[ThatsNice]

Hoping someone here can advise me about the greenhouse i've inherited with my move of house a few weeks ago.

It has a lot of condensation on the insides of the panes (is that normal?) and around the pane edges, lots and lots of mossy stuff. It hadn't occurred to me i might need to do anything special with it to start using it but then i saw a post about fumigating a greenhouse?! So do i need to clean it down/fumigate do anything with it before i start sewing seeds etc in there? Thanks 

[Trillium]

For a start, the mossy stuff means you need to thoroughly clean all the walls and ceiling. I believe most people use Jeyes fluid for that job; otherwise, use a good bleach and water solution (and wear rubber gloves).

Excess condensation indicates you need some air movement in there, perhaps there's a movable pane in the ceiling. If not, then you'll need a small fan system.

[ThatsNice]

Thank you Trillium,

I did wonder about the moss. It looks like its been there for a long time as quite thick clumps of it. Would something like Milton do? (baby equipment sterilising fluid) 

I think there is an opening pane on the roof panel, if i recall correctly. Will have a proper look at it in the daylight tomorrow.

[snowdrops]

A tip for greenhouse cleaning is start at the bottom & work your way up other wise you get wet through  Jet washing would work well too to shift the worst of the muck then wash inside & out before rinsing.

[JayG]

I jetwash mine using the jet nozzle of a garden hose (nothing fancy, and yes, I do stand outside the door to do it!)

This will dislodge a lot of the loose stuff, follow that by washing everything down with diluted Jeyes fluid on a long-handled window cleaner (i.e. don't get it on your skin.)

Some of it will run into the overlap between the panes and help kill the algae growing there if you leave it for an hour or so before hosing off again (tip: if you have water butts connected to the gutters disconnect or divert the pipes before rinsing because some of it will find its way into the gutters even from the inside!)

Sulphur candles do work but need to be used in conjunction with rather than instead of the above, and make sure the greenhouse is well aired if you are putting plants back in as the fumes are toxic to plant life.

[ThatsNice]

Thanks Snowdrop & Jay, I shall clear it out (has junk in it at the moment from moving house), then make a start on hosing and cleaning it down.

Jay the sulphur candles? I've never heard of them before. Are they readily available at garden centres etc?

[JayG]

Jay the sulphur candles? I've never heard of them before. Are they readily available at garden centres etc?

I have seen them in garden centres but I can't guarantee they will be in your local ones, although I can guarantee you can buy them online and pay the price you want to (but check the postage! )

[ThatsNice]

Thank you Jay,

are they all basically the same thing or are there different types? I guess i am asking if i can just pick one up (any one) without having to work out what kind i need and getting it wrong..

[JayG]

I seem to remember that there are so-called "organic" fumigating candles available (which I think use garlic  ) and although I couldn't vouch for them one way or the other I would go for the traditional sulphur variety as there are no doubts about their effectiveness (whether they are necessary is another matter, but going for a belt-and-braces approach with a used and "unknown" greenhouse can't be a bad idea.)

[ThatsNice]

Fab! Thanks again  :blink:

[compostqueen]

You need to be careful in there with ladders and all that glass, so think about your safety

I managed to burn my face when cleaning my greenhouse as I let the Jeyes fluid solution run down on to my face. I ended up with vivid purple streaks down my face where it had burned my skin, so take care.  The Jeyes kills the moss but you might have to leave it a few days or weeks to die and dry up and then it can be swept off with a soft brush.  A sweeping brush makes a good tool I find, for washing the glass too. Once you get the window open you will have good ventilation. A spray of WD40 on the rollers and window mechanisms etc will soon have things moving.  I didn't attempt to replace my broken panes myself and called in the local glazier, as again it's a dangerous job

If you have no functioning window then you'll have to leave the door ajar or open. I buy those cheapo plastic coloured strip curtains from Wilko (those for keeping insects out of the kitchen) for my greenhouse door as it keeps the birds out

[sunshineband]

I use an old plastic plant label to clean between the panes where they overlap -- amazing how much accumulates in that space 

Great that you have  a greenhouse that will be ready to use fully this season ThatsNice 

[ThatsNice]

I might need a few sunshineband!! Will post a pic of the worst bits..its quite bad.. 

[JayG]

Gosh!          

If your greenhouse grows tomatoes inside half as well as it grows moss outside you'll be laughing!

Be careful how you remove that moss - it could be all that's holding the glass in (the pane on the left seems to be resting in the gutter - some research on fixing clips could be in order.)

[ThatsNice]

It is quite awesome growth isnt it 

Quite a few of the panes are like that Jay. On the other side, there are gaps in the middle roof panes where it looks like they've dropped a bit. Some have clips, some don't. This is all new territory to me though, the same as having an allotment. Looks like i am jumping into 2013 with a baptism of fire .. and moss .. and couch grass