According to Nicole Gauthier, a specialist in plant pathology extension at the University of Kentucky, not cleaning your greenhouse floor will only lead to one pathogen problem. Photo: Nicole Gauthier
Nicole Gauthier, a plant pathology extension specialist at the University of Kentucky, has some wisdom for greenhouse growers on how to think about sanitation in their facilities.
"It all comes down to being clean and remembering the basics," says Gauthier. "It's easy to get carried away with all the bells and whistles of new technology or systems, but if you don't follow the simple steps to keep your greenhouse clean, none of it matters.
Gauthier offers some tips below for growers to make sure they are doing things right.
Know Your Pathogens - Even in a controlled environment, there is a risk of dangerous pathogens infecting your crops. It is important to understand everyone's life cycle and how they can survive on different surfaces. "You can find them on your floor or on your benches," says Gauthier. "Take special care of your wooden benches as they are difficult to clean."
Bring orphaned plants . Dropping or planting orphan plants between fresh vegetable cycles can be an easy way to reduce the potential for pathogens to build up.
Control the traffic . Learn about the circulation pattern of people and plants moving through your greenhouse, notes Gauthier. "Always keep it as clean as possible and remove any residue," he says.
Have a quarantine area . This is especially important for new plants entering the greenhouse, and this is not considered sufficient, according to Gauthier. "Complete the fate of your new factories," says Gauthier. "If you find a problem, it is easier to remove the plants when they are not scattered around the greenhouse. And don't be afraid to reduce your losses. Even if you suspect there is a problem with a valuable crop, get rid of it. ""
Invest in appropriate tests . Make sure you know the location of your local testing lab and send the plants to a diagnostic lab if you suspect a problem. "Be diligent and do it early before it's too late," says Gauthier.
Run a regular greenhouse maintenance program . According to Gauthier, this should include washing and disinfecting the pots before using them again, rinsing the irrigation lines, and cleaning the pipes.
Have a plan and be ready to upgrade
Eric Smith, Sales Director of the East Coast Lawn and Plants Ornamental Market in BioSafe Systems , has his own sanitation recommendations.
"Developing the simplest recovery plan is a step in the right direction," says Smith. "The benefits of a facility remediation plan far outweigh the additional costs of implementation. Liability insurance alone can make up for the cost, not to mention aesthetics, plant health, shrinking and happier customers. ""
The easiest way to improve your plumbing is to upgrade your equipment, according to Smith.
"The spray is nice, but the foam is far superior and almost a necessity when it comes to taking food safety and consumables seriously," says Smith. "The long contact time of the foam with vertical or uneven surfaces in combination with a high-grade, non-flushable disinfectant is the pinnacle of hygiene in our industry."
The details of greenhouse hygiene can vary depending on the harvest, but there are lessons all growers can learn from one another.
"We are certainly seeing more of a systemic approach to sanitation, and much of it is driven by SOPs for cannabis and greenhouse vegetables from a food safety perspective," says Herrero. "It also means ornamental plants, and hygiene is more than just a catchphrase these days. Manufacturers developing remediation strategies for both preproduction and during production see plant health benefits ranging from reduced shrinkage to improved margins. ""
A producer perspective
Jackie Hawkins, senior manager of food safety at BrightFarms , a greenhouse greenhouse grower with manufacturing facilities in the eastern United States, says ozone and UV light are the most important tools at BrightFarms for your repair.
"They're great for human and plant pathogens," says Hawkins. "UV rays are also inexpensive compared to other filtration devices."
When it comes to making improvements, Hawkins says better panel hygiene is a top priority.
"We want to be sustainable and reuse our cultivated beds (ponds), but we also have to make sure that they are free from human and plant pathogens. A thorough cleaning process is essential, but so is determining the life cycle of these panels, "he says.
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