Greenhouse borders and raised beds

[Yorky]

Firstly the greenhouse:

I still have unharvested chillies in the greenhouse which seem to be suffering the effects of mildew, aphids and white fly. I've read that chillies are perennial in their native country but are annuals here (Ireland). Is this the case? Should I just pull the plants up now? What about the mildew and pests - will they just die over the winter?

I grew tomatoes on one side last year and the opposite side this year. For rotation purposes I intend to use grow bags for the next two years.

I had intended to cover the borders in well rotted manure between now and November but I've read that greenhouse soil needs changing every two years, which is how long it will have been in next year. Is manuring sufficient or does it still need changing regardless? I hope not as I can't get a wheel barrow near the borders and they're quite deep.

Raised beds:

I am also going to manure the beds shortly nbut still have some swedes and brussel sprouts in some of them. Shall I just spread the manure over the empty beds and around the remaining plants? Will it harm the growing plants in any way such as rot the tops of the swedes?

Thanks in advance.

[rustylady]

Chillies - cut them now and bring indoors. Increase the ventilation in your greenhouse, sweep all the debris out and wash the glass and staging with hot soapy water.

[Snadger]

Once your greenhouse border has tomato sickness no amount of added manure will help it..............or at least it didn't work in my case.

The good news is you have numerous alternatives though! Digging out and replacing the border soil is only one option, you can:-

Use growbags

Cover soil with hortag or pea gravel and use ring culture methods

Grow in pots/tomato buckets just placed on the border soil. This way the plant gets its nutrients from the pot compost and as long as you keep the border wet it will get its water only from the soil

You could add paving flags to floor and grow in pots or growbags

You could grow in pots on the staging and train up the eves

You can even grow in straw bales or upside down tomatoes in suspended buckets!

There must be other methods I haven't thought of as well!

The manure in the outdoor beds shouldn't harm the existing plants as long as it is well rotted and kept away from the stems!