Your GARDENING FORTNIGHT
Lucy explains how to make the most of the next few weeks
Get your greenhouse spring-ready
It’s immensely satisfying to get your greenhouse all set for the growing year ahead. While some folk do this job in autumn, I prefer to complete it now, so that I can be sure no pests or diseases have sneaked in on my overwintered plants. Starting with a totally clean slate really does knock festering problems such as red spider mite, aphids and grey mould on their pesky heads.
First, temporarily take everything out of the greenhouse (so, choose a mild, dry day to do this job!). Then, grab a long-handled broom and sweep away obvious cobwebs, dead insects, crop debris and general detritus. Next (and this is sooo satisfying) use an air compressor to blast all remaining dirt, dust etc out of all the nooks and crannies that your broom couldn’t reach. You may need a ladder to do this, so be careful, and ask someone to help if you don’t feel safe on your own. Also, do know that many overwintering creatures (such as spiders and ground beetles and even earwigs) can be very useful for natural pest control so do consider allowing them to stay nice and cosy (and at hand) within.
Then, grab a bowl of warm, soapy water and wash all algae (inside, and out) off the glass using a cloth (rub firmly but not too hard). A squeegee here helps get the glass spotlessly clean once you’ve finished with the cloth. Be sure to open windows and doors when doing this to help the greenhouse to dry more effectively.
You can now move all propagation equipment, pots, compost bags and tidy trays back into the greenhouse, wiping them down first to ensure they’re as clean as can be. If overwintering plants are coming back in, too, place these in a bubblewrapped off zone. Now, let the propagation commence!
