← The polytunnel
H11-06 · Module 6 of 7 · Pages: 21 · Worksheets: 6
A healthy polytunnel without chemicals
How to prevent mould, whitefly, red spider mite and tired soil in the polytunnel through climate, hygiene, netting, beneficial insects and soil renewal
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Whole series: The polytunnel, €39
In short
- Humidity is cause number one: a leaf that stays wet for 6–8 hours invites mould. Ventilate in the morning, water in the morning and at the roots.
- Yellow sticky traps reveal whitefly, thrips and aphids before you see them on the plants.
- Beneficial insects work better in a closed tunnel than anywhere else; bring them in early and spray nothing.
- Soil gets tired: rotation, compost, solarisation or grafted plants.
- A 15-minute walk-round every week is the strongest protection: a problem caught early is a small problem.
What's inside
Chapters
- Why a tunnel gets sick
- Climate is the first protection
- Identifying diseases
- Identifying pests
- Physiological problems: not a disease
- Barriers and traps
- Beneficial insects in the tunnel
- Soil: tiredness, nematodes, solarisation
- Sprays: what is allowed and safe
- Hygiene and quarantine
- Response plan
- Most common mistakes
- Printable checklist
Worksheets
- Weekly inspection
- Problem log
- Risk calendar
- Trap and soil renewal calculator
- Trap and beneficials plan
- Contacts for tunnel health
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