Plastic Greenhouse vs Bluebottles!

[Curvy Vixen]

Not sure where to put this but as I am new to greenhouses I thought this would be okay

I was bought 2 plastic greenhouses for my birthday this year. One is a kind of 2 person size one with opaque plastic and so far so good with that one.

The other is a 1 person type size and has clear plastic. This is housing one aubergine plant at the moment. The plant is doing okay as the greenhouse is sticky and humid so no problems there. But I seem to have huge problems with bluebottles and flies in it. I'm sure they cause no problem with the plant () but it's disgusting to unzip it and have a swarm of flies fly out!

I work all day but when I'm home I leave it unzipped now to get them out. I can see no way where they are getting in in the first place though.

I have flowers on the plant now though so want to keep the humidity to try and get them to set so am relectant to keep unzipping it.

Other than the 'yuck' factor, does it matter that it's always got flies inside? Has anyone else got this problem?

[onefivenine]

Bluebottles feed on rotten meat and faeces, they lay their eggs in it and the maggots usually crawl somewhere closeby and dry, to burrow and pupate into the next batch of bluebottles... I would say check there is nothing rotting near your greenhouse.

[rustylady]

I know aubergines like it warm, but they do need ventilation too. At this time of the year my greenhouse door is always open

[Curvy Vixen]

Bluebottles feed on rotten meat and faeces, they lay their eggs in it and the maggots usually crawl somewhere closeby and dry, to burrow and pupate into the next batch of bluebottles... I would say check there is nothing rotting near your greenhouse.

I wish there was a vomit smiley for this ! There doesn't seem to be anything. It's at the back wall kind of 'in' the veg patch with just dirt around it and there is a piece of wood sealing the bottom just to form a kind of floor. There were a couple of dead slugs on the wood but that's all Mind you, I wondered where my ex husband had got to

I know aubergines like it warm, but they do need ventilation too. At this time of the year my greenhouse door is always open

I found a tip on here where someone used a mineral bottle as a kind of chimney ventilation in their plastic greenhouse so I will try that trick.

Thanks all...still pretty gross though!!!

[ann-the-nan]

Plastic Greenhouses vs Bluebottles!

Had a similar problem myself with my walk-in mini greenhouse. I keep it open all day and close it at night often to find nasties flying around. I just give a quick squib of fly spray in as I'm zipping up. It has caused no problems so far. And yes, everything is washed before eating. This may not suit the organic growers but it suits me.