Bugs in a Greenhouse

[YYZ Skinhead]

This is the one thing that unnerves me about greenhouse growing. How do you prevent bugs from invading a greenhouse? I shall seal all of the seams with FlexSeal, I have bug mesh for the windows, and a screen zippered door. What else do I need to keep the Borg and arthropods in general from storming the greenhouse?

 

[WeedHopper]

Good luck.
One thing is be careful about bringing them in on your clothes. Dont let you pets in your greenhouse either. All you have to do is brush up against a plant or bush with bugs and pow,,you got bugs riding to your greenhouse.
But,,greenhouses are better then growing with no protection.
Last time i had bugs in my growroom,,i brought them in,,they didnt pick the lock and get in by themselves.

 

[YYZ Skinhead]

Good luck.
One thing is be careful about bringing them in on your clothes. Dont let you pets in your greenhouse either. All you have to do is brush up against a plant or bush with bugs and pow,,you got bugs riding to your greenhouse.
But,,greenhouses are better then growing with no protection.
Last time i had bugs in my growroom,,i brought them in,,they didnt pick the lock and get in by themselves.

The last time that I grew indoors and the last time I bought clones, the Borg got in there somehow. The cuttings came with free spidermites! The ones from seeds were invaded like halfway into the grow. I doubtlessly schlepped them in on muh dayum clothes. I really, really, really, really, REALLY want to avoid doing the same thing in my greenhouse. Even if I have to wear an electrified bug-zapping space suit.

 

[WeedHopper]

Yeah,,i cant go in with no clothes on to keep bugs out,,wouldnt look right,,,so im just extra cautious with my grow spaces.

 

[Rosebud]

I always get bugs outdoors, (and in too, darn it) I use Dr Zymes. I dip any new clone I bring in.

 

[YYZ Skinhead]

I always get bugs outdoors, (and in too, darn it) I use Dr Zymes. I dip any new clone I bring in.

I shall have to buy some ASAP.

 

[420trout]

.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

Weirdly, I have never had a problem with bugs outdoors or in my little greenhouses. I just always figured that it was because there was always so much other foliage around for them to munch on. There is no way at all to keep a small portable plastic greenhouse sealed against bugs, so go for prevention. This is what I have done the last 2 places I lived at and will do again here in Southern Oregon. First, I had a tractor come in and scrape up all the grass and other foliage around the greenhouse. Next, I put down a thick heavy-duty landscape fabric under where the greenhouse is going to go and for at least several feet in all directions. Next, I put down a base/foundation of 4 x 4s that are staked to the ground with 2' stakes to give the greenhouse a firm base, The greenhouse framing is fastened to this. I use growbags rather than planting in the ground as we have gophers/voles/moles and I also believe that it is harder for creepy crawlies to get to the plants when they are off the ground in grow bags on landscape fabric inside a greenhouse. I give my plants foliar feedings with organic teas, usually every week. I read somewhere years ago that this helps keep pests at bay. You can also plant companion plants that ward off bugs. Keep your little greenhouse clean and free of dead foliage or fallen leaves. I use a 450 cfm Vortex fan to do air exchange to help prevent things like mold and mildew. And also to keep it cool enough.

Bringing in the Borg with clones is another story. It is always a good idea to treat them like Rosebud mentioned before putting them in your garden. I battled spider mites with almost all my indoor grows. Seems like once you get them, they are really hard to get rid of.

Good luck with your endeavor.

 

[WeedHopper]

Good post Hemp Goddess.

 

[zem]

In a greenhouse that is on soil ground, it would be really hard to get rid of pest invasion. In a sterile hydroponic setup, I am able to grow and prevent pests from getting a grip on my plants. I found that the borg does not like to live in growrock medium that is being flooded periodically and by supercropping the plants and applying organic pesticide based on potassium soap, it kills them on contact and they have no place to hide inside otherwise overly bushy plants. I think you could try petroleum jelly like vaseline around the stem or something sticky to prevent new crawlers from crawling up. Good luck

 

[WeedHopper]

Zem is right. I apply petroleum to the lower portion of my stalk.
Also use yellow cardboard squares on stakes with petroleum applied to the cardboard. White Flys are drawn to the yellow and get stuck on the cardboard because of the Petroleum.
Vicks VapoRub also works. Smells a little but works.

 

[YYZ Skinhead]

This is the sort of info that needs to be printed and bound and referenced whenever I do things botany-related. Big props all.

 

[longtimegrower]

I like to grow strains that are more pest resistent. Some plants they dobt bother as bad. And you can plant marigolds i think helps. I had one bag seed plant planted with my others and spider mites ate it up but didnt bother the rest. Ive had some problem with grass hoppers but it wasnt bad enough to destroy them. Good luck

 

[orangesunshine]

GREAT THREAD---all great posts---nobody mentioned screening some beneficial insects in there---predatory mites, praying mantis---most important is to enter with clean clothes---no hitchhikers = a pest free greenhouse---good stuff

 

[YYZ Skinhead]

GREAT THREAD---all great posts---nobody mentioned screening some beneficial insects in there---predatory mites, praying mantis---most important is to enter with clean clothes---no hitchhikers = a pest free greenhouse---good stuff

I concur that all of these replies are useful and AWESOME. I was wondering about predatory arthropods. I have no heart to use predator mites because after they eat the Borg the predators will starve to death. Ladybugs and praying manti are able to escape alive.

 

[Buzzy]

If I had a greenhouse I'd use diatomaceous earth Food Grade. Sprinkle it in all corners and crevices under the framework of the greenhouse. I can't say for certain if it would stop it all together or not, I don't have a greenhouse to try it on.

 

[YYZ Skinhead]

If I had a greenhouse I'd use diatomaceous earth Food Grade. Sprinkle it in all corners and crevices under the framework of the greenhouse. I can't say for certain if it would stop it all together or not, I don't have a greenhouse to try it on.

Props for reminding me of diatomaceous earth. I shall have to pick up some of it when I get my Fox Farm Ocean Forest.

 

[ROSTERMAN]