How To Reduce Disease in the Greenhouse

How To Reduce disease in the Greenhouse

• Keep Floor very clear and tidy.
• Remove any dead or decaying material.
• For certain disease it is better to burn the infected material or put in household rubbish. Some slow compost heaps may be insufficient to ensure disease is killed.
• Make Sure there is a good airfloor. Install vents at base of greenhouse as well as using windows at top. Make sure there is an airflow from door to other end of the greenhouse.
• Be careful of using spent compost. Using fresh compost makes better chance of avoiding disease.
• Be careful of using stagnant water from a water butt. If in doubt use fresh water.
• Rotate plants. Don’t grow tomatoe plants in the same soil year after year, it is asking for disease.
• Use Grow bags as a way to ensure fresh soil and infection.
• Clean all pots and glass at the end of the year with a Jeyes Fluid.

How Do Biological Pest Controls Work?

Biological controls are the introduction of natural predators so they will kill or at least contain the pest population. For each different pest, you will need a different predator. This is a potential drawback, but, usually, you will only be affected by one or two at a time.

Pests

• Ant – Pathogenic Nematode – Steinernema Feltiae
  Aphid – Parasitic Wasp lava – Aphidius Species
  Mealy Bug – Pathogenic Nematode – Cryptolaemus Montrouzieri
  Red Spider Mite – Predatory Mite – Phytosieuslus Persimilis
  Scale Insect – Parasitic Wasp – Metaphycus Helvolus
  Slug – Pathogenic Nematode – Phasmarhabdita
  Whitefly – Parasitic Wasp – Encarsia Formosa

Biological control may need particular conditions for the predators to flurish. usually they do better in warm conditions (but not too hot). Nematodes for slugs need damp conditions.

The great thing about Biological control is that they can be used with other organic methods, but, once introduced you cannot start spraying with chemicals as you will kill predators too.

Related

• Pros and Cons of Biological Pest Control
• Biological Pest Control at Jersey Direct
• Biological Pest Control at Amazon