The gardening season is not over yet: Those who now optimally prepare their plants for autumn and winter will have a lot of fun in their garden next spring.
Munich - Americans use more water for lawn maintenance than for growing corn and wheat combined.
No wonder, because the entire lawn in the USA is roughly the size of Italy.
A look into German front gardens shows that there are also many lawn fans in this country.
But why do we humans love lawns so much? A short, well-kept lawn became a status symbol over time: it showed that you were rich enough to own land that served no other purpose than to look pretty, explains John Green in his podcast
The Anthropocene Reviewed.
The love of the lawn is even finding its way into world literature: In the classic "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gatsby even pays for his neighbour's grass to be mowed before his beloved Daisy Buchanan visits him.
Hobby gardeners don't have to go that far.
Because with just a few little tricks, your own garden is optimally prepared for autumn and winter.
And there is also good news: if garden owners don't feel like tidying up, there are also good arguments for this: Wild gardens promote biodiversity, which benefits bees in particular.
1. Extra care for the lawn after the summer
The summer causes problems for many lawns due to the heat and drought. Sometimes brown or bald spots appear, which are ideal for repairing in September. First of all, hobby gardeners should remove dried and brown grass residues. That creates perfect conditions. Then garden owners sow new lawns. September is particularly suitable for this, as the soil is still warm and the new seed germinates quickly. Regular watering is important afterwards in order to get the lawn to grow quickly.
Watering in the early morning hours is ideal: On the one hand, less water then evaporates than in the evening, when the floor is very hot.
On the other hand, the sun doesn't shine that strong in the morning.
Because the water droplets on the lawn can act like small magnifying glasses in the heat and burn the plants.
Hobby gardeners should also mow the lawn regularly until around November - i.e. until the first frost.
If you still want to fertilize, you should switch to a potassium-containing, low-nitrogen product for reasons of frost protection.
September 2nd: Optimal for planting certain vegetable concerns and flowers
If there is not enough color in your own garden, you can sow certain flowers and vegetables in September, which will then sprout in spring.
September is a good time because the ground is still warm.
Spinach or Asian salads are particularly suitable, but also flowers such as the iris, the foxglove, the Binenfreund, the yellow poppy poppy or the peony.
Garden owners can also plant flower bulbs in September: daffodils, crocuses or snowdrops are ideal.
3. Cut hedges, shrubs and trees before winter
A hedge is a popular, natural privacy screen in German gardens.
Hobby gardeners should pull out the hedge trimmers in September and cut the green borders appropriately.
This gives the plants more strength for the next season.
Garden owners can also prune shrubs that have grown too large and certain trees.
Birch, poplar, maple and fruit trees like to cut thin, dead or diseased branches - or branches that get in the queue.
If a perennial has grown too wide, gardeners can carefully split the root ball with a spade after the plant has withered.
4. Remove leaves from the garden - but do it right
“Autumn is the time of year when nature turns the page,” said Pavel Kosorin once.
The leaves on the trees are colored, leaves fall to the ground.
What looks like a colorful blanket, however, is not ideal for the lawn: Because the layer of leaves collects moisture and the grass can start to mold.
That is why it is better to clear the garden of foliage.
Some plant experts swear by working the leaves into the soil of flower beds with a rake in order to supply the bed with new nutrients.
A good tip to save yourself fertilizer.
Incidentally, windfalls should also be removed directly.
Otherwise it will quickly start to rot and attract pests.
Wasps in particular are attracted by the sweet scent.
5. Protect the rose garden from fungal attack
Anyone who has a rose garden or individual rose plants knows that they are quite sensitive. That is why they need extra care in September to prepare for the cold season. If you discover black or red spots on your rose, you have to act quickly. Because then the plant is attacked by a fungus. This usually happens when the rose has not received enough nutrients or water for a long period of time, which makes it susceptible to pests. A special fertilizer for roses can help, as can a fertilizer mixture of stone meal and horn shavings. Regular watering is also essential. If possible, the water should flow to the roots and not onto the leaves. Because wet leaves make the plant more susceptible to fungal attack. Before the frost comesGarden owners have to winterize their roses - but in September it is still too early for that.
6. Collect seeds for the next year
Sunflower, delphinium or marigold seeds are ideal for collecting and drying to sow in your own garden next year or to give away to friends.
The hobby gardeners keep the collected seeds in a dark, dry place.
7. Help animals hibernate
In autumn and winter in particular, numerous animals find shelter and food in our gardens.
It is easy to help rodents, birds and insects with this.
Hedgehogs are already looking for winter quarters in September.
A small wooden box is ideal for the four-legged friends.
A little straw in the interior, a small walkway in front of the entrance - and the prickly fellow feels at home.
When the cold season comes, garden owners can also set up feeding grounds for birds, squirrels and other animals.
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