Work in the greenhouse in September: what to sow, how to disinfect the earth

The cold snap in early September came unexpectedly. Recently, in the middle lane, the weather in the first month of autumn was just wonderful: a minimum of rain and warm weather. This year is a real anomaly. Yesterday morning the thermometer showed minus one. Zucchini, which I did not have time to remove, of course, were damaged by frost. And beets and carrots endured the drop in temperature with dignity. But soon it will be their turn to clean up.

Today we will talk about working in the greenhouse. In the second half of August, I uprooted all the tomato bushes, only cucumbers, peppers, and eggplants remained. But by the end of September, these vegetables will be harvested.

What to do when the crop in the greenhouse is harvested

During the growing season, the plants removed a large number of macro- and microelements from the site. Therefore, the main goal of the gardener is to restore the fertility of the earth and the impact on pathogenic microflora. This year, in the greenhouses of many gardeners, the brown spot fungus or cladosporiosis has multiplied.

Most often this happens when crop rotation is not observed, that is, growing the same crop in the same place. If you have one greenhouse, green manure can be sown in the ground in it, which will replace the crop rotation.

If you have 2 or more greenhouses, it is recommended to rotate crops in them every year. For example, plant tomatoes the first year, plant cucumbers or peppers the next year. And also in another greenhouse. Tomatoes and cucumbers do not have common diseases. This helps to suppress the development of pathogens, but soil disinfection should be carried out in any case. Fungal spores can survive in the soil for several years.

In September it becomes cooler and soil moisture rises, which contributes to the rapid development of phytophthora. Therefore, I remove the green fruits of tomatoes for ripening as early as possible, without waiting for September. Cucumbers in the greenhouse in September continue to grow, but I reduce the frequency and rate of watering.

How to get rid of pathogens in a greenhouse

An effective way is to remove a layer of earth of 10-15 cm. The process, of course, is quite laborious. This method is used in the case when plants are often exposed to the disease. Or when the soil has been depleted in 2-3 years of use.

Another method is to treat the soil with a fungicide. For example, for this you can use the biological fungicide "Fitosporin". The walls of the greenhouse should be washed well with water and laundry soap and the addition of whiteness (cleaning should be done with rubber gloves) from dirt. Then the site must be sown with green manure, for example, mustard or seeds of rye, beans, peas, wheat, oats.

These plants prevent the reproduction of weeds, retain moisture, increase soil fertility, make it airy. Before sowing, organic matter should be introduced into the ground, dug up with a shovel or loosened with a flat cutter. Mineral fertilizers can be applied under green manure if there is no humus or compost.

If in the fall you did not have time to sow green manure in the greenhouse, this can be done in early spring. And before planting the main crop in May-June, the earth needs to be dug up.

Alternative to green manure

If you do not want to sow green manure, then you can use another method that I often use. I chop marigolds by hand or with a lawn mower (I grow them around a greenhouse, flower beds, in cabbage beds) and bring them in for digging.

These plants belong to a natural antibiotic, they repel pests with their smell, and phytoncides also disinfect the soil, destroy many pathogens and microorganisms. When rotting, they promise the soil with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Many gardeners find that marigolds, as an added protection, work quite well.

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