Well, the summer is over, the summer cottage season is coming to an end and it's time to think about how to prepare the site and the house for the cold weather. If this is not done, unpleasant surprises await you in the spring: fungus on the walls, a burst water supply system, puddles on the floor and musty air. Instead of a spring holiday in the fresh air, you will have to spend energy, time, nerves and money to eliminate all this. Therefore, before you close the doors of your house and leave for the city before spring, check yourself - is your summer cottage ready for winter? And we offer you step-by-step instructions for this.
Putting things in order
The first step is to take a critical look at the site and remove all unnecessary and unnecessary. See if there are any fruits left on the branches, or dried bushes of tomatoes and peppers in the garden. Remove all unnecessary from it, and then dig up and scatter organic fertilizers. Now take care of the lawn. First, remove all fallen leaves and carrion from it - they interfere with the penetration of oxygen into the soil, and the grass in this place may die. Then feed the lawn, just choose fertilizers without nitrogen, as it stimulates growth, which is not needed at all now. Once you've done this, walk over the pitchfork lawn, periodically piercing the soil - this will allow the grass to breathe and grow well. Perhaps, somewhere it is necessary to undersow, somewhere to add land. So, the lawn is ready.
A few words about dry leaves. The best option is to collect them and put them in a compost heap. But this can only be done if you are absolutely sure that your garden is not affected by pests and diseases. By scattering such low-quality compost around the garden and garden, you will spread harm with your own hands.
If your greenhouse is covered with plastic, remove it, fold it and put it in the shed. The metal frame can be left if you are not afraid of thieves.
Pruning trees and bushes
Before the onset of cold weather, trees and shrubs must be put in order. If you have grapes in your area, it's time to prune the vine. Trim the hedge one last time, giving it the desired shape. Be sure to cut off all the dried branches of the trees, and dig up the ground around them and mulch. It is also better to whitewash the trunks now, thanks to this, there will be no invasion of parasites in the spring. A simple lime mortar should be used for this purpose, it copes with this task perfectly. If hares or other rodents visit your site in winter, wrap the trunks of young trees with spruce branches, newspapers or plastic wrap. By the way, it will also save you from frost.
We drain the water
At the summer cottage, as a rule, there are a lot of containers with water - a washstand, barrels, a pool, and so on. We all know that water expands when it freezes, so you need to get rid of it. Roll up the irrigation hoses and put them in the shed, turn the barrels upside down, take time to clean the pool. To do this, drain the water from it, clean the walls and bottom with a brush, rinse the water filtration system, remove everything that can be removed. Cover the pool itself with something on top - a film or a special dome. This will keep it clean and tidy until spring. If you have an artificial pond on the site, remove the fallen leaves from it, and feed the fish so that they can endure the winter well. If your pond is small and shallow, cover it with a Styrofoam roof. Ideal if it is heated. Otherwise, the reservoir will freeze through and the fish may die.
We warm ourselves
First of all, you need to take care of heat-loving plants in order to save them until spring. Wrap and mulch them with peat, for some, for example, roses or clematis, you will need to cut long shoots. For not very tall plants, you can prepare coniferous litter - small branches, cones, coniferous needles. It is good to fill hydrangeas with this mixture. If there are tall plants that are not pruned, gently bend them to the ground, fix and wrap them with protective materials.
Dig up the bulbs, place in a box and place in a warm enough place. If running water leads to the house, insulate it too. Wrap pipes and taps well with mineral wool.
We remove garden forms
All small decor should winter in a place protected from snow and wind, for example, in a barn. Sculptures, figurines, flowerpots and so on must be collected and folded away. You will definitely not need them until spring. And at the same time, collect all the tools and garden tools. Lubricate it with grease to protect it from rust and also put it in the shed.
Take the time and take care of your site in the fall. Remember - it is better to prevent trouble than to get rid of its consequences later. By following these simple tips, you will return to cleanliness in the spring, and your garden and vegetable garden will delight you with a good harvest!
