Keeping Your Greenhouse Pest Free

A greenhouse can revolutionize your gardening allowing you to realize greater productivity than you would with open air gardening. With a greenhouse, you are assured of consistent conditions year in year out with no or minimal dependency on the climactic conditions outside. But simply erecting a greenhouse is no assurance of trouble free plant growth appropriate measures are necessary to ensure that optimum conditions are maintained.

Pests are one of the biggest threats to plants in a greenhouse. In fact, if left unchecked, pests in a greenhouse would be more devastating than a similar invasion in an open air garden. Because the environment is closed, the multiplying pests are concentrated in a smaller area and thus have fewer plants to attack than in an open garden where there are no physical barriers. For the greenhouse to serve its intended purpose, pest control must be at the top of your agenda.

The following 5 techniques reduce the likelihood of your greenhouse succumbing to a pest attack:

a.Regular cleaning The well-known principle of cleanliness and hygiene being the foundation of a disease free existence, does apply to pest control in a greenhouse. Just like you regularly clean your home, schedule regular cleaning for the greenhouse. Every once in a while, remove every portable object from the greenhouse to perform a thorough clean of floors and walls using detergent and hot water. Pay particular attention to areas that are likely to hide pests such as corners and joints. The thorough clean will also give you the chance to identify any cracks in the greenhouse structure that may be a breeding ground or the source of pest intrusion.

b.Refrigeration There are few things that are more appealing to pests than a humid and warm environment. Plan to freeze your greenhouse at least once a year preferably during the winter. The extended cold temperature should get rid of any pests that may have resisted removal by other means. Before you take this drastic but effective step, make arrangements to have the plants moved to another greenhouse or temporary storage.

c.Clean the tools and soil Dirty or unsterilized gardening tools are a potential source of greenhouse pests. All tools (including brand new ones) should be cleaned, bleached and sterilized before they are put to use. In addition, special soils such as a sterilized potting mix provide even better protection than regular soil.

d.Observe! Regularly inspect your plants checking for any signs of pest eggs or larvae. Do not take chances. As a general rule of thumb, if you do not know what it is, get rid of it immediately. Your best defence is proactive offence by nipping any signs of pests well before they get a foothold. Any plant already infested should be quarantined and treated separately to prevent pest spread.

e.Bio pest control Where possible, avoid the use of pesticides especially if the plants in the greenhouse are meant for human consumption. Instead, make the best use of insects that prey on plant pests such as the praying mantis and lady bug.

Apply these 5 steps concurrently and consistently and your greenhouse can remain pest free for a long time.

Thanks, Jonathan Miranda

Keeping your lawn in great condition can be pretty difficult. Bad airflow and inconsistent natural light from high garden walls and fences make it difficult to get a perfect garden. Here are some great tips to give to give your lawn the care it deserves.

Thinning Grass

If your grass is appearing thin in places, is dull and has weeds then here are a few tips:

Remove any weeds or moss from the roots and dont be afraid to leave soil patches

Get good quality compost its worth paying the money if you want to keep weeds at bay and make your grass beautiful and thick. Lightly sprinkle a thin layer of compost all over your lawn filling in any holes so your lawn is even.

Get lawn seed and lightly sprinkle this over the top of the compost sprinkled lawn. Where there a bald patches add more lawn seed.

Lightly water with a watering can with a nozzle on the end dont soak your lawn this will have the adverse effect.

Ensure to keep off the lawn for about three weeks until the seeds have grew into a beautiful garden.

Mowing

Mowing your lawn properly can really make a difference. Heres how:

Avoid cutting the lawn until seeds have germinated, if you mow your lawn too soon you run the risk of blowing the seeds all over the garden and grass coming out of the flowerbeds is never a good look.

Never cut the grass below 1 inch, grass shorter than this shoes the soil and makes your lawn appear thin.

To avoid shocking the grass, never cut more than one third of grass off at a time.

From March to October, mow your lawn once a week.

Dont always cut your grass in one direction this stops the grass getting used to growing in one direction.

To help the grass resist disease, use a sharp blade to cut your lawn.

Watering

Keeping your lawn a beautiful green can be hard. Water your lawn deeply once a week. A great tip for now overwatering is place a cup in the centre of your lawn, or in the way of the sprinklers, water as normal and stop once the cup is about half full.

A generous watering once a week should have a great effect on making your lawn really green.

With a little tender loving lawn care your lawn will be looking great in no time at all.