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Hygiene protocol gerbera

Hygiene is a very important issue in horticulture: with the help of various hygiene measures, we must prevent bacteria, fungi and viruses from entering the company or staying behind during the crop rotation. The gerbera hygiene protocol helps with this! In the protocol you will find the steps to follow for optimal cleaning and disinfection during cultivation, and what measures should be taken during cultivation.

Jasper Verhoeven
Specialist Hygiene & Disinfection | July 6, 2021 | 5 min. reading time

	Action	Note
Cleaning	End of cultivation	Use broad-spectrum means to end the old cultivation free of insects.
	Clearing the greenhouse	Mechanical removal of all crop residual dirt (department must be wipe clean). Thorough mechanical removal of dirt is essential for proper cleaning and effective disinfection.
	Intermediate gable	Make a (temporary) gable of plastic between the sections to be cleared and the sections that still have plants in them. Consider making a gable to the concrete path to avoid too much dispersion of crop residue during leaf blowing.
	Greenhouse cleaning	Spray the glass on the inside with Greenhouse Glassclean and then hose it down with plenty of water (warm water if possible). This agent is suitable for use on AR-coated glass (no etching effect) and safe for the crop. Nevertheless, try to prevent adjacent compartments with plants from coming into contact with cleaning agents.
	Cleaning screen fabric/walls	For green deposits: close the canvas and spray with 1% Menno ter Forte (hose down after 1 day with plenty of water). Caution! Only possible if it is a separate department.
	Cleaning of cultivation gutters	Spray off with hot water (high pressure). For heavy soiling: use Menno Hortisept Clean 1 - 3%. Preferably apply in foaming form (foaming version is Menno Hortisept Clean Plus). Use the disinfection foam lance or the Meto foam set. Rinse with warm water within 10 minutes (avoid drying). (If there is a lot of algae, use Menno Ter Forte 1%). (Check with the gutter supplier for warranty conditions when using Menno Hortisept Clean).
	Cleaning drip hose (inside)	At the end of the crop, assess the degree of contamination of the drip tube. * To remove organic contamination use Huwa-San. When there is normal contamination, fill the system with a concentration of 0.5 Huwa-San for at least 24 hours. * Use 3% nitric acid for mineral dirt. Read the extensive manual 'cleaning drip lines during crop rotation'. Mind your safety! The dosage of the products mentioned must be done on the tap section to prevent other plants from coming into contact with them. Measure with pH-strips or when the acid and lye is out of the pipes; rinse well.
	Cleaning drip system (outside)	In case of green deposits on the outside of the hose, spray with 1% Menno ter forte (do not spray off). * Replace the plugs or immerse them for 24 hours in a solution of nitric acid (pH < 1; loosen dirt). * Disinfect the plugs for at least 1 hour in a solution of Menno Florades (2-3%).
Disinfection	Disinfect greenhouse space	Start when everything is dry. Take away the gutters, drip system, tube-rail system, heater and ground cloth. * Disinfect the entire greenhouse area with 2-3% Menno Florades (use min. 2,500 - 3,000 ltr of liquid per hectare). Menno Florades has been proven to work against Fusarium and Verticillium among others. The product does not need to be rinsed off. * Menno Florades is a plant protection product. This means that for many plant pathogens, the exact concentrations and application times needed to kill them are known. In addition, the agent is gentle on materials (non-corrosive) so that cleaning and disinfection for the next few years is promoted. * Foam disinfection increases the contact time between disinfectant and virus particles! Make sure the entire greenhouse area is humid as long as possible (air vents closed, dark day, low temperature). Make sure the greenhouse is heated and ventilated well before planting (also see the label).
Other (materials)	Trolleys & machines	Spray 3% Menno Hortisept Clean Plus on pipe-rail carts, spraying robots and other carts/machines via the foam applicator. This will loosen plant juices and other contamination. Benefits of foam application: visual check and better adhesion. Spray off within 15 minutes. After cleaning, disinfect the surfaces with Menno Florades via the foam lance.
Other (materials)	Spaces	Cleaning of concrete (paths), floors and canteen can also be done via the foam applicator + 3% Menno Hortisept Clean Plus. Contaminated floors can also be cleaned with the ecological agent Floorclean (1-5%). Spray the floor, let it soak in for a moment and remove with a scrubber if necessary. If not possible, rinse and possibly scrub with a broom. Disinfect the surfaces with Menno Florades using the foam lance.
During cultivation	Cleaning of a drip hose	During cultivation, dose Huwa-San (practice dosage at good water quality; 40 cc/m3) to control biofilm and prevent spread of pathogens.
	Hygiene for feet & wheels	Use a Flexxomat (Person or Transport) for feet and wheels. Entire personal hygiene by means of a (URK) hygiene station. Pay attention to pH of 3% Menno florades solution in the mat. Effective at pH < 4.5.
	Hands hygiene	Wash your hands regularly and disinfect them while working with hand disinfectants. Use creams to care for your hands if necessary; Stokoderm has a protective effect at the start of the work, and Stokolan has a soothing effect after work.
	Materials	Clean (Menno Hortisept Clean Plus) & disinfect (Menno Florades) materials during cultivation. Use the foam applicator.
	Other	Make the rules clear; work with a visitor registration and provide guest overalls, overboots and gloves. Draw up a protocol, ensure that employees are familiar with it and make one person (per location) responsible for hygiene management. Contact our HortiHygienz team if you have any questions.

Note: the advice in this protocol is based on product authorizations in the Netherlands.

Gerbera grower Johan Reijm, Reijm Nursery Nieuwerkerk:

"Effectively kill fungal spores with Menno Florades"

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Jasper Verhoeven
Specialist Hygiene & Disinfection | July 6, 2021 | 5 min. reading time

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	Action	Note
Cleaning	End of cultivation	Use broad-spectrum means to end the old cultivation free of insects.
	Clearing the greenhouse	Mechanical removal of all crop residual dirt (department must be wipe clean). Thorough mechanical removal of dirt is essential for proper cleaning and effective disinfection.
	Intermediate gable	Make a (temporary) gable of plastic between the sections to be cleared and the sections that still have plants in them. Consider making a gable to the concrete path to avoid too much dispersion of crop residue during leaf blowing.
	Greenhouse cleaning	Spray the glass on the inside with Greenhouse Glassclean and then hose it down with plenty of water (warm water if possible). This agent is suitable for use on AR-coated glass (no etching effect) and safe for the crop. Nevertheless, try to prevent adjacent compartments with plants from coming into contact with cleaning agents.
	Cleaning screen fabric/walls	For green deposits: close the canvas and spray with 1% Menno ter Forte (hose down after 1 day with plenty of water). Caution! Only possible if it is a separate department.
	Cleaning of cultivation gutters	Spray off with hot water (high pressure). For heavy soiling: use Menno Hortisept Clean 1 - 3%. Preferably apply in foaming form (foaming version is Menno Hortisept Clean Plus). Use the disinfection foam lance or the Meto foam set. Rinse with warm water within 10 minutes (avoid drying). (If there is a lot of algae, use Menno Ter Forte 1%). (Check with the gutter supplier for warranty conditions when using Menno Hortisept Clean).
	Cleaning drip hose (inside)	At the end of the crop, assess the degree of contamination of the drip tube. * To remove organic contamination use Huwa-San. When there is normal contamination, fill the system with a concentration of 0.5 Huwa-San for at least 24 hours. * Use 3% nitric acid for mineral dirt. Read the extensive manual 'cleaning drip lines during crop rotation'. Mind your safety! The dosage of the products mentioned must be done on the tap section to prevent other plants from coming into contact with them. Measure with pH-strips or when the acid and lye is out of the pipes; rinse well.
	Cleaning drip system (outside)	In case of green deposits on the outside of the hose, spray with 1% Menno ter forte (do not spray off). * Replace the plugs or immerse them for 24 hours in a solution of nitric acid (pH < 1; loosen dirt). * Disinfect the plugs for at least 1 hour in a solution of Menno Florades (2-3%).
Disinfection	Disinfect greenhouse space	Start when everything is dry. Take away the gutters, drip system, tube-rail system, heater and ground cloth. * Disinfect the entire greenhouse area with 2-3% Menno Florades (use min. 2,500 - 3,000 ltr of liquid per hectare). Menno Florades has been proven to work against Fusarium and Verticillium among others. The product does not need to be rinsed off. * Menno Florades is a plant protection product. This means that for many plant pathogens, the exact concentrations and application times needed to kill them are known. In addition, the agent is gentle on materials (non-corrosive) so that cleaning and disinfection for the next few years is promoted. * Foam disinfection increases the contact time between disinfectant and virus particles! Make sure the entire greenhouse area is humid as long as possible (air vents closed, dark day, low temperature). Make sure the greenhouse is heated and ventilated well before planting (also see the label).
Other (materials)	Trolleys & machines	Spray 3% Menno Hortisept Clean Plus on pipe-rail carts, spraying robots and other carts/machines via the foam applicator. This will loosen plant juices and other contamination. Benefits of foam application: visual check and better adhesion. Spray off within 15 minutes. After cleaning, disinfect the surfaces with Menno Florades via the foam lance.
Other (materials)	Spaces	Cleaning of concrete (paths), floors and canteen can also be done via the foam applicator + 3% Menno Hortisept Clean Plus. Contaminated floors can also be cleaned with the ecological agent Floorclean (1-5%). Spray the floor, let it soak in for a moment and remove with a scrubber if necessary. If not possible, rinse and possibly scrub with a broom. Disinfect the surfaces with Menno Florades using the foam lance.
During cultivation	Cleaning of a drip hose	During cultivation, dose Huwa-San (practice dosage at good water quality; 40 cc/m3) to control biofilm and prevent spread of pathogens.
	Hygiene for feet & wheels	Use a Flexxomat (Person or Transport) for feet and wheels. Entire personal hygiene by means of a (URK) hygiene station. Pay attention to pH of 3% Menno florades solution in the mat. Effective at pH < 4.5.
	Hands hygiene	Wash your hands regularly and disinfect them while working with hand disinfectants. Use creams to care for your hands if necessary; Stokoderm has a protective effect at the start of the work, and Stokolan has a soothing effect after work.
	Materials	Clean (Menno Hortisept Clean Plus) & disinfect (Menno Florades) materials during cultivation. Use the foam applicator.
	Other	Make the rules clear; work with a visitor registration and provide guest overalls, overboots and gloves. Draw up a protocol, ensure that employees are familiar with it and make one person (per location) responsible for hygiene management. Contact our HortiHygienz team if you have any questions.

Note: the advice in this protocol is based on product authorizations in the Netherlands.

Gerbera grower Johan Reijm, Reijm Nursery Nieuwerkerk:

General	0174 - 446 100
Technical service	0174 - 446 446
Biology	0174 - 446 230

General	+31 174 446 100