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Summer is over, and with it the summer season. Now the site needs preparation for next year. Together with practicing landscape designer Victoria Klebanova, we will tell you in this article what to do at your dacha in September. We have identified the top key tasks that every owner of a country house needs to know about.
September affairs of all summer residents
Autumn work must be carried out both on the territory and inside the house. To prepare outbuildings for winter, you need to do the following:
Insulate the well. Choose the appropriate insulation material for your well.Taking into account the temperature conditions in the region, make internal or external insulation. This way you will prevent water from freezing and, accordingly, damage to pumping equipment.
Remove firewood. Move the logs into a vestibule, under the deck roof, or into a shed. If this is not possible, cover them on all sides with plastic wrap. This will keep the wood dry until next season.
Clean out the cesspool. In rainy autumn and after spring floods it may be overcrowded. Call a sewer truck and pump out and flush the sewer well.
To ensure your home can safely “overwinter,” follow the recommendations listed. Necessary:
Treat the basement. Sort through your produce and throw away last year's fruits/vegetables. Be sure to consider natural air ventilation in the room. Protect surfaces with a solution of lime or copper sulfate. All this will help you minimize the risk of mold and mildew.
Sort through the products. Place non-perishable supplies into jars, cap them tightly, and leave them in the cupboard. These include cereals, pasta, flour and spices. Take perishable products with you.
Inspect the roof. Make sure the roof is intact and well secured throughout. If necessary, repair cracks and holes and seal gaps between roofing sheets. This will protect the house from leaks or damage in strong winds.
Close the windows. With wooden frames, window openings must be sealed. It is better to use silicone or polyurethane sealant. They are resistant to heat and frost, do not allow moisture to pass through, and adhere well to any materials. A cheaper, but lower quality option is to use cotton wool, foam rubber or tow.If you are afraid of thieves breaking into your house, then install metal shutters.
Protect your home from rodents. Use a simple method of protection - arrange bouquets of mint, wormwood, tansy or elderberry. Mice cannot tolerate the smell of these plants. If you wish, you can buy an ultrasonic repeller.
Turn off electricity and gas. Close the relevant taps. This way you will avoid danger and unnecessary expenses.
Drain the water from the toilet and taps. Turn off power to the pumping station. Open all taps and wait until the water drains completely. Disconnect the pumping station from the water supply and pour out the remaining water.
Other important work at the dacha in September is related to planning. It is necessary to take measurements and consider the construction of new or relocation of existing facilities. Perhaps you want to rearrange the beds in your garden, install a new greenhouse, or create a recreation area.
The project was made in the Online Site Planner
Work in the garden
To get a bountiful harvest next season, you need to take care of the beds in the fall. We’ll tell every summer resident what to do in the garden in September.
Take care of the soil
In September, it is recommended to take several measures to prevent fungal diseases of the soil. It is necessary to remove all plant debris from the beds, this will help remove potential sources of infection. You can dig up the soil to destroy fungal spores and improve its structure. This will also help destroy pathogens that are found in the top layers of the soil.
Treating the soil with fungicides is a useful method as it will prevent problems with fungal diseases. Please note that there is no stagnation of water in the soil, this can also contribute to the development of fungal infections in the area.In order to be sure that the planted plants are resistant to fungal diseases, pay attention to this when choosing seeds or planting material.
Make beds
If you have calcareous, clay or sandy soil, then the beds should be formed on the surface of the ground. Make rectangular boxes for them from wood, metal or slate. Then fill it with fertile soil.
Prepare the greenhouse
Turn off electricity and devices that measure temperature and humidity. Drain water from irrigation pipes. These measures will protect your equipment from damage during temperature changes. Then treat the soil: loosen it and add fertilizer. The walls of the greenhouse need to be disinfected.
Plant strawberries
For strawberries in the fall, you can fertilize them with organic fertilizers such as humus or compost. However, do not overdo it with the amount of fertilizer, so as not to damage the plant. This is also a good time for propagation: you can separate the babies from the mother bushes and transplant them to another place or grow new plants from the tendrils.
Sow green manure
To improve the structure of the soil and enrich it with useful microelements, sow green manure. The best of them are cereal plants: rye, oats, barley. To reduce soil acidity, you can sow buckwheat. To get rid of pests, rapeseed or mustard is needed. Clover and lentils are also varieties of green manure.
Plant winter garlic
Before planting, soak the cloves in a solution of potassium permanganate for 1 hour. This will protect them from diseases. In regions with cold climates, garlic is planted from September to mid-October. In the south, the sowing period extends until November.
Plant onion sets
For different regions of Russia, this item is performed in different months.Select bulbs whose size does not exceed 1 cm. Wait for a constant temperature of about +5 degrees. Lower the bulbs into the soil at regular intervals. When frost sets in, insulate them with dry leaves or pine branches.
Install a new greenhouse
It is most profitable to install greenhouses in the fall, since prices for polycarbonate decrease at this time. Cellular polycarbonate has high thermal insulation properties, is durable and will last a long time. Other common materials are polyethylene and glass. Choose and compare prices, it will be more expensive in the spring!
Garden preparation
Here you need to take care not only of cleaning the area and collecting fruits, but also of processing the collected fruits. From apples, plums, and pears you can cook vitamin compotes, make jam or marmalade. Sea buckthorn, viburnum, rowan and other berries are usually ground with sugar or frozen. When fresh, they retain vitamins for a long time.
We'll tell you what fall garden work you need to do before you leave.
Collect carrion
The fruits that have fallen from the trees gradually begin to rot. They acidify the soil, which negatively affects its suitability. For example, honeysuckle, currants, strawberries, lilacs, peonies, etc. will no longer be able to grow in it. Therefore, all carrion should be taken to a compost pit and used as fertilizer.
Plant seedlings
September is a favorable time for planting, as the soil is still quite warm. You can plant trees taking into account the climatic characteristics of your region. Fruit and coniferous trees tolerate transplantation well. Prepare the soil before planting: remove weeds and stones, add compost or humus to improve fertility.When planting, consider the planting distance recommendations for each plant type. This will allow them to grow and develop without problems. Use mulch or special materials to cover plants to prevent roots from freezing.
Remove fallen leaves
All fallen leaves need to be collected in piles throughout the area. They can then be taken to a compost bin or used as mulch. You can also cover the trunks of fruit trees with foliage.
Add fertilizer to the soil
In September, it is recommended to carry out the last feeding of plants before the onset of winter. Use fertilizers rich in phosphorus and potassium to strengthen the root system and increase resistance to cold. You can also feed fruit trees and shrubs with ash. It nourishes the soil with useful microelements and reduces its acidity.
Trim trees
Trees and shrubs can be pruned in September, but there are some guidelines to keep in mind: It is important to only remove dead, diseased or damaged branches. It is not recommended to carry out severe pruning before winter, as this can weaken the plants. Removing more than 25% of the green mass when pruning should be avoided so as not to upset the balance of plant growth and development. Pruning can be done to shape the crown, and removing old branches will promote air flow to the internal parts of the shrub.
Remove shoots
Usually, unnecessary shoots are removed with pruning shears at the very root. After this, the cut areas must be treated with garden varnish. Eliminating suckers using herbicides is a more reliable method. But in this case, it is necessary to calculate the concentration of the substance as accurately as possible, otherwise the mother tree will be damaged.
Process plantings
In September, after the leaves have fallen, fruit trees and shrubs are disinfected. Bordeaux solution prevents infections and garden rot, and copper sulfate protects against fungal diseases. Urea is useful for preventing scab. When spraying, be sure to follow safety precautions: wear rubber gloves, a mask and goggles on your face.
Take care of the lawn
It is important to continue caring for your lawn in September. If the weather is dry, then it is necessary to water it to keep it healthy. Before winter, use a fertilizer high in potassium to help strengthen roots and make your lawn more resilient to winter conditions. And, of course, trim, removing excess grass to level the surface of the lawn.
Water the conifers
Moisture-charging watering of coniferous trees and shrubs is recommended to be carried out at the end of September in order to prevent spring burning of needles and improve the wintering period. In conifers, as a rule, photosynthesis occurs in winter, and this important process requires moisture.
Remove garden furniture
In order for garden furniture to retain its appearance and functionality for a long time, it must be brought indoors. It should be well ventilated and dry. If this condition is met, the furniture will not become moldy. If there is nowhere to put it away, then cover it with plastic or covers.
Flower garden care
One of the components of gardening in September is caring for the flower garden. We have identified 10 main tasks that need to be completed before winter sets in.
Prepare perennials
At this time of year, it is especially important to pay attention to pruning of plants to ensure they are healthy and beautiful for the next season. They need to remove yellowed foliage, faded heads, and dried branches.Many of them winter well in open ground. For example, forsythia, roses, rhododendrons, etc. Thin-stemmed plants are cut to 5-6 cm. These include rudbeckia, astilbe, etc. Those plants that are decorative in winter, for example, cereals or dried flowers, are left in the garden plot.
Make a transplant
Over the course of several years, the plants grow greatly, so they require replanting. In the autumn season, irises, delphiniums, astilbes, hostas, daylilies, heucheras and others can be divided and replanted. Be careful with the roots; if they are damaged, the plant will die.
Save annual seeds
In order for the seeds to be suitable, they must be collected before the weather gets cold. After collecting, dry the material in a dark room and pour into bags. Fabric or paper bags are best for storing seeds.
Prepare the tubers
In order for such flowers to successfully overwinter, they need to be dug out of the flowerbed. Wash the tubers under water, protect them with fungicides and dry them completely. Begonias, gladioli, hyacinths, cannas, dahlias, etc. should be stored in a dry, ventilated container in a dark and cool room.
Insulate roses
To preserve flowers, natural insulation materials are used: leaves, peat, bark, straw, pine branches. In addition to roses, asters, heleniums, hydrangeas, rhododendrons, chrysanthemums, primroses, peonies, etc. are protected in this way. The stems can be wrapped with covering material.
Plant flowers
To make your flower garden happy in early spring, plant flowers in the fall. Pushkinia, scylla, snowdrops, scillas, daffodils, etc. will be the first to bloom in the spring and transform your garden with different colors. It is better to plant these plants in groups.
Sow annuals
In autumn you need to plant frost-resistant species: iberis, lavatera, calendula, clarkia, mallow, bluebells. They are sown 30-50% more densely. Finally, cover the seeds with film. In spring, these flowers will emerge 7-14 days earlier.
Cuttings from plants
September is a great time to take cuttings from plants that can be left and rooted for next season. For example, lavender, coleus, fuchsia, zonal pelargonium and others. To do this, select healthy shoots 10-15 cm long and remove the lower leaves. Plant the cuttings in a nutrient solution, such as Kornevin or soil, and provide moderate humidity. It is important to remember that cuttings can be successful or unsuccessful depending on the conditions and the quality of the cuttings. Maintain optimal temperature and humidity, provide protection from bright light and wind.
Decorate a flower garden with seedlings
In the fall, bushes of juniper, thuja, hawthorn, snowberry, birch tree, fir, etc. take root well. Before planting, add fertilizer to the soil and water it. Then move the seedlings from the pots into the ground. Ornamental bushes grown in containers successfully adapt at any time except winter.
Process the vines
Damaged branches and faded heads of vines are pruned. They are thinned out so that the green shoots do not block the flowers. Lianas include actinidia, virgin grapes, ivy, aristolochia, clematis, and knotweed. Annual varieties are removed completely.
Form a hedge
First, you need to trim the dried branches and form an even top. Then loosen the soil, fertilize it and mulch it. To prevent diseases, hedges are treated with a bioprotective agent. Trimming shrubs to form a crown in the fall is recommended if the temperature is not lower than 0 degrees.It is advisable to cut in dry weather to avoid drying out the ends of the shoots.
Conclusion
Now you know what work in the garden is carried out first in September. In addition to harvesting, planting and insulation, it is necessary to consider the processing and preservation of fruits. In the garden and flower garden, preparing plants for winter must necessarily include disease prevention and protection from pests. To plan your summer cottage, you do not need to invite a professional designer. You can develop a complete plan in the free Online Site Planner.
