Glass action: Get the scrubber out to ensure the greenhouse is spick and span for winter
If you haven’t done it already, then now is the time to remove the last of the tomatoes and to begin setting up your greenhouse for winter.
Choose a dry day if possible and remove everything from the floor and staging before sweeping out and scrubbing the place down from top to bottom.
It’s not enough to just clean the glass, you’ve got to get into every nook and cranny and an old plant label can be useful for getting into the narrow spaces between the glazing bars.
The idea is to leave no place to hide for hibernating red spider mites or any of the other pests and diseases that might overwinter under glass. Cleaning pots, seed trays, canes and tools will also get rid of any pests lurking amongst these and sparkling glass will allow as much light as possible to reach plants that will spend the winter under cover.
Good ventilation is important, so continue to open vents and doors on mild days, closing these again at night or when high winds are forecast.
If you are planning on using a greenhouse heater, then check this is working and you might also want to insulate your greenhouse using bubble wrap from your local garden centre. Unlike the packaging version, this type is made from a special kind of polythene that doesn’t break down when exposed to sunlight, so you should be able to reuse it for several years.
A layer of bubble wrap will help to insulate plants from cold weather, while still allowing light to reach the leaves and it will help to prevent heat escaping through the glass.
The rise in fuel costs may be deterring many gardeners from switching on heaters this winter but, even unheated, a greenhouse can provide a sheltered environment for all kinds of plants during the winter months and fleece can be used on cold nights to add an extra layer of protection.
The key to survival for many plants kept under glass is to water very sparingly as it is the combination of low temperatures and damp roots that often proves fatal.