As much as every gardener loves digging the flower beds inside the greenhouse at any weather not everyone would like to spend a day cleaning one.
There is no doubt that regular clean ups and good greenhouse maintenance will keep your greenhouse functioning for years to come.
However, where do you get started? I will tech you how to maintain a greenhouse.
So, there are times when you have to pay extra attention to the functioning of your greenhouse. However, for a complete beginner it might not be clear when is the best time to have major cleaning sessions.
Step 1 – Start with a greenhouse cleaning
When do I have to clean my greenhouse?
If you are using your greenhouse throughout the year, have some deep cleans through the year.
For example, in preparation for winter clean your greenhouse and check all the facilities in fall.
Choose a warm breezy day for a deep clean before it is getting cold. A little bit of wind will help to dry your greenhouse faster.
I think October is a perfect time for it. You will also improve the light transmission which is crucial for growing during the colder months.
In preparation for the summer, especially if you are cropping tomatoes, clean in winter when the crop has been cleared.
Then, if you are planting periodic and successive crops or raising seedlings, you might want to clean in periods between crops.
In addition to fall this will take place in spring as well. For example, schedule a huge clean in April and then add some small ones as required.
I would highly recommend to clean your greenhouse just before spring to get rid of diseases and pests accumulated through the winter. Also, greenhouse will probably be much emptier at this time of the year.
Step 2 – Inspect the greenhouse panels
Pay attention to the glazing panels of your greenhouse. If you noticed that any of the panels are broken or cracked, replace them.
There are different handling precautions according to the type of glazing you have in your greenhouse.
The most common glazing types are glass panes and polycarbonate panels. If you want to know more about the rest of the glazing options, read this article.
Greenhouse Panel Replacement:
Always wear gloves to protect your hands when handling panels, especially glass ones. First, you might want to take the notes of the dimension of your panel which you are going to replace.
Second, decide on which material you want to use as a replacement. For example, if you had annealed glass panes which break into dangerous long sharp shards, consider replacing them with toughened or tempered glass.
You can find more information on different types of glass glazing here. Finally, it’s time to remove the broken panel.
Step 3 – Check for slipped greenhouse panels
OK, let’s discuss how do you need to check if the glazing panels are secured properly. Check the connections of the panels to the frame.
To aluminum greenhouse panels are typically secured with clips. These have to be in place and it is recommended to have one clip every 12″ of the panel on each side to withstand winds.
Also, bear in mind that panels can be slipping. This is due to the moving of the frame which is caused by winds and expansion/contraction resulted in temperature changes.
You can easily fix it! Just use ‘S’ clips and place them at overlapping joint to minimize slipping.
If you have a wooden greenhouse you also need to check the connections of the glazing panels. These are slightly different.
Panels are typically bedded onto putty or mastic and held in place by glazing brads into the wooden frame.
You need to check that all the brads are held in place and, if necessary, add new ones. Even if you have a wooden frame it doesn’t prevent glazing panes from slipping.
That is why you need to check the connections regularly. Panels on the wooden frame are slipping because the bond between the putty and a panel has weakened.
How can I fix it? In this case you need to take off the panels and bed them on new putty and hold it in place with new brads.
Step 4 – check the greenhouse frame
Different frame materials require a specific maintenance checklist. Today I will concentrate on two of the most popular framing options: aluminum and wooden.
Restoring an aluminum greenhouse frame:
When checking the aluminum frame, pay attention to joints and take a note of any loose bolts, damaged or missing ones.
In a few year time these bolts tend to seize, so you have to tighten them. There might be some physical damage at low levels and in the corners.
As I have already mentioned, check that all of the clips are holding the glazing panels in place and in the correct positions.
Wooden frame requires a little more attention. Depending on the timber you used, this has to be repainted every other year or so.
Also, you need to check on any signs of rot and woodworm. Similarly to the aluminum frame you have to check the joints which in this case are nailed.
Another major problem with wooden frame is damp and mold. You can find how to eliminate this problem and many more tips on the wooden frame maintenance here.
Step 5 – Maintain a greenhouse base
The perfect time to check the base of your greenhouse is during a deep clean when it is empty and as clean as possible.
The perfect base for the greenhouse should be solid with the securely fixed frame.
The most common problem with the frame is development of small gaps. These can be a habitat for pests but, also, can serve as a source of droughts.
Whether the base is made of the blocks and bricks or maybe metal it can become sound and rigid. Loose base can lead to the rigidity of the whole greenhouse structure.
Moreover, flexing greenhouse framework will make the joints much weaker and can result in the breakage of glazing panels.
Step 6 – Pay attention to the greenhouse ventilation
Ventilation plays an important role in creating a safe environment for your plants. In your greenhouse you can either have automatic or manual vent openers.
Automatic opener can be placed to windows or vents to open by itself when the temperature inside gets too high.
It can be quite tricky to actually check the functioning of the automatic openers but eventually you will be aware of any dis-function.
If you noticed that it is damaged, replace it immediately.If you don’t have automatic openers, be sure to open the windows and vents regularly.
Don’t forget about the louvers (air vents found at the base of the greenhouse). These draw in cool air to create a constant air flow.
It is important to check the hinges and catches on windows, vents and louvers which you need to open manually.
You have to make sure that these are held in place securely and are not binding. If any of them is damage, you have to replace it.
Also, to improve their maintenance you can add some oil to the linkages. Do so for the automatic openers as well.
The last but not least, you have to make sure that you have enough air vents in your greenhouse. Refer to your manufacture and confirm the numbers of vents for your greenhouse.
Step 7 – Look for greenhouse shading options
Shading can protect your plants in the summer when the temperature gets too high. Gardener prefer to use old net curtains, roll-up shades and opaque plastic to cover the glazing.
Also, you can apply shading wash in the summer and wash it off in the fall. I personally use a shade cloth which is made of the plastic and is resistant to dirt and moisture.
Shade cloth requires a minimum of care and maintenance. Check the care instructions from your manufacturer.
Typically, you just need to use a mild detergent applied on a soft scrubbing brush with a low pressure water hose.
Step 8 – Greenhouse door replacements
There are two types of doors you can have in your greenhouse – hinged and sliding doors.
How to maintain a greenhouse door?
If you have hinged doors, make sure to check that the hinges are securely hold in place on the door and door frame.
The door should be opening freely and should not catch on the ground. As with the vent openers you need to oil the linkages.
If you have sliding doors, these normally contain a nylon glide running in a channel. This can get blocked with grit and dirt.
As a result, doors get stuck and nylon wears out. That is why you need to clean the top and bottom channels.
You can also oil the rollers and door catch, however, DO NOT oil nylon glide. Perfectly functioning sliding doors should slide easily between the fully open and locked positions. There must not be any sort of catching.
Step 9 – Pests Control in the Greenhouse
Oh My God! Pests can be a real pain to deal with (personal experience). These little monsters will do anything to eat your beloved plants. And I am going to share with you my top tricks which I am using to win this war.
- Check your plants for signs of pests presence and damage.
- Control pests organically – let their natural predators like ladybirds and lacewing larvae inside your greenhouse and watch them do the job. This eliminates the use of harmful pesticides.
- Clean your greenhouse regularly.
- Check for the small gaps in the base, frame or glazing panels and fill them up.
