Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => Growing in Greenhouses & Polytunnels => Topic started by: Lardman on February 15, 2011, 12:50
-
The overlapping panels have a nice thick layer of algae between them. Is there a nice easy way to deal with it or should I get the patio cleaner an a small paint brush out ?
Any suggestions on how to keep it from building up.
-
I may have misunderstood which type of panels you mean, I am assuming glass greenhouse panels, if so I just use a hose on a jet setting.
On the roof panels if it didn't come out because the overlaying glass was tight I found that in most cases there is just enough lift on the glass to be able to push up slightly and direct the hose. If there wasn't enough lift, you only need a small amount, I moved the clips holding the glass in order to get the lift I needed.
Down side with the tight glass overlay ones was, I didn't half get wet trying to lift a glass and direct the hose sometimes.
Done once a year, might even be longer subject to position of the greenhouse, you'll find it doesn't get the chance to build up as much.
-
Yep greenhouse glass, Its only been there a year and already looks like an old fish tank.
Unfortunately its too far from the tap to get the hose up there :( I've made a few attempts to get a paint brush between the panels but it doesn't seem too effective. When / if it stops raining I'll try with the patio cleaner.
Has anyone tried sealing them with silicone to stop it?
-
try putting a plant label in as a wedge but go easy and then use hose or watering can or brush.
My biggest problem is moss growing along the glazing bars. My oldest greenhouse has a couple of broken panes so I am going to take them out and clean the glazing bars and then move nearest panes into space created and so on until every roof pane has been out, glazing bar cleaned and glass put back.
R
-
Yep greenhouse glass, Its only been there a year and already looks like an old fish tank.
Unfortunately its too far from the tap to get the hose up there :( I've made a few attempts to get a paint brush between the panels but it doesn't seem too effective. When / if it stops raining I'll try with the patio cleaner.
Has anyone tried sealing them with silicone to stop it?
Your problem now might be that to use silicone effectively the glass would have to be clean, Catch 22
I like Richards plant label idea, as long as they were not the cheap ones that snap easily.
Bucket of water and a plant label, I'll remember that.
-
My biggest problem is moss growing along the glazing bars.
No idea if it works, but I read somewhere that stretching a copper wire along the apex (or possible one just on each side of the apex) will cause enough to dissolve to prevent the moss growing.
Dunno what it would do the water in a butt though ...
-
Has anyone tried using Algon for algae?
Apparently, you can just spray it on and it will clean the algae off without any further attention. I'm giving it a go on my polytunnel and will report back if it works.
-
wash the inside first so the water trickles into the overlap and softens it, then plant label or strips of plastic milk bottle if the gap is tight, then wash the outside...
-
I found that if you get a spray bottle with some waterd down jeyes fluid in and sprayed it over the overlap of the glass, leave for a half hour it works wonders. :)