Processing a greenhouse in the spring - eight stages of work and what to consider first. Preparing a greenhouse for spring: treatment before planting against pests and diseases Preparing a polycarbonate greenhouse for planting in spring

The amount of spring work on a summer cottage depends not least on how the summer resident completed the season. For those who carefully prepared the greenhouse for “wintering”, it is enough to get by with a minimum of them, but for those who did not have time to properly tidy up in the fall, with the onset of the first thaw, in terms of preparing the greenhouse and plots for planting, they will have to work hard.

Assessing the condition of the greenhouse

And it’s not for nothing that the announcement says “...with the beginning of the thaw.” As soon as the opportunity arises (conditions permit), you should drive to the site. For homeowners who have built a greenhouse on their property, it is much easier in this regard. But it must be examined in advance. It is not a fact that, having “overwintered”, it does not need at least minor repairs. So you need to find out what will have to be done before you start planting, and what materials, tools, etc. may be needed.

Such foresight is never superfluous. According to the well-known law, you will definitely not be able to find (purchase) something right away, so a reserve of time will always come in handy. There is probably no need to explain that gardeners who use the greenhouse as a storage room in the winter will have to unload it first.

Here, there is no greenhouse without “filling”. The dimensions of the building, its design features, the specifics of use - all this is different for each of us. But inside there are definitely some pallets, racks, boxes, and so on. Practice shows that it is precisely such “inventory” that most often needs repair.

If the greenhouse has minimal automation, literally everything needs to be checked. And not only make sure that water is flowing from the tap, but also see if the pressure is what it should be. What if there is a small defect on the highway in the form of a crack in a pipe? It's the same with tension. How do the light bulbs shine? The author once encountered a fact when a new neighbor connected a powerful “welder” to the line, and the phase imbalance not only led to the fact that the lamps began to blink, but also stopped working. The problem was resolved “amicably”, but it is better to clarify all such nuances in advance, before planting begins.

Elimination of detected defects

This point logically follows from the previous one. Considering the surprises the weather has been throwing at us for many years now, there is only one recommendation - it’s better not to delay repairing the greenhouse. When the planting deadline arrives, there will definitely be no time for this, and it will turn out “as always”, that is, in no way - the repairs will be “smoothly” postponed until next year.

Wet cleaning

This is putting it mildly. It is necessary to wash everything as thoroughly as possible, especially in the areas of window openings. If so, the problem can be solved quickly using a hose. In the case of frame buildings with windows, it is necessary to clean not only the glass itself, but also the places where they adjoin the frame. It is there that various microorganisms accumulate, which definitely should not exist in this specific structure.

But what exactly means to use is decided on the spot, depending on the materials of the greenhouse and containers. But washing with water alone is a waste of time. As a last resort, for lack of a better solution - a soap solution, but of high alkalinity. Therefore, you will need laundry soap, not toilet soap.

After completing wet cleaning, the greenhouse should not only be ventilated, but thoroughly dried. If there are not enough windows and doors open, you should turn on the heater.

Disinfection

A clean, laundered greenhouse must be further processed. The choice of products depends on local conditions, the most common (and known to the gardener) pests, personal experience, and expert recommendations. The author’s job is to offer a short overview of drugs, and which ones to use is at the discretion of the owner.

Sulfur

There are special sulfur bombs on sale. The gas formed during their combustion will penetrate everywhere, so this method of disinfection should always be practiced, together with others. The process technology is simple. You need to seal the greenhouse as much as possible, light the bomb, close the door and wait about 3 - 4 days. During this time, the smoke will do its job. All that remains is to ventilate the room.

Don't forget about gardening tools. It should first be brought into the greenhouse so that it can undergo this treatment. The only limitation in application is the material of the building frame. If it is made of metal, then this procedure is carried out less intensively, since sulfur gas is quite aggressive. But for plastic or wood this is not critical.

Lime (bleach)

Protects against root-knot nematodes, black leg, clubroot, white rot, and late blight.

Carbation

In terms of effectiveness, it is in many ways similar to the remedy described above. In addition, it prevents plantings from wilting and soil pathogens.

Copper sulfate

One of the most (and widely known) drugs. From scab, rust, late blight, powdery mildew (its causative agents), rot, curl and much more.

On a note! Copper sulfate is a potent remedy. Therefore, when preparing a greenhouse for planting (in spring), only a 10% solution is taken.

Formalin solution

Various spores, rot, larvae - all this will be destroyed by this product.

There are also formulations on sale that are positioned as universal. The author does not entirely agree with this, but from personal experience he dares to recommend Acrobat MC, Bayleton, Fitolavin-300. There is no need to invent anything - the procedure for use is described in detail in the attached instructions. Tested - they work!

Fertilizer application

If the soil is not replaced, then the top layer still needs to be removed. It is to a depth of about 50 mm that all the “infection” penetrates – larvae, bacteria and the like. Instead of the removed soil, humus is added. But first it should be loosened, since the soil will definitely compact over the winter.

In principle, the greenhouse is completely prepared for planting.

Perhaps the author missed some nuances. But the main points are noted, and everything else will be suggested by your own ingenuity, the experience of your neighbors and special literature. You just need not to be lazy, but regularly update your knowledge on the peculiarities of growing crops in a greenhouse and new products appearing on the market. For example, drugs.

If possible, the soil in the planting containers should be replaced. And be sure to check the acidity level, even if the soil was purchased at a specialty store. You may have to add something to the soil.
An increase in yield is facilitated by early spring sederation (a separate topic; it is worth paying attention!), as well as compliance (if last year’s land is used).
Some types of microbes can be eliminated by adding manure or compost. But planting on such plots will have to wait.
“Improvement” of the soil can be done by a sharp change in temperature - pour boiling water on it or, conversely, add snow.

Good luck with your own dacha!

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

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

What needs to be done to prepare greenhouses for the season?

Disinfect the frames with copper sulfate.

Clear the soil of 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 so that 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 along the edges and corners so that there are no voids, sprinkle fluff lime on top (0.5 kg per 1 sq. m), then lay a layer of peat or sawdust to absorb excretions (ammonia) and, finally, pour a soil mixture (20 cm).

Spill the soil with hot water and cover with film. The greenhouse itself can also be covered with old blankets. This way the soil will warm up faster.

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

When and how to plant

The guideline for planting is the soil temperature at a depth of 10 cm at 8 am.

For 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 soil 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, but you want to grow as many vegetables as possible in them. Therefore, it is important to place the plants correctly in height so that they do not shade each other, taking into account the increased demands of some crops on light and air humidity. And since cucumbers do not tolerate drafts, they should grow away from windows and doors.

How to feed

Plants in a 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 are more common, other crops are less common.

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

What do they like?

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 a timely manner. Remember, greenhouse plants like the greenhouse to be warm, light and damp.

The optimal 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 set and they will be small.

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

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

By the way

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

five tips from experienced

Before sowing carrots, apply humus or other organic fertilizers. You need to add a little humus, otherwise the carrots will be bitter.
Dig the soil thoroughly. By the way, if your carrots are not growing well and there are growths on them, then three days before planting you should water the garden bed with salt water.
After the formation of the first true leaf of tomato seedlings, every seven days, spray it with skim milk (dilute half a glass of milk in a liter of water) or whey. This also prevents viral infection.
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 allow faster growth. To speed up the germination of onion sets, it is also recommended to cut off the upper part of the neck the day before planting and soak for 20 minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. After soaking, the onions are washed and soaked in clean water for 1 day.
If young trees have bent over the winter, they need to be leveled. Drive a strong stake on the side opposite to the slope and use technical tape to tighten the barrel, securing it with a figure eight.

Few people know that the cucumber is actually a native of the tropics. Therefore, it is afraid of cold weather, and only in the southern regions does it grow in open ground without any special problems. And for other climates, sometimes the only way out is a good greenhouse. But the very first plantings are usually planned when the snow has not yet melted there. And you won’t be able to just start the usual work in it - you need to prepare a polycarbonate greenhouse for planting in the spring, and it depends on how healthy, strong and pleasing your harvest will be. And we will help you understand all the intricacies!

Washing and cleaning every crevice

First of all, when deciding how to prepare the greenhouse for planting in the spring, start with simple cleaning. Throw away old twines and garters, and wash watering hoses and water barrels well. All vegetation that remained over the winter will need to be completely removed. This will not be a good fertilizer - on the contrary, pathogens prefer to overwinter on such organic matter, which is dangerous for future seedlings.

You need to wash the greenhouse correctly:

Wash the film and glass with ordinary soapy water.
Clean PVC and metal frame elements with hot water and vinegar.
Cellular polycarbonate is best cleaned and disinfected by a weak, barely pink solution of potassium permanganate.

After washing, open all the windows and doors and dry the greenhouse thoroughly.

Spring disinfection

Let's start with the fact that any greenhouse soil contains pathogenic microorganisms and pests, and it will not be possible to completely clear the soil of them. So, all these living creatures also have their own cycle of activity, and their “awakening from sleep” occurs precisely in the spring. You don't want your newly planted seedlings to be eaten, do you? Therefore, at this time of year, an important procedure is carried out - disinfection, unless you did this in the fall.

Preparation for disinfection

Before chemical treatment, it is necessary to carry out mechanical treatment: remove moss from the base of the greenhouse and other places, and “cure” all these surfaces with a 5% solution of ferrous sulfate. This is the only way you can destroy all spores. If you did not remove plant debris in the fall, do it now, and be sure to disinfect it then. Take the discarded tops outside the site, because Usually all pathogens are stored in it.

Take the issue of disinfection seriously: fungal spores are able to maintain their vital activity even in severe frosts.

Disinfection with a sulfur bomb

We advise you to use a sulfur bomb, which during the combustion process forms a gas that penetrates everywhere. It cleans well even those places that cannot be reached with any brush, which is especially valuable for a greenhouse. And all insects, malicious spider mites, mold and even slugs are afraid of sulfur. During disinfection, wear rubber gloves and a face mask, and close all cracks in the structure itself. Leave it in the smoke for 3-5 days, then open it and ventilate thoroughly.

Disinfection with a sulfur bomb can be carried out already at a temperature of 14-16°C. All garden tools, shovels and watering cans must be kept indoors during processing.

Do not use a sulfur bomb if your greenhouse is on a metal frame. The gas that will be released reduces the service life of such structures, but for wood such treatment is absolutely safe.

Disinfection with bleach

The second option for safe disinfection is spraying with a bleach solution. They need to treat both the soil and the entire structure from the inside, even the ropes and drip irrigation tapes. By the way, lime cleanses even heavily contaminated soil.

To do this, prepare a solution of bleach by mixing 400 g in 10 liters of water, leave it to infuse for a day (so that later its splashes do not cause burns), and coat all wooden parts with a brush. Pour the solution especially generously into the cracks - that’s where everything microscopic is hidden. Then take the liquid for spraying the soil into a spray bottle and coat the wooden parts of the greenhouse with the sediment.

Disinfection with biological products

Modern biological products are even safer, although less effective. Their main purpose is to destroy pathogens and increase soil fertility. There is no need to particularly ventilate the greenhouse after biological preparations, and seedlings can be planted in just a few days. However, if in the previous season you suffered from diseases and pests, then be sure to renew the top layer of soil.

But disinfection is undesirable, because... the chemicals used can negatively affect the entire crop. If it so happens that you didn’t do all this in the fall, then try to disinfect everything as early as possible so that there is a certain period of time before planting the seedlings. That is why it is better to disinfect indoor soil in the fall, and in the spring - only wash the structure from accumulated dust.

Finding and repairing damage

So, the first thing after winter is to begin repair work. We check the integrity of the greenhouse, replace broken areas, and, if necessary, level the walls and arches after snow.

It is important not just to inspect the greenhouse, but to check for strength: all connections, all supports and guides. If you find warped, rotten or corroded parts, be sure to replace them.

Unfortunately, there are situations like this: in early spring, people come to their dacha and see their beautiful greenhouse broken under the snow! But the manufacturer stated that it is powerful, strong, stable... But it doesn’t matter, almost any design can be corrected:

Replacing soil and applying fertilizers

In the spring, the soil is replaced with a new one, and if desired, so-called warm beds are arranged.

Most harmful bacteria accumulate in the top layer of soil. Therefore, it is better to completely remove the top 5-7 cm, making the soil 90% healthier in this simple way. And instead of the removed layer, sprinkle humus and mineral fertilizers. And yes, don’t throw away the top layer - it will be quite healthy in the open air, especially in flower beds or beds with another crop.

If this spring it’s time to completely change the soil, approach it responsibly. Try to fill the new soil with organic matter to make it “living”. Here is one of the best recipes: take four parts of loamy soil, three parts of manure or humus and three parts of peat. Another one: six parts loamy soil and four parts humus. These are universal recipes, but for each individual vegetable there is also its own, most suitable one.

After preparing the beds, be sure to check the acidity of the soil. For tomatoes, the soil should have a neutral pH, which can be achieved by mixing 60% peat, 20% sand and 20% compost. Place sawdust or straw at the bottom of the bed to further warm the cold-sensitive tomato roots.
For cucumbers and similar demanding vegetables, prepare the following soil: 6 parts peat, 2 parts humus and 2 parts wood soil. If desired, make a bedding here too from rotted sawdust.
For berries, make soil on light soil: 6 parts turf and 2 parts sawdust.

What matters is where exactly you get the land from. It is advisable that this is not a nearby state farm or vegetable garden, where a priori there are already pathogenic spores. Only fresh peat can be called absolutely sterile, but its reuse is no longer safe.

When replacing soil, be guided by the problems you encountered last season. After all, there are still regions in Russia where there are almost no contaminated soils - pests simply have not yet been brought there. Therefore, if the degree of spread of pathogenic microorganisms and insects was small before, and there were no late blight, then you can remove only 10 cm of the surface layer. Otherwise, change everything. But believe me, this process is quite labor-intensive.

After you form beds from the new soil, add a glass of ash and any mineral fertilizer to each of them. By the way, you don’t have to throw away the soil that you pulled out of the greenhouse - just disinfect it: put it in a pile, sprinkling it in layers with dry bleach. And leave it like that for three years. Recipe: 250 g of lime per 1 m2 in a 20 cm layer. This soil can then be used, provided it has never contained blackleg or late blight pathogens. You can also plant in it something that does not get sick from these misfortunes.

And finally, the finishing touch is the application of fertilizers.

If you correctly alternate the cultivation of vegetable crops every year, then you don’t have to change the soil, you just need to disinfect it.

In the spring, peat is also added to the greenhouse. This is a special type of soil, rich in humus and collected from swamps. When preparing peat, alternate its layers with manure and lime. And apply to greenhouse soil with the following calculation: 20-25 kg per 1 m 2 if the soil is light, and up to 15 kg if it is heavy.

Acceleration of warming up of greenhouse soil

The spring sun warms up the air quickly, but the soil takes much longer. But to sow seeds or plant seedlings, the ground temperature needs to be at least 10-15°C - will you really have to wait until April? Not at all - there are a lot of tricks on how to warm up the beds faster and, as a result, get the desired harvest much earlier.

So, watering with hot water not only warms the soil well, but also activates many beneficial microorganisms and bacteria. It is better to do it twice, then the temperature of the earth quickly reaches 15°C. And if your greenhouse also has electricity, install a floor fan. This way you will get rid of cold air, which, as you know, always accumulates below.

Any black covering material will help to additionally warm the soil.

Saturation of soil with oxygen

Strive to ensure that the prepared soil is loose, porous and oxygenated.

That is why at this stage we add compost to the greenhouse soil. These are food waste and products that have rotted for a year or two and need to be placed on the site in a separate box. The result is a high organic content, which is especially good for growing herbs and vegetables.

When using sawdust, try not to use fresh sawdust - these acidify the soil. Better old, rotted ones. If there are none, then put the fresh ones in some container, scald them with boiling water and fill them with water overnight, about 10 liters per three buckets of sawdust. The next day, fertilize the sawdust with a solution of fresh mullein, three liters per bucket of water. And in just two days this soil disintegrant will be completely ready.

To additionally feed the greenhouse soil for future plantings, many gardeners sow green manure: watercress and mustard. These plants thrive in low temperatures and produce a lot of greenery, and within a week or two after them you can plant seedlings.

Preparing beds for planting seedlings

In early spring, many greenhouse owners create warm beds so that they can plant earlier. Horse manure is ideal for this purpose, as it produces the most heat, with cow manure in second place. It’s good if you stock up on these raw materials in the fall, because... in the spring, through the melting snow, it will be difficult to deliver this goods.

Warm beds should be done like this:

Step 1. Water the manure with hot water.
Step 2. We dig trenches about half a meter deep.
Step 3. Place this biofuel on the bottom with the outer layers down and the heated layers above.
Step 4. Lightly compact the manure and cover with film.
Step 5. Now we wait 3-4 days for the manure to settle. The final layer should be at least 40 cm thick.
Step 6. Powder with lime to stop the growth of fungi, and sprinkle with soil.
Step 7. After a week, the temperature inside the manure will be 30°C, when the seedlings can be planted.

They also do this: they bring manure in the second half of summer, spread it in a thin layer, dry it, and then stack it tightly in a pile. Cover the top with straw and roofing felt to prevent it from getting wet. It is more convenient to use such raw materials in the spring, but it is necessary to additionally feed them with nitrogen - during drying, this element partially evaporates.

When placed in beds, dried manure from the summer must be additionally heated by pouring hot water, but fresh manure that has just been delivered is not necessary, it is already hot inside due to active decomposition processes. It is advisable to even lay one of these in a heap around the yard for about a week so that it begins to “burn”, which will be noticeable by the light steam.

By putting all these simple “tricks” into practice, you will open the greenhouse season in March, and in April you will enjoy the first vitamin-rich vegetables!

It’s joyful and pleasant to get a harvest of cucumbers, tomatoes, and anything else as soon as possible! But for this to happen, you need to make a lot of effort. Greenhouses, which have become extremely popular in recent years, require special care, since during the gardening season they create specific conditions that are favorable for all kinds of pests and plant diseases, but unfavorable for the desired harvest. Experienced farmers know very well that preparing a greenhouse for planting in the spring begins... in the fall.

At the end of the gardening season, thrifty owners must disinfect their greenhouse, remove all waste and any unnecessary strings, twines, supports for tying up plants, support the roof of the greenhouse (in case of heavy snowfalls), securely close all doors and windows so that the wind does not break anything . If all this is done in the fall, preparing the greenhouse in the spring will be much easier, for example, you will not have to remove garbage from it, treat it against pests and plant diseases, and spend less on repairs. But sometimes circumstances develop in such a way that in the fall nothing can be done in the greenhouse, and in winter the weather is so inclement that not only glass or film greenhouses are damaged, but also good-quality polycarbonate greenhouses. What to do in such cases? How to prepare a greenhouse for planting in the spring?

Repair

You should always start by carefully inspecting your greenhouse. Structures with a film coating survive the winter the worst. Winter winds and hurricanes do not spare even the most durable film. Precipitation, sun, and temperature changes are no less harmful to such fragile material. When preparing a greenhouse for planting in the spring, the first step will be to seal all breaks in the plastic film with tape, and if there are too many of them, completely replace the covering. This is more expensive, but in this case you won’t have to disinfect the film, and the tape won’t be much use.

Glass greenhouses are, without a doubt, stronger than film greenhouses, but glass can also crack or break over the winter. In such cases, they need to be replaced to ensure safety for yourself and comfort for the plants.

Polycarbonate greenhouses are the most expensive, but also the most reliable. All that can happen to them during the winter is the frame bending under the weight of snow. By the way, the frame can be damaged in a greenhouse with any coating. If such a nuisance occurs, there is no need to panic. And in this case, in the spring you can properly prepare the greenhouse for planting. First you need to restore the frame. To do this, clear the greenhouse of snow (if there is any left), dismantle the polycarbonate sheets or remove other types of covering material, raise the frame (you can use a jack), install supports under it, and secure the frame well. Metal strips with a width of 40 mm and a thickness of 5 mm with holes drilled in them are ideal for this, but here each master can choose his own option. After making sure that the frame is strong, the covering material is mounted on it again.

Cleaning

Preparing a greenhouse in the spring necessarily includes a complete and thorough cleaning. If the greenhouse was not put in order in the fall, then in the spring, after the completion of repair work, they begin to remove everything unnecessary from it, for example, old hoses, materials that are not yet needed for tying up future plants, and any debris. You can’t leave the tops of last year’s crops in the hope that they will turn into humus. In a greenhouse, it plays only one role - a breeding ground for pathogenic bacteria, fungal spores and other infections. Tops that have lain in a greenhouse all winter are not suitable for compost production even on open ground. Therefore, all last year’s plant residues must be taken out and burned. Preparing the greenhouse for planting in the spring also involves mechanical removal of mosses and lichens (if any have suddenly grown), because pests have probably settled in them and are waiting for future residents of the greenhouse. It is advisable to treat areas cleared of moss with copper sulfate.

The final stage of cleaning is washing the greenhouse. It is produced both externally and internally. Important - polycarbonate sheets can only be washed with soft brushes and sponges, and detergents should not contain abrasives, since the surface of this covering material is very easily damaged. Experienced gardeners advise adding a little potassium permanganate to the washing solution. The film, as well as glass, can be washed with the most common soap solution. Metal and plastic frame parts are washed with vinegar. At the end of the water procedures, the greenhouse must be ventilated and thoroughly dried.

Disinfection

The most important point in preparing a greenhouse in the spring for planting is the destruction of the maximum number of all pests that have settled in it and the accumulated pathogens, bacteria, fungi, and mold. They do this in two ways, not exclusive, but complementary. The first is poisoning with chemicals. The second is replacing the top layer of greenhouse soil.

There are many means to persecute pests and destroy sources of diseases, each of which has an adverse effect not only on them, but also on seeds and seedlings. This is a compelling argument to start preparing the greenhouse for planting in the fall in the fall. Over the winter, all toxic chemical elements will have time to decompose into completely harmless ones, so they will not harm the newly planted plants. If disinfection was not carried out in the fall, this should be done in the spring at least 2-3 weeks before planting or even earlier, depending on the weather conditions of the region. The following baiting drugs can be used:
1. Chloride of lime. It is diluted with water (approximately 400 - 500 grams per bucket), left for a day and everything that is inside the greenhouse is sprayed - the walls, that is, covering material, frame, irrigation system, remaining ropes, soil, and all the cracks are filled. Experienced gardeners advise spraying the liquid solution with a spray bottle, and coating the solid structures of the greenhouse with the remaining sediment using a brush.
2. Sulfur bomb. Preparing a greenhouse in the spring with bleach is labor-intensive and not as effective, since it is almost impossible to notice and treat all the cracks. The sulfur checker does not have such disadvantages. It is incredibly simple to use - you just need to light the wick in it. The smoke released by the saber can penetrate into any cracks, even those that are not visible to the naked eye. It is very useful to leave all gardening tools in the greenhouse during such treatment in order to disinfect them for prevention. The disadvantage of the method is that the sulfur dioxide released during the smoldering of the bombs corrodes the metal parts of the greenhouse, so they are lubricated with grease before treatment.
3. Sulfur and kerosene. This is an analogue of a sulfur bomb. The ingredients of the hellish potion are mixed and set on fire.
4.Biological products. Manufacturers claim that they are capable of not only destroying the infection, but also increasing the yield. Many gardeners doubt the ecological purity of such a crop, but biological products still have a clear advantage - after using them, you do not need to wait a month before planting. The waiting period must be indicated on the packaging; usually it does not exceed several days.
In order for such preparation of the greenhouse for planting in the spring to yield results, before processing it is necessary to carefully caulk all the cracks and close all the holes in the greenhouse, after baiting, close it for several days, and then ventilate well.

On video: How to disinfect soil in a greenhouse using Fitosporin

Soil preparation

When thinking about how to prepare a greenhouse for planting in the spring, working with the soil cannot be ruled out. This is the most labor-intensive part of the process and the most important, because the condition of the soil in which the planted plants will grow determines 90% of the size and quality of the harvest. In the special microclimate of greenhouses, the activity of pests is always more active than in the open air. As a rule, they occupy the upper layers of the soil. Therefore, experienced gardeners advise that in the spring the top layer of greenhouse soil must be changed, even after treating it with chemicals. The removed soil can not be thrown away, but used in open flower beds or beds. Remove it to a depth of about 7 cm. Instead, it is advisable to place humus and sprinkle mineral fertilizers on top.

In the spring, preparing a greenhouse for planting is most labor-intensive if there is a need to completely replace the soil in it. A new one must not only be brought from another place, but filled with organic products (manure, humus, peat). This will extend the life of the soil and make it more fertile. Each farmer has his own recipes for improving soil quality. Among them are the following:
1.Mix loamy soil, manure (humus) and peat in a ratio of 4:3:3.
2.Mix loamy soil with humus in a ratio of 6:4.
3. Lay out a layer of straw, rotted sawdust, hay, and sprinkle soil and peat on top.
Proper preparation of the greenhouse in the spring, in particular the soil, should include checking it pH , which should correspond to the preferences of the crops that will grow in the greenhouse.
After replacing the soil, it is advisable to add fertilizers recommended for the plants that you plan to grow. Peat is considered a universal fertilizer if it has been properly prepared in advance, that is, laid in layers for winter storage, alternating with manure and lime. Such peat is added at the rate of 15-20 kg per square meter.
The most popular method of fertilizing the soil both in the greenhouse and in the open ground is sowing green manure (peas, mustard, grains). They produce abundant green mass, which is dug up, and after a few days the necessary plants are planted in the soil prepared in this way.

How to prepare a greenhouse for planting in spring without replacing the soil

Although the soil renewal procedure is considered very desirable, sometimes it is not possible to carry it out. In such cases, one of the following methods can be recommended:
- water the soil generously with ice-cold melt water;
- also pour boiling water over the soil in the greenhouse (you can use a car steam generator);
- thoroughly spray the soil with copper sulfate (1 matchbox per bucket of water);
- treat the soil with Fitosporin-M and similar preparations.
Any of the above methods is less effective than replacing the soil, but it’s better to do little than nothing.

On video: preparing a polycarbonate greenhouse for planting in the spring

Warming up the soil

When answering the question of how to prepare a greenhouse for planting in the spring, it cannot be said that warming the soil is a mandatory procedure. But it speeds up the planting time, because for seed germination and seedling root comfort, the soil must have a temperature of at least +10 degrees.
You can warm up the soil in the following ways:
- the simplest, but not the fastest, is to cover the soil with black film;
- pour boiling water (it is advisable to perform this procedure twice);
- turn on the heating in a heated greenhouse (the most expensive method);
- add Baikal fertilizer to the soil (warming occurs due to the activation of microorganisms that make up the fertilizer).

In addition to warming up, preparing the greenhouse for planting in the spring necessarily includes enriching the soil with oxygen. If the greenhouse soil has not been changed, it is carefully dug up and so-called fluff agents are added. Their role may include chopped straw, rotted sawdust, compost , leaf soil (after disinfection), crushed bark. The fluffer content in greenhouse soil should be about 30%. There are some nuances here. So, when adding straw, you must simultaneously add urea, which promotes its decomposition. And when using fresh sawdust (that has not had time to rot) they must be poured with boiling water, left for a day, then mixed with mullein solution and only then added to the soil.

Warm beds

The final chord in the answer to the question of how to prepare a greenhouse for planting in the spring will be the installation of beds with natural heating. This little trick will help you plant seedlings in the greenhouse as early as March. They make heated beds like this:
1.Dig trenches about 50 cm deep in the greenhouse.
2. Place fresh manure or old manure in them, which has previously been watered with hot water.
3.Tamp it all down a little.
4.Cover with film.
5.Wait 4 days (during this time the height of the manure layer should become approximately 40 cm).
6.Sprinkle the manure with lime.
7.Wait a few more days for the temperature in this natural fuel to reach +30 degrees.

The preparation of the greenhouse is now complete. You can start planting cucumbers and tomatoes.

Particular attention should be paid to treating greenhouses against pests in the spring. It is in the spring that it is important to destroy overwintered pests and their larvae as much as possible, as well as harmful bacteria and fungi that cause plant diseases.

Crop growing in greenhouse conditions is characterized, firstly, by a special microclimate with high humidity and temperature, and secondly, the same crops (monocultures) are grown in greenhouses year after year, which has a beneficial effect on a significant increase in the number of harmful insects and microorganisms.

In this material I will tell you what to consider first and what means you need to treat a polycarbonate greenhouse against pests in the spring in order to minimize losses from pests and diseases during the entire period of growing plants to preserve the harvest.

Stages of spring treatment

As already mentioned, insect pests and plant diseases develop more actively in closed ground conditions, so it is necessary to treat the greenhouse twice a year - in the fall, after harvest, and in the spring.

The greenhouse is treated in the spring in dry weather, at an air temperature of +5-+10 degrees.

Spring activities are carried out in the following stages:

1. Garbage removal. You should remove plant debris, garden tools, garbage, and everything that has not been collected since the fall.

Washing and treating the walls of the greenhouse in the spring

2. Washing the inner walls. Washing can be done either manually or using special equipment that supplies water under pressure (car wash equipment). Using the latter is more effective and priority. Cleaning the internal walls of the greenhouse from dirt and dust is carried out with liquid solutions containing universal detergent. Polycarbonate is also washed with solutions containing potassium permanganate. Next, you should rinse the walls of the greenhouse with clean water to remove any remaining product.

3. Processing of wooden and metal elements of the greenhouse structure. The metal frame of the greenhouse is first cleaned of rust, primed and painted. This is carried out in order to protect against corrosion when using sulfur bombs, which are used in subsequent stages of spring preparation of the greenhouse. Next, the metal frame and structural elements of the greenhouse are treated with a solution of copper sulfate. And all wooden structures (sides of beds, etc.) are covered with slaked lime.

4. Disinfection of soil in the greenhouse

4.1. Heat treatment

Heat treatment of the greenhouse

Soil treatment is carried out using steam using a steam generator or boiling water. Under the influence of high temperature, harmful microorganisms die. Next, cover the soil with film and leave for a day. It is advisable to carry out this procedure 2-3 times. The method is economical and non-toxic.

4.2. Chemical treatment of greenhouse

a) Soil disinfection copper sulfate. The soil is irrigated abundantly through a garden sprayer or spilled with a working solution of copper sulfate (10 liters of water + 1 tablespoon of copper sulfate);

b) Use of lime. To disinfect soil, lime is most often used - fluff, bleach. It is sprinkled with dry soil at the rate of 100g. per 1m2, do not dilute in water. Next, pour potassium permanganate. Then they dig or loosen.

c) Rarely use a toxic substance - formalin. Formalin is poured into small grooves in concentrated form. After 20 weeks, the soil is dug up and the greenhouse is ventilated. You can spill the soil with a 40% formaldehyde solution at the rate of 1 m2/1 liter of solution.

4.3. Biological treatment of the greenhouse

The most progressive is the biological method. It is used by experienced gardeners using biological products, “Fitosporin”, “Azofit”, “Fitotsid”, etc. They allow you to destroy diseases, larvae, insect eggs, successfully fight infections, help decompose organic matter, smooth out the effect of chemical pesticides and improve the soil structure.

In my practice I use a biological product. Diluted in 100 ml. concentrate in 200l. water and soil spills. The separate material “Fitosporin - purpose, varieties, instructions for use” describes in detail the features of its use.

Soil treatment in a greenhouse is carried out using thermal, chemical and biological methods.

5. Replacement of soil. They either rehabilitate the soil (replacing a layer of 50-100mm) or radically replace the soil (replacing a layer of 200-300mm). These events are most often carried out in the fall, as needed, but at least every 3-4 years, maximum 5 years.

You can purchase balanced and nutritious ready-made soil at garden stores as a replacement. You can also make your own soil.

The best mixture is the one prepared according to the following recipe:

turf soil or soil from the garden - 1 part;
river sand – 1 part;
humus, depending on the quality of the soil - 2-3 parts;
peat – 5 parts.

4 kg of dry lime is added to 1 m3 of the finished mixture, mixed and placed in a greenhouse. Next, fertilizers are applied and dug up.

The recyclable soil is folded in the fall in a layer of no more than 200 mm, sprinkled with bleach, mixed well, spilled with a 10% solution of copper sulfate and left to freeze out for the winter, and in the spring it is scattered around the garden.

To protect the crop from damage by pests and diseases, and to increase productivity, it is necessary to change the soil in the greenhouse every 3-5 years.

6. Digging. If soil replacement is not required, then digging is carried out. First, mineral fertilizers are applied, the composition of which is determined by the crop being grown, sprinkled with wood ash and a layer of compost, peat, manure, sawdust, but better yet, vermicompost. Specially prepared and processed vermicompost does not contain pathogenic microorganisms. This material is laid at the rate of 1 bucket per 1-2 sq.m. greenhouse area.

Important! When adding peat, manure, compost, you need to understand that with these useful components you can reintroduce pathogenic and disease-causing organisms into the soil.

7. Fumigation (fumigation) of the greenhouse. For this purpose, sulfur and tobacco bombs are used. How to carry out this work? Which checker should I use – sulfur or tobacco? All this is in a separate article.

8. Final stage- sowing green manure.

Conclusion

Thus, timely and competent treatment of the greenhouse in the spring will make the soil safe (free from viruses and pests) and saturated with useful substances and microelements, thanks to which the harvest season will be generous and fertile.