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Author Topic: greenhouse cleaning  (Read 3572 times)

pgkevet

  • Joined Jul 2011
greenhouse cleaning
« on: November 23, 2015, 03:14:02 pm »
I've finally cleared out the remaining stuff... not had toms last this late before but that's probably also down to my early disasters this year and a late repeat planting.... and poor ripening.
I've decided to use sulphur candles to 'sterilise' this year and it's been hard to track some down..look like they're off the market apart from old stock.  I did finally find a source but then realised one could rpobably get away with the simple idea of one of those disposable BBQ trays.. get it going and dump a pile of sulphur chips on top. I might try that next year (wearing a respirator)

cloddopper

  • Joined Jun 2013
  • South Wales .Carmarthenshire. SA18
Re: greenhouse cleaning
« Reply #1 on: November 27, 2015, 11:13:35 pm »
 Melt a candle bain marie style set up ....  in a pan sat over a pan of boiled water .......  Don't do it with a naked flame going .

Pour it over grease proof paper in a purpose made wooden lipped tray of about 6 x 6 x 1/2 deep, as it cools sprinkle a 1/4 teaspoon of flowers of sulphur over the still soft wax, roll it up reusing the original wick and hey presto you have your sulphur candle . Roll it and trim it so the wick end is flat across the end not pointed .

Unless your respirator is an clean air feed off an air line or is fully self contained one  I doubt it will have any safety aspect wrt sulphur gas fumes .
 To get over this minor problem

Use a cut down candle say about an inch long stub  and poke a hot wire in the base of the stump along side the wick , put the sulphur candle wick in this & sit this new stub on top of the sulphur candle .   That way the normal candle wick acts like a lit time fuse and will give you plenty of time to evacuate the green house ..

Remember sulphur burns with an almost invisible blue flame .
 
« Last Edit: December 06, 2015, 02:57:51 am by cloddopper »
Strong belief , triggers the mind to find the way ... Dyslexia just makes it that bit more amusing & interesting

pgkevet

  • Joined Jul 2011
Re: greenhouse cleaning
« Reply #2 on: November 29, 2015, 03:57:46 pm »
12 x 24.. too big to pratt with making own small candles....As you say just lighting a pile of sulphur should do.

Lesley Silvester

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • Telford
Re: greenhouse cleaning
« Reply #3 on: November 29, 2015, 11:38:00 pm »

pgkevet

  • Joined Jul 2011
Re: greenhouse cleaning
« Reply #4 on: November 30, 2015, 03:54:37 am »
12 x 24.


I have greenhouse envy.

..the other two are smaller: 9x14 twinwall polycarbonate for the citrus and 6x8 I just use as a potting shed ;D

pgkevet

  • Joined Jul 2011
Re: greenhouse cleaning
« Reply #5 on: December 12, 2015, 12:05:31 pm »
The sulphur candles ended up 'out of stock' so today I filled and old saucepan half full of burning wood turned charcoal from the woodburner, dunked a pound and a half of sulphur chips on top and hit the mess with a blowlamp - holding my breath until i evacuated the greenhouse. It's now full of yellowy fog and stinks of sulphur from many yards away: should do the job and cheaper than the candles would have been.

cans

  • Joined May 2013
Re: greenhouse cleaning
« Reply #6 on: December 22, 2015, 10:07:46 pm »
How's the greenhouse looking now?

cloddopper

  • Joined Jun 2013
  • South Wales .Carmarthenshire. SA18
Re: greenhouse cleaning
« Reply #7 on: December 24, 2015, 01:29:58 am »
Has it cleared of the fumes yet PG ?? Is there any green house left ?

Cor ..... 1 & 1/2 pounds of sulphur chips .. you could fumigate an aircraft hangar with that amount .
Strong belief , triggers the mind to find the way ... Dyslexia just makes it that bit more amusing & interesting

pgkevet

  • Joined Jul 2011
Re: greenhouse cleaning
« Reply #8 on: December 24, 2015, 10:41:57 pm »
The fumes cleared overnight..almost disappointingly so - I expected a good stink for days. But for sure while it was cooking in there the leakage meant keeping well away from the area. No damage to the ally greenhouse. Cheap, simple and expedient.

 

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