The two greenhouses at Genus HQ received a bit of much needed attention this week.
Due to their location next to a small copse, several sycamore branches overhang them and aphid activity drops a sticky honeydew which, through fungal activity, turns black. Dirty glass can severely restrict the passage of light and in turn hamper plant growth, so action was required. Armed with a hosepipe, some washing up liquid, and a telescopic brush we worked our way around each pane scrubbing, swilling, and using a long handled weeder to winkle moss out of crevices in the frame.
The sticky residue proved hard to remove so a prolonged soak during a tea break followed by another scrub seemed to do the trick. Large amounts of water demonstrated too, just how blocked the gutters had become. A simple scrape with a convenient stick removed most of the offending mess which followed up by a blast from the hose made them as good as new.
Of course, there’s a knock on effect! Cleaning the exterior surfaces only highlighted just how dirty the inside of the glass had become. With mowing, weeding, and other pressing jobs to do in the garden we left this for a rainy winter's day.
Clothes in action today: Men's Waterproof Gardening Trousers (of course!).