Gardeners in Novosibirsk should prepare their dachas for winter by taking key steps to protect their property, plants, and structures from damage. Agronomist Lyudmila Shubina provides detailed instructions on essential autumn tasks.

Securing the property is paramount. Dacha owners should drain water from all containers, including barrels, heating systems, and sauna tanks. The integrity of pipes should be checked, and the water supply blocked. De-energizing the house is recommended; if this isn’t possible due to video surveillance, wiring integrity must be verified, and gas cylinders turned off and checked. To combat rodents, poison and glue traps should be placed, and all food sources, such as cereals, cookies, and seeds, removed. Valuables should be taken away, inventory hidden, and locks and structures checked to prevent theft, which is common in winter. Decorations, including garden figures, garlands, pools, toys, and barbecues, must be removed from the site.

Greenhouses require specific attention. After treatment for pests and fungal diseases, the structure should be inspected for gaps and cracks. Leaving the greenhouse open and digging the ground in large clods is beneficial. Throwing snow inside 2-3 times during the autumn enhances the soil, allowing the melting snow to wash away unwanted elements in the spring.

Gardens and orchards need preparation as well. Grapes, blackberries, and climbing roses should be covered for the winter. All plant supports, bricks, and boards should be removed, and raised beds checked for integrity. Marking beds with garlic is helpful for spring navigation. Winter garlic and bulbous flowers, as well as onions if desired, should be planted before winter. Maiden grapes should be pruned if they grow on the site. Sanitary pruning, involving the removal of damaged and diseased shoots, is crucial in the garden. Tree trunks should be whitewashed to protect them from sunburn from spring rays reflected from the snow, and special compositions against rodents can be used. Trunks should be wrapped with special nets to protect them from hares and mice, up to the height of the expected snow cover. Compacting the snow around the trees further prevents rodent access.