Preparing Your Greenhouse for the New Season

The darkest days of winter are slowly winding down, and spring is just around the corner. This is the perfect time to get your greenhouse set up for the exciting growing months ahead. When preparing your greenhouse for another season, it should be done in a step by step way to ensure the new crops are welcome and begin its life on the right foot.

Declutter Your Greenhouse

Dead plants and old leaves are hotspots for diseases and mould growth. If they look fine, you can compost them; however, if they show any signs of disease – make sure to burn them to prevent the spread of bacteria to your new plants. Over the winter months, many bugs and slugs may have decided to call your greenhouse home and escape the icy chill outside.

Take time to examine the floors, walls, any furniture and tools, and send those pests on their way. Carefully inspect every item in your greenhouse to check if anything needs fixing or replacing. This includes pots, benches, shelves, seed trays, grow beds, and more.

Deep Clean the Growing Space

Dust off any winter cobwebs and get your greenhouse looking shiny and new again. For best deep-cleaning practices, we recommend that yousweep the floor to get rid of any dirt and dust that has collected. Wash the interior and exterior of the polycarbonate panels with a sponge and warm, soapy water. Use a sponge with water and mild liquid soap to wipe down the frame, workbenches, shelves, and other surfaces. Disinfect your pots, seed trays, and tools, thoroughly rinsing them. Allow them to air dry.

Check Ventilation Flaps and Doors

Proper greenhouse air circulation is essential to avoid springtime plant diseases and ensure your production will thrive. If you already have installed windows, try opening and closing all of them to confirm that they are functioning well. If you have an automated climate control system that needs attention, have it serviced before plants enter the greenhouse.

Check Your Water Source

Before you start planting, it’s always a good idea to check your water source. Pipes can freeze over during the frosty winter months, or other unexpected issues can arise. Once you’ve confirmed that your water source is working correctly, it’s important to ensure that it’s easily accessible from your greenhouse. It is advised to set up a proper automatic watering system.

Get your beds or Grow media Plant-Ready

Healthy soil is absolutely essential for a successful growing season. If you plan on reusing the soil from your last crops, there are a few steps you can take to guarantee it’s filled with nutrients and completely plant-ready.

Break up compacted dirt by running a garden fork through your plant beds. This helps to aerate and fluff up the earth, making it easier for new life to grow and water to drain   Once you have an understanding of your soil’s health, it’s time to mix in any necessary amendments, such as natural fertilizer, elemental sulphur, compost, peat moss, or ground limestone rock.

Climatize Your Greenhouse

If you’re eager to get production up and running and want to use your greenhouse to start growing earlier – then now’s the time to warm up your space. A good climate control system can lengthen your production season and diversify the kind of plants you can grow.

During the chillier months, you should aim to keep the temperature at 4°Cor above. This will ensure your greenhouse stays frost-free. However, if you want to use your space for germinating seeds, we suggest keeping your greenhouse between 21-27°Cmaking sure night time temperatures don’t drop any lower than 10-13°C. Just make sure that all your windows are completely closed, so you don’t experience any unnecessary heat loss.

Proper preparation before new plantings is half-way to your new season’s success! JS