Publication: Garden Guides
Greenhouse Gardening | |
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GardenGuides Newsletter
June 27, 2006
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Comment The Post Below...
Tips to help prevent Blackspot on your roses.
* Avoid working in the garden during wet periods.
* Prune out infected canes. Remove and destroy diseased
leaves and debris immediately.
* Water at ground level (prevent splashing).
* Provide good air circulation, so leaves dry faster.
* At the end of the season, remove and destroy all infected
leaves and canes.
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Greenhouse Gardening
By Linden Staciokas
For me, greenhouse gardening has an intensity beyond that
found in a regular plot. The limits of size and the advant-
ages of protection from the elements both concentrate and
expand my choices as I thumb through slick catalogs, the
delicious anticipation of seed starting and transplanting
begins earlier, and growth soon becomes so lush that it
seems primordial. Even the very air develops an earthy full-
ness capable of making ordinary smells seem puny by
comparison.
Unfortunately, without the proper vigilance, the same green-
house that transforms my seedlings into green giants can
mutate ordinary problems into cyclones of destruction,
capable of wiping out the entire contents. It has happened
to me more than once, so if you are new to greenhouse
gardening, you may want to keep a keen eye on the following.
First, remember that when it comes to greenhouses, hotter is
not always better. Each variety has its own optimum tempera-
ture preference, and sometimes these desires change with the
stages of plant development. However, in general, the air
temperature of a greenhouse should not rise above around 85
degrees. After that, your tomatoes and cukes may have trouble
with pollination.
The problem with temperature is that it can rise devastating-
ly quickly. More than once I have left for a morning's
errands with the greenhouse a comfortable 65 or 70, only to
return at noon to find the thermometer registering 112 or
higher. And leaving the door propped open is insufficient
on especially warm or sunny days, for without cross
ventilation the air hangs heavy, still and hot.
The bottom line is that you need a way for cool air to rush
in and hot air to be driven out. This can be done with the
installation of passive vents, enough openings that a
sufficient volume of air can be exchanged so that tempera-
tures are kept at a reasonable level. Automatic ventilation
or fan systems let you conveniently preset the temperature
at which vents will open or fans will leap to life but can
be pricey to install.
Continued...
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I have a built-in fan with a timer set for the hour when I
know from experience the full power of the sun will be
focused on my plants. I leave the door of the greenhouse
ajar, and when the fan (which is positioned close to the
apex of the roof) comes on, it sucks the hot air out and
allows room for the cooler air to come in through the door.
Second, keep an eye on humidity, for while it will not
disable your plants as rapidly as heat will, saturating
dampness can be permanently damaging. According to the
Alaska Cooperative Extension tip sheet: "Controlling the
Greenhouse Environment," by horticulture specialist Wayne
Vandre, "The plant transpiration rate is affected by the
relative humidity because it determines the vapor pressure
difference between the leaf surface and the surrounding
air." In other words, if it is too damp the plants cannot
pass the oxygen and water they produce back out into the
atmosphere and growth can be stunted.
The tip sheet goes on to say, "A relative humidity between
25 and 80 percent will not adversely affect most plant
growth. A higher rate can restrict transpiration and it also
may contribute to disease problems." So, the same high
humidity that stresses your plants provides the perfect
conditions for disease growth--two reasons for keeping it
under control.
Watering only when absolutely necessary helps, as will
making sure you don't leave pools of water lying around when
you drag the hose back out the door. The same venting that
reduces temperatures will also reduce humidity.
Third, air circulation is critical, and ever more difficult
to ensure as plants begin reaching for each other and the
ceiling. When the air is stagnant, humidity builds up,
diseases thrive, and plant stems don't become as strong as
they do when air movement is more vigorous. Fans and vent-
ing will help maintain a healthy circulation (see a pattern
here?).
Continued...
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Trellising sprawling plants, or trimming some leaves will
also encourage circulation. In severe over-crowding, create
a few strategic holes in the jungle by cutting down a few
plants. (Never pull, as you disturb the roots of other
plants that have entwined themselves with the chosen
sacrifice.) And next year remember that while things look
impossibly lonely in May, they won't in July.
Fourth, be a fanatic about pest control. I am not exaggerat-
ing when I say that on a daily basis I spot-check buds, the
undersides of leaves and the places where stems and stalks
intersect. At the first sign of aphids, I squash individual
offenders or wash the entire plant. I also unleash a legion
of ladybugs at least once mid-season. If a plant looks to
have caught a disease, I am ruthless about culling. I first
try cutting off just the affected parts, but if the spots,
splotches or rot continues I decapitate at root level.
Finally, keep your plants as healthy as possible, so that
they can survive the occasional soaring temperature or
opportunistic pest. This means not allowing your plants to
starve for water or nutrients, watering as close as possible
to the soil line rather than overhead, not exposing them to
pathogens like hands tainted with nicotine and keeping
living conditions sanitary.
It seems like a lot of work, but the reality is that weekly
attention will keep minor problems from turning into the
plague.
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GopherCentral's Question of the Week
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hijackers planned and were responsible for the tragic events?
Question of the Week
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