Scheduling the Pest and Disease Control

Every 10 days, I give my greenhouse a regular allover spraying with an electric Devilbus sprayer. I also have a lightweight, inexpensive plastic sprayer. This holds about a quart of liquid, and can be operated with one hand. I keep it filled with malathion solution for quick dealing with aphids, caterpillars, and thrips. The tank-type sprayer, used in outdoor gardening, is also effective in the greenhouse. This is a cylinder with a hand-pressure pump. It has a strap to slip over your shoulder. It holds about 2 gallons.

Insects attack plants in different ways. Thrips scrape away the green tissue from petals, leaving tiny scars. Malathion applied at 5- to 7-day intervals will kill thrips-adults and offspring. Spider mites (red spider) cause yellow-and-brown areas on foliage. A spray of cold water is effective if your plants can stand it (African violets cannot). Otherwise, use Aramite spray one week, malathion the next. Cyclamen mites twist and gnarl the center leaves of many plants. Remove infested plants from the greenhouse; if you must save them, cut out the affected areas, treat the soil with sodium selenate (in solution or capsules) or Endrin, and keep these plants away from the others until they show clean new center growth, a matter of 2 to 4 weeks.

Mealy bugs look like flecks of cotton. When you find only a few on a plant, touch them with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol. For heavy attacks, use a malathion spray. Get rid of caterpillars and grasshoppers by spraying with malathion or a similar product. You can clean up brown scale with Dithion or soap and water. The scales are slow-moving bugs and when young are light yellow. While they usually attack only smooth leaves, they will invade an overcrowded batch of hairy-leaved plants, such as episcias. When this happens, use the hand spray, making certain that tops and bottoms and all parts of the rough-textured leaf surfaces are reached.

Fungus attacks show up in blackened buds and rotting stems and leaves. Many plants respond well when the affected parts are cut away and powdered Fermate is applied, or when soil and plants are moistened with Carco-X or some other excellent fungicide. In humid seasons, slugs may be prevalent, hiding in dead and decaying material. The seeds fall out of any pod they nip, and this means loss in time and money. Sawdust containing metal-dehyde, sold as Snarol, can be applied to the soil to poison the slugs. Nematodes betray their presence in various ways. Plants may have a stunted or wilted look, or there may be blisters on petioles and nodules on the roots. Until recently plants infested with root nematodes had to be disposed of, but V-13 and other soil sterilants and fumigants have proved effective against these pests. Since these products are poisonous, take care to use exactly as directed.

Spring Housecleaning

Every spring I houseclean the greenhouse, first moving all the plants outside to the shade of my lath house. I apply V-13 to the pea rock in the benches and on the soil under them, wash away algae with a Carco-X solution, and clean the windows. Clearlite cleaner, 1/2 pound to 1 gallon of water, helps remove old shading compound and dirt and leaves the glass sparkling. If your greenhouse is not attached to your house, you may want to fumigate it with a “smoke bomb” like Fulex. Use great caution. While the greenhouse is empty, check and replace cracked or loosened putty and glass. Repair defective woodwork, benches, and walks. If yours is a heated greenhouse, have the plumbing and heating checked in summer; don’t wait for a winter breakdown. After this thorough going over, plants are put back, and throughout the year, I watch closely for signs of trouble and deal with it promptly.

Keywords: Greenhouse Gardening, Landscaping, Plants, Pool, Gardener, Landscape, Trees

Tags: home greenhouse

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