Tillage in a greenhouse: rules and how to disinfect, when to replace

Before planting, it is desirable to cultivate and improve the soil in the greenhouse. Untreated soil is unsuitable for planting crops. During the winter, many pests migrate under the cover of the greenhouse. If the structure itself and the ground are not disinfected, the entire crop will be lost. Chemical and biological agents can be used for disinfection.

Why do we need greenhouse treatment in spring

When the thermometer rises above zero degrees during the day, it's time to start preparatory spring work. Particular attention is recommended to be paid to cleaning and processing the soil.Before starting planting work, it is necessary to disinfect the greenhouse structure itself and the soil. Cleanliness and order are the key to good yields.

Spring treatment of the greenhouse is carried out for the following reasons:

• for the destruction of larvae, pests, fungi, bacteria;
• to prevent the growth of weeds;
• to improve soil properties, increase its fertility.

First, they do a general cleaning, take out the garbage, wash the polycarbonate, film or glass coating with detergents and soda. At night, when the temperature drops below zero degrees, the greenhouse doors are left open in order to destroy pest larvae with the help of frost. As long as there is snow on the street, it is collected and scattered over the greenhouse land. The soil needs to be saturated with moisture as much as possible, necessary for the growth of crops.

How to do it without changing the soil

In agriculture, the main emphasis is on increasing soil fertility. The soil before planting needs to be fed and disinfected, and it is also necessary to destroy the pests that have multiplied in it. If the ground in the greenhouse was covered with mulch for the winter, this layer must be taken out and burned. Pest larvae usually hibernate in such a coating.

After harvesting the mulch, the greenhouse is cleaned of debris, weeds, and the greenhouse cover itself is washed of dust and dirt. The room is frozen, and as much snow as possible is poured onto the beds to moisten the soil. They dig up the dry earth.

The next step is the disinfection of the greenhouse structure.Disinfection is carried out in early spring, as pests wake up before anyone else. Disinfection of the structure can be carried out by chemical or biological methods. Spraying with a solution of bleach (40 g per 1 liter of water) is the cheapest. For disinfection, you can use copper sulfate (5 g per 1 liter of water). The air in the room can be disinfected by fumigating with a sulfur checker. If chemical treatment is unacceptable, you can wash the structure with a decoction of pine needles, garlic, nettle, soda.

After the disinfection of the greenhouse, the soil is disinfected. It is advisable to remove at least 5-10 cm of the top depleted soil layer and replace it with a fertile soil mixture. In addition, dangerous insects that can destroy crops live on the surface of the earth. A complete replacement of the soil is carried out every 3-4 years. If it is not possible to replace the top layer, the dug up soil is immediately disinfected.

Overview of soil disinfection methods

Soil disinfection is carried out by thermal, chemical or biological methods. The soil is dug up first. The processing method is chosen depending on the phytosanitary situation.

Temperature effect

Pests, bacteria and fungi are afraid of critically low and high temperatures. While it is frosty outside, it is advisable to freeze the greenhouse well, leaving the door open at night. When it becomes warm, the air can be treated with hot steam, and the ground can be scalded with boiling water and immediately covered with a film.

In the case of hot irrigation, all living microorganisms, even useful ones, die. This method is called steam sterilization. With its help, pests are destroyed. In agriculture, for steam processing, special steam generators are used with a temperature regime of no higher than 60 degrees, so as not to harm beneficial microorganisms.

Chemicals

In early spring, 2 months before sowing soil, it is better to disinfect with chemicals. Before processing, it is recommended to carefully read the instructions. It is forbidden to exceed the recommended dosage and cultivate the land without protective equipment.

Available Soil Disinfection Chemicals:

• bleach;
• blue vitriol;
• Bordeaux liquid;
• potassium permanganate;
• colloidal sulfur.

To combat fungi, bacteria and pests, there are a huge number of chemicals. Shortly before planting, the land can be disinfected with fungicides such as Bravo, Quadris, Oxyhom, Previkur Energy, Skor, Storby, Topaz. Typically, these fungicidal agents are used during the growing season of crops. To destroy larvae and insect pests, insecticides are used ("Aktara", "Spark", "Commander", "Ant").

Biological methods

If the number of insect pests is low, you can use biological products to disinfect the land. For example, fungicides "Fitosporin-M", "AgroMar" or "Fitolavin", insecticide "Fitoverm", fertilizer "Fitop-Flora-S". To disinfect the soil, you can prepare a decoction of garlic, needles, nettles.

Preventive measures

In the spring, a series of preventive work is carried out to improve the soil. It is desirable to determine the acidity, salinity and density of the earth. If the soil is acidic, add a little slaked lime. If s alty, use raw gypsum or phosphogypsum. If dense, add sawdust, sand.

If the soil is alkaline (vinegar spilled on the ground sizzles), gypsum, granulated sulfur, iron vitriol are added. Well acidifies the soil peat, needles, rotted manure. Organics are recommended to be used to increase the fertility of the land, but preferably in the fall.

When soil replacement is required

It is advisable to change the soil in the greenhouse every 3-4 years. The soil mixture is prepared independently or bought ready-made. The composition of the greenhouse mixture includes the following components: peat, sand, clay, lime, ash, turf, meadow or garden soil. Be sure to add crushed sawdust, bark of coniferous trees, foliage, straw.

To improve fertility, humus, bird droppings, a complex of mineral fertilizers are introduced into the mixture. Land is replaced in autumn, after harvest.

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