Plant diseases and pests can, in some cases, literally eat your profitability away. One of most important ways to improve the profitability and productivity of your greenhouse is to keep it clean, especially if you are rotating your crops throughout the year. In this article, we go over some practices to prepare for the next successful yield.

Integrated Pest & Disease Management

You can’t just rely on pesticides to prevent plant diseases and pests from ruining your harvest. With an Integrated Pest & Disease Management (IPM) plan, you apply multiple tactics to contain pests and diseases to acceptable levels. There are six elements in an IPM:

1. Prevention
2. Identification
3. Monitoring
4. Deciding Action Threshold
5. Explore & Manage Options
6. Evaluation

Sanitation

Sanitation in your greenhouse is essential for growing healthy and profitable crops. Sanitation goes beyond sweeping and dusting; it is a complete clean in which you disinfect surfaces and remove or kill diseases, pests and bacteria. Even if you don’t see any pests, it is worth focusing on the hygiene of your greenhouse to keep pests out.
Especially between production cycles, as pests and diseases can stay alive and be transferred to the new crop. Therefore, a good Clean Out and Clean Up is needed.

The Greenhouse Clean Out

After one production cycle ends, you must ensure that all the plant material from the old crop- from the leaves to fallen fruits and seeds- is completely removed from the greenhouse.
This creates a complete break between the two cycles. So, if there were any pests or diseases you missed in the previous cycle, you prevent them from transferring to the new crop.

• Remove the old crop and dispose of plant material from the greenhouse.
• Remove all equipment and items that will not be reused, such as tools, bins, bags, twine, etc.
• Sweep down the walls, floors and internal structures.
• All the plant material needs to be removed!

The Greenhouse Clean Up

Disinfection of the greenhouse creates a fresh start for the new crop and eliminates any pests or diseases still roaming around in the greenhouse. To optimise the process of the Greenhouse Clean Up, you can create a workflow that everyone involved can use. And don’t forget about the health of the humans conducting the disinfecting; make sure they use the appropriate protective equipment.

• Wash walls, floors and internal structures with a high-pressure hose and detergent.
• Clean and disinfect irrigation systems.
• Let the greenhouse dry between cleaning rounds.
• Wash and refill footbaths.
• Disinfect and clean all equipment that will be returned to the greenhouse.
• Set greenhouse for the next crop, ensuring no items, tools or equipment get contaminated.

EnviroTec Structures offer a great starting point for keeping plant diseases and pests off your plants. Check out our Protectagrow Tunnelhouses, Shadehouses, and Protective Covers!