5
$700 to $22,000 within the MD.
This reinforces the importance of
following all road bans or obtaining
a special permit where warranted.
For further information on operator
responsibilities and penalties,
contact MD Peace Officer Paul
Mulholland at 780.805.1435.
For information regarding MD Road
Bans, visit mdlsr.ca/Road-Bans. 3. Remove and dispose of cleanup
Information regarding provincial
controlled roadways can be found
at transportation.alberta.ca/522htm
or by calling 855.762.3226. and severity of the disease, you
may have to pressure wash the
greenhouse prior to disinfection.
Disinfection can be done by using
products registered by Health
Canada, taking care to follow label
instructions and safety precautions.
Greenhouse Gardening
and Sanitation
Whether you use a greenhouse for
personal crop use or a commercial
operation, one of the most vital
overlooked aspects is sanitation.
Greenhouses are very efficient
for producing food in a controlled
environment, yet also provide a very
favourable environment for weeds,
diseases, insects and other pests to
harbour and flourish.
The process might be labelled
intensive cleaning, sanitation,
disinfection and/or sterilization.
Simply put, however, it entails the
following steps:
1. Assess the condition of the
greenhouse and last year’s plant
materials, looking for signs of pests,
mold, insect nests or rodents.
2. Remove last year’s plant
materials if signs of diseases and/
or pests are present. Remove all
nests, and ensure proper disposal
occurs to break the life cycle of
the pest or host material. Do not
compost this material since the
chance of spreading the disease
may increase.
residue from any other diseased
organic material. Once the initial
cleanup occurs, all pots, trays and
equipment (including hand tools)
should be thoroughly cleaned
with warm soapy water and soaked
for about 20 minutes in a 1:10
bleach solution.
4. Depending upon the type
5. Allow adequate time for the
greenhouse, pots, trays and
equipment to dry and/or heat cure.
This will kill any other pests that
were missed in the process.
Once completed, you’re ready to
establish new plants that should
again be monitored for new signs of
diseases and/or pests. This process
can be adjusted for the size and
type of the greenhouse, but should
be considered a prerequisite to
enjoying a safe and productive
growing season. To learn more, visit
mdlsr.ca/Greenhouse-Sanitation.
Interested in Growing
Vegetables?
One of the most satisfying aspects
of living in our “Rugged and Real”
municipality is the opportunity we
have to grow our own vegetables
and small fruits. It’s an easy, down-
to-earth solution in the intersection
between human sustainability and
environmental impact, resulting in
the healthy, cost effective pleasure
and satisfaction of producing one’s
own food. Yes, there is some work
that you have to do along the way,
but the process can be relatively
easy and inexpensive. The process
has been tried and true for millions
of years and dates back to the
time when early man shifted from
gatherer to farmer. It has evolved
over time and is the basis of all
agricultural production in the world
today. The feeling and satisfaction
you get when you achieve to
produce that first crisp bite of
lettuce, the first juicy red tomatoes
or the first 60-bushel acre of canola
crop is all the same. Whether you’re
4 or 94 years old, the feeling is the
same and the sense of achievement
will last a lifetime.
So let’s talk about the process. It
involves six simple elements:
1. A suitable, reliable water source.
2. Growing media (soil) and
fertilizer (natural or manufactured).
3. Something to contain the media/
soil if you’re not using the ground.
4. Seeds and/or plants.
5. Sunshine or other light source.
6. Patience, perseverance and the
ability to be challenged.
The process involves combining
these variables to achieve a
suitable product to harvest, and
can be as simple as raising one
plant in a container to a full multi-
plant-species natural garden. If
you’ve never grown plants before,
start simple. Plant one container
with one plant or a couple of
different species. Prior to taking
on the challenge, ensure that you
thoroughly research your task by
visiting the library, researching
on the web, or talking to friends,
relatives and experts who have