POST-SUMMER CLEAN-IP
Ruth bites the bullet and gets to grips with her chaotic shed – and so should you!
Time to get everything ship-shape in the shed
WITH good weather days becoming the exception rather than the rule, this is the perfect time to check your shed and greenhouse and make sure they are clean, tidy and ready for winter.
I always start out each summer with the tidiest of intentions, but by the time autumn arrives the shed tends to look as though a hurricane has powered its way through.
And so I get to spend a day inside it, housekeeping – or shed keeping if you will.
Of course it is nicer to work in an ordered environment where there’s a place for everything and everything is in its place. But it is also important to keep your shed and greenhouse clean to prevent pests and diseases finding somewhere to overwinter and multiply.
I also use these ‘down days’ as time to sharpen and clean tools, wash pots I want to keep and make a checklist of equipment I have and what I need.
Try and get as much off the floor as possible and onto hooks and nails. Sweep the floor and wash down working surfaces with hot water and detergent. Check and clean tools and remove batteries from anything batterypowered in case they start to degrade in the cold. If your garden spade and fork need cleaning, wash off accumulated soil, dry them and then insert them into a bucket of sand mixed with a few drops of oil. It helps clean and lubricate the blade and tines and keeps them rust-free over winter.
Once your greenhouse is clear of old tomato plants and other crops, give it a thorough clean too. This is especially important if you are overwintering plants inside, as a grubby environment can increase their chance of being attacked by fungus and mildews.
Wash down the glass inside and out to remove grime. Do the same to working surfaces, then use a flexible plastic plant label to winkle out any muck between the panes of glass.
Clear debris out of gutters too so rain can flow freely into water butts.
Although cleaning the shed or greenhouse is not the most glamorous of tasks, the end results are worth the effort and your garden will thank you in the long run.
“Prevent pests and diseases overwintering”