Winter prep tips for your greenhouse

Help keep your plants strong and healthy this winter.

Before the frosts set in prepare your greenhouse for winter to protect the less hardy plants against the ravages of the cold weather. According to one of the country’s leading greenhouse manufacturers, you need to follow some simple guidelines to keep them strong and healthy.

Linda Lane is Managing Director of the family owned Griffin Glasshouses at Ropley in Hampshire. Her advice is:

• Let the light in
• Eliminate disease
• Control bugs and pests

“It is essential to keep greenhouses clean and healthy,” says Linda. “They should not be used to store garden tools, pots, old plant labels and seed boxes as they can harbour pests and diseases. Make sure the glass on both the inside and out is regularly cleaned to maximise the short daylight and sunshine hours we have in the winter.”

She recommends using a proprietary glass cleaner if the panes are particularly dirty, otherwise just plain water. But she warns that it is essential to make sure water does not drop onto the leaves of the plants. She advises against using a pressure washer unless it is a warm day when plants can be taken outside.

“Keep pathways and staging clean and if necessary wash over with a non-toxic disinfectant. Repair broken glass because draughts can cause immediate damage in cold weather,” adds Linda.

It is probably too late in the season to repaint or treat wooden greenhouses but all metal supports should be washed down, inside and out, again ensuring no spillage onto the plants.

“Finally, our changing weather patterns suggest that we are going to experience a lot more torrential rain so make sure glasshouse guttering and other rain harvesting facilities are working efficiently and are clean.

“On warmer, sunny days, do make sure the greenhouse is ventilated but remember to close up at night,” warns Linda.