FEATURESTORY
Sanitizing the Greenhouse
and Overwintering Plants
A
s the cold weather approaches, greenhouse growers should begin pre-
paring their greenhouses for the winter. Before bringing in the plants
from outside, a good sanitizing of the greenhouse and the plants
themselves is recommended. This can be viewed as a yearly mainte-
nance and preventative procedure which can greatly reduce the likelihood of
problems during the winter months. A good cleaning combined with proper
placement of the plants in the greenhouse equates to a smoother transition into
next year’s growing season.
Sanitizing the Greenhouse
Before moving plants into the greenhouse for
overwintering, it is a good idea to thoroughly clean
the greenhouse. Start by removing any plants that are
currently in the greenhouse. After the greenhouse is
empty, hose down the entire greenhouse with soapy
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water. In most cases, soapy water is enough to prevent
algae build up on the glaze or framing of the green-
house. If algae have already built up, a good pressure
wash can easily rectify the problem. It is very impor-
tant for owners of polycarbonate greenhouses to avoid
using window cleaners of any kind. Window cleaners
www.GardenandGreenhouse.net
November 2017