Controlling greenhouse diseases
Disease is one of the most worrying things for the greenhouse gardener. How do you fix the problem without destroying the balance you are so carefully trying to maintain, and how do you determine what the root cause of the problrem is?.
Apart from the diseases specific to the plants you are growing in your greenhouse, there are six main diseases that are general.
Greenhouse supply companies, nurseries, and garden centers will always give advice about specific problems you may be having
Damping Off In The Greenhouse
Damping Off is the most likely problem to be faced by the new greenhouse gardener. It is a fungal disease affecting seedlings and shows as a blackened area at the base of the stem. However, you may never see this effect. Affected plant just topple over and die. This may be the first symptom you see. Your nice healthy seedings suddenly died. The plants are already dead, so there can be no cure. You can, however, prevent the disease. The desease can be soil bound, so do not reuse any soil in which you have seen this. Always steralize pots and trays before use. Raising the temperature in the greenhouse can help, as can sowing more thinly, and watering less.If the disease seems to be spreading, try watering with copper fungicide.
Botrytis In The Greenhouse
The more common name for this disease is grey mould. It is quite a common fungal disease and symtoms are a dirty-white or grey-brown mould on leaves and stems. This often also occurs in garden plants, so you may well have encountered it before.Botrytis grows in low temperatures and poor ventilation. Affected leaves and stems wil not recover.Infected parts should be burned and never put on the compost. Then increase the temperature in your greenhouse and provide better ventilation.
Mildew In The Greenhouse
Mildew is a white powdery coating on leaves which causes them to pucker and become distorted. Affected leaves should be removed, and burned, since they will not recover. The disease will spread if you leave infected leaves in the greenhouse. Mildew is more common in very dry conditions, So keeping your plants well watered will help control it. If the mildew is whide spread, then water with copper fungacide or dispersible sulpher.
Blight In The Greenhouse
If you have brown marks on leaves and sometimes fruit, the chance are you have blight. These marks can spread and later turn black. Remove and burn affected parts of the plant immediately. If the disease persists, spray with copper fungicide.
Leaf Mould In The Greenhouse
Brown mould and yellow spots on leaves are indications of laef mould. Poor ventilation is the most likely caise. Improve ventilation by adjusting vents, and give your plants much more space.
Virus Diseases In The Greenhouse
Many plants, such as cucumber and tomato can be affected by virus diseases. They exhibit a number of symptoms including a “fern-like” appearance, or yellow mottling of the leaves. Sometimes leaves will appear to wilt, then recover and do it again regularly. Loss of vigour and poor cropping will occur.
It is terminal! Affected plants should be removed and burned. If you get virus attacks on plants set in the ground, then you should use growbags for a few years. You need to be extra vigilant about hygene, since virus diseases are spred by insects, garden tools and also by hand.
Diseases in the Greenhouse may seem daunting, and most of us will sufer from them from time to time. However, if you look at your plants regularly, you will spot the symptoms early and will be able to take the measuires necessary to prevent widespread attacks. Good housekeeping, together with the right watering and ventilation routine will prevent most problems. So don’t be too concerned. Enjoy your greenhouse gardening and deal with problems as they come.
