burned on iron pans, pre-placed along the entire length of the greenhouse. You need to set fire to sulfur first on the baking sheet farthest from the door, and then sequentially on the baking sheets, moving towards the exit. For safety, such disinfection should be carried out in a gas mask and rubber gloves, in extreme cases - in a respirator. 3-5 days after fumigation, the greenhouse can be opened and ventilated.
Sulfur compounds are very aggressive towards the steel structures of the greenhouse, so the steel frame, in order to avoid corrosion, must be multi-layered painted. Aluminum profile, wooden details are not appreciably affected. Glass and plastic do not interact with sulfuric acid, so there is no danger to them.
Much more accessible is wet disinfection - abundant spraying of the greenhouse from the inside and the entire soil with a solution of bleach infused for 3-4 hours (400 g of lime per 10 liters of water). The spray liquid is carefully drained off, and the sediment is used to smear the wooden parts of the greenhouse with a bast brush. If the greenhouse was spider mite, then the amount of bleach is increased to 1 kg per 10 liters of water.
From personal experience - a few seasons ago, in our greenhouse, unexpectedly for us, a spider mite "attacked" cucumbers. Plants were dying, as they say, “before our eyes”, to combat this pest, the drug “Lightning” had to be urgently used. In autumn, we also carried out wet alcohol disinfection (a bottle of 0.5 liters of cheap vodka per 10 liters of water) of the greenhouse, the mite did not appear next season.
Simultaneously with the chemical treatment of the greenhouse, it is necessary to mechanically destroy the mosses and lichens on the logs at the base of the greenhouse, and also process all of them to destroy their spores. wooden surfaces 5% solution of ferrous sulfate.
And, finally, in recent years, biological preparations are used more and more often to treat the soil of greenhouses and greenhouses - they are safer than chlorine and sulfur. Of course, they are not so strong, but they are quite good as prophylactic agents. In addition, they effectively affect not only pathogens, but also the very fertility of the soil:
- fix nitrogen
- bind heavy metals;
- produce natural growth hormones;
– decompose pesticide residues;
- enhance the effect of chemicals by 20-30%.
At the same time, biological preparations do not require ventilation of the greenhouse and a break of several days before continuing work in it.
Having carried out such a thorough disinfection of the greenhouse (greenhouse), you can count not only on facilitating your work in the spring season, but also to prevent disease outbreaks and minimize the risk of losing a significant part of the crop.
Stage 4 - soil preparation in the greenhouse
Plants are taken out of the soil every year a large share nutrients, and therefore the stocks of these elements must be replenished. Healthy and fertilized soil allows living microorganisms in the humus layer to constantly produce the substances necessary for plants. It turns out that we must constantly enrich the soil with nutrients, gradually forming a fertile humus layer, so that the soil microorganisms themselves begin to supply the plants with the necessary components. Here are indispensable organic fertilizers, which contain almost all the nutrients necessary for plants: nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, boron, molybdenum and others.
Since ancient times, manure and straw have always been the most important in Russia in the peasant economy: "Put the manure at the right time - you will collect a mountain of grain." As an organic different time river and lake silt, peat, bark, meat and fish meal, reeds and algae were also used. The choice is large, everything is determined by financial capabilities. There is no need to recommend strict recipes for the preparation of soil mixtures for greenhouses and hotbeds - in each zone to them different approach, due to the resources that gardeners have and the experience accumulated in the area.
Vegetable growers know that from 50 to 90% of the crop depends on the condition of the soil in the garden. The earth should always be loose, airy, light, with beneficial microflora. The more organic matter is added to the soil, the easier it is to take care of it, half of the work will be done for you by worm-ploughmen. The earth should never be bare essential principle OZHZ (organic living agriculture). And in this context, it is useful to recall the green manure.
Green manure (green fertilizer) - plants that quickly form a green mass, grown for the purpose of their subsequent plowing into the soil, as a source of organic matter and nitrogen for plants and soil microorganisms. Green manure may well exclude the use of manure on the site as a fertilizer (3 kg of green mass can replace 1-1.5 kg of manure). The list of the most commonly used green manure plants is quite large:
- primarily legumes (lupins, beans, soybeans, lentils, sowing and field peas, alfalfa, sweet clover, spring and winter vetch, seradella, clover, sainfoin, fodder beans, sap grass, etc.);
- cruciferous (rapeseed, colza, oilseed radish, mustard);
– cereals (wheat, rye, oats, barley);
- sunflower, phacelia.
Green manure can be sown in greenhouses both in spring (end of March - April) before planting the main crop, and in autumn - after harvesting. In spring - densely, so that they stand as a wall, less often in autumn. In early spring plantings, early ripening cold-resistant plants are selected - mustard, fodder peas, oats, phacelia, vetch.
Cultivated green manure, as a rule, is plowed 1-2 weeks before planting the main crop. Plants are cut with a chopper or flat cutter and planted in the garden to a depth of 2-3 cm. The roots remaining after mowing die off and serve as food for worms and bacteria that improve the soil.
Efficiency green manure highly dependent on the age of the plants. Young and fresh plants are very rich in nitrogen and quickly decompose in the soil. Therefore, after their incorporation, the main crop can be planted in 1.5-2 weeks. However, you can not close too much a large number of raw plant mass, since in this case it will not decompose, but sour. Decomposition of plants of more mature age is slower, but such plants enrich the soil with organic matter more.
Stage 5 - warming up the soil for planting
In most cases, the final "chord" in preparing the greenhouse for spring plantings(green manure or main crops) is the warming up of the soil after winter.
The soil in the greenhouse in winter usually dries up a lot, becomes dusty. Dry soil is a good thermal insulator. This is good, because the ground below it freezes shallowly (and sometimes does not freeze at all). But this is bad, because with the beginning of spring it will warm up for a very long time. Therefore, it is very important in the very early spring to quickly bring the soil "to its senses", that is, to warm up its entire volume to a temperature of 10-15 ° C. It is this soil temperature that plants need for vegetation.
The earth receives heat from the sun, while the air in the greenhouse warms up almost instantly, in a matter of minutes. But the soil itself remains cold for a long time, several weeks. Actually, the very rate of soil heating, and the very need to take any measures here entirely depends on design features greenhouses and garden beds.
Covering the greenhouse with cellular polycarbonate, arranging raised (by 40-50 cm) beds in it, moreover, thermally insulated from the floor level, practically eliminates special measures for warming up the soil. Polycarbonate holds heat much better than glass, not to mention the film.
Raised ridges are simultaneously heated from three sides, especially those in the center of the greenhouse.
In other cases, the following recommendations can be made. First, the soil itself must be loosened to make it more permeable to air. Then trenches should be made in the beds to the depth of a spade bayonet. This will greatly increase the contact area. warm air with cold ground. After that, we recommend moistening the soil with an EM solution or spilling warm water. This will start the vital activity of soil microorganisms, and the ridges between the trenches will quickly warm up and, having leveled them, we will get a sufficient layer of already warm and living soil.
Do not throw snow into the greenhouse! Many people do this, ostensibly to soak the earth with water. It will be saturated with water, but the season will start a couple of weeks later because of this (snow isolates the soil from the warm air of the greenhouse).
You can cover the soil before sowing with a dark film for better warming up, but do not mulch the soil until a constant positive temperature is established in the greenhouse. Many vegetable growers plant the main crops themselves without removing dark film from the garden. To do this, a cruciform incision is made in the film, its edges are turned away and, after planting in the resulting hole of the plant, they fall again. But this is a completely different story (article).
After carrying out the simple work outlined above, you will be fully prepared to open the spring season at the very early term, available for your region. And in the first decade of May (for the Leningrad region) you will already delight your family with the freshest and most environmentally friendly greens from the greenhouse. Successes to you, on health!!!
Text and photo: Mikhail and Tamara Tsurko, gardeners
A year ago, my husband made a polycarbonate greenhouse for me. He collected it already in the fall, and therefore I did not plant anything in it. It's time to prepare the greenhouse for planting. I did not know how to do this, and turned to my friends for advice, studied information on this topic. Today we will deal with the main stages of preparing a greenhouse for planting.
As a result, I reduced the spring work to the following list:
Cleaning;
repair work;
replacement of soil or its disinfection;
soil fertilizer.
Repair work and cleaning of the greenhouse
Cleaning is understandable. It is necessary to get rid of the grass that has remained from last season, remove pegs, ropes, process them, rid the soil of pests.
If your greenhouses are covered with film, check if the film is torn, repair it if there are rips, or replace this part of the film.
To keep the greenhouse quite light, wash the surface of the film inside and out. All surfaces must be disinfected. How this is done will be discussed later. Can be on winter time remove the film, then it should be processed separately, and then fixed to the cleaned frame.
Greenhouses that are covered with glass and polycarbonate are more reliable than film counterparts, but they can be damaged during the winter period. Damage should be repaired, the greenhouse washed and disinfected.
Treatment of the greenhouse with a disinfectant
There are many ways to disinfect. What method to choose in order to provide plants with the greatest safety, protect them from harmful microorganisms without compromising the quality of the product?
Sulfur checkers
It is also not credible that during the combustion of sulfur, its dioxide is formed, which penetrates into the soil, and eventually gets into the product.
slaked lime in the amount of 3 kg, pour ten liters of water, add 500 g of copper sulfate and disinfect all surfaces of the greenhouse.
The use of a biological product. I believe this method is the best. For example, the Fitop-Flora-C tool will help protect plants from fungi and prevent the impact of a negative environment on the future. To treat a greenhouse, dissolve 100 g of product in 10 liters of water, but the water must not contain chlorine. For processing 30 cu. meters of the room enough 10 liters of the diluted drug. Disinfection should be done again after 14 days.
The same plants are grown in greenhouses, so special care is required for the soil, unlike ordinary beds. How can you improve and enrich the soil?
1. Replace the surface layer of the soil
It is advised to annually change the surface layer of the soil, removing it by 10-20 cm. The removed soil is replaced with a new one for next landing. You can also make new soil yourself. To do this, mix sand, turf, peat, and humus in a ratio of 1: 1: 5: 3. To neutralize the acid reaction in peat, you need 1 cubic meter mix add lime in an amount of 3 kg. This method is time consuming and expensive.
2. Siderates
The fact that green manure is useful has long been known, so sow oats, rye or phacelia in the greenhouse, as well as mustard, wiki, watercress. To save time, at the time when the planted plants bear fruit, sow green manure between the rows, and sow oats or rye in the fall.
3. EM drugs
The use of these tools will help provide protection against harmful microorganisms and diseases, and the harvest will be larger and cleaner. At the same time, EM preparations will enrich the soil with the necessary microorganisms, which will improve and heal it.
4. Biofuels
Biofuel beds can be used outdoors and in greenhouses.
So, this is a rough list of work to be done in the spring.
Has everything been covered in this article? Share your experience. How are you getting ready for spring?
If you have suburban area there is a greenhouse or even several, with the onset of autumn cold weather (after harvesting), it is immediately necessary to begin preparing these structures for winter. this work very important - the quality and quantity of the crop obtained in it depends on how correctly the greenhouse overwinter.
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 humidity is maintained, needed by plants for successful development. But it is thanks to this ability of greenhouses to create plants favorable conditions, there is a danger that weeds and pathogens will also thrive 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 garden association produces organized export garbage, you can send the waste there.
Apart from annual plants, perennials are sometimes located in the greenhouse. Weed perennials are treated in the same way as with the remains cultivated plants- 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. autumn processing greenhouses. But you have to do it, and do it well. If annual vegetables, flowers or other annuals are grown useful plants(and in most cases this is what happens - greenhouses are installed for this purpose), 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 slides. 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 dishonest 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 corresponding to all parameters. 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) soil replacement to a depth of 35 cm. There is another option - in the fifth year, transfer the entire greenhouse to a new location.
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. Modern way 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
Facilities can be disinfected 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 fixed 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. Special attention- 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.
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 on a site blown by the wind, and the amount of snow cover can increase critically, then double the number of props.
The supports are placed on a solid foundation. It could be plywood a metal sheet or other sealant. If you install props on the ground, under the weight of snow, they can sink into the soil.
For polycarbonate greenhouse there are norms 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.