Marianne's Response

Growing Onions

I have organic onion and garlic sets planted in my yard and around my house – right next to the foundation. I am having my house painted soon and the painter wants to use either Simple Green or a bleach and water solution to wash my house prior to painting it. I am concerned about runoff from the house wash and onto my growing onions. Will the bleach solution or the Simple Green harm my organic onions? If so – if the painter covers the onions with a cloth before washing the house, will the runoff harm my onions? How do I prevent this as my onions are not ready for harvest yet. Thanks for your help.

Posted by Abby T on July 11, 2020

Marianne's Response

Yes, the bleach or cleaning solution to clean a house can damage your plants - I have had this happen in my garden. The solution is to put stakes in the ground around your plants that are taller than the plants. Next lay plastic or tarps over the stakes so that any runoff hits the waterproof covering and falls back towards the house foundation and away from the plants roots. Then carefully lift off the plastic or tarps before the plants get over heated. Do not do this during the heat of the day. If you keep the bleach a foot or so from the roots and off the surface of the plants they should be fine. Large shrubs seem to survive bleach and moss killing solutions falling on them just fine. It is annuals, perennials and veggies that can be damaged by the cleaning products. Don't worry you will not be poisoned by the plants absorbing any of the cleaning compounds if a bit falls near the roots.  Hope you like the new paint color on your house and Keep Growing, Marianne Binetti

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