Even a greenhouse cannot protect your plants from mildew infestation. Under poor conditions, temperature and humidity even promote the development of the fungus. In this article you will learn which location conditions you should avoid and what you should pay particular attention to in return.
How to prevent mildew in the greenhouse?
To prevent mildew in the greenhouse, you should plant more resistant varieties, regulate humidity, ensure adequate ventilation, create mixed crops and do not over-fertilize plants. Natural repellents such as field horsetail decoction or milk-water mixture also help.
Evolution of mildew
There are two types of mildew:
- powdery mildew
- and downy mildew
Powdery mildew
Powdery mildew is the so-called fair-weather fungus. It owes this nickname to its ability to spread in warm temperatures and dry air. If the air in your greenhouse warms up, the fungus finds optimal conditions.
Downy mildew
The downy mildew, also known as the bad weather fungus, prefers wet conditions. Although your plants are protected from precipitation in a greenhouse, the warm temperatures mean that there is very high humidity. The fungus finds an ideal breeding ground on wet leaves.
Prevention
- If you want to harvest vegetables and fruit, you should choose resistant varieties from the start
- Spray your plants with a decoction of field horsetail or garlic or a milk-water mixture. The acid keeps the fungus away
- Regulate the humidity by ventilating your greenhouse regularly
- create a mixed culture in your greenhouse. In addition to susceptible plants, you should sow herbs such as garlic, basil, foxglove, chervil or chives
- do not plant your plants near you so that the air can circulate sufficiently
- Check regularly whether condensation forms on the walls of your greenhouse
- also make sure that the air is not too dry
- don't over-fertilize your plants. Otherwise you inhibit your natural defense mechanism
- natural predators such as ladybirds also feel comfortable in a greenhouse
- You can get special, germ-free soil from specialist retailers (€6.00 at Amazon). Alternatively, coconut soil has proven itself
- remove weeds between plants regularly
