According to a tried and tested farmer's rule, the flower bed - like the rest of the garden - should be prepared for the winter by October 21st. If it gets cold earlier, the corresponding autumn work is preferable. These tasks await you so that the flower bed will continue to bloom lushly in the coming year.
In the fall, the beds are prepared for next year
Prune shrubs and perennials
Exactly what needs to be pruned in the fall and what not is quite complicated. Therefore you will find a quick overview here:
- Shrubs and other trees and shrubs should usually be cut back.
- Exceptions: roses and hydrangeas, these are only cut in the spring
- Perennials and hardy grasses, on the other hand, should not be cut
- Here the withered leaves serve as winter protection and are only removed in spring.
- Exceptions: Short-lived perennials such as girl's eye, blanket flower, dyer's chamomile and false coneflower (Echinacea)
- Here, their lifespan can be extended by a courageous autumnal pruning.
- Cut these perennials just above ground level in early fall.
However, the specific pruning rules and times differ from species to species, which is why you should always take a close look at the plant label. You can usually find relevant information here.
Plant bulbs and other crops
Autumn is not only the time to prepare for winter, it is also the time to plant. The bulbs of spring bloomers such as tulips and daffodils are now planted in the ground, and many perennials, shrubs and woody plants are best planted in early autumn. At this point, the soil is still warm and the plants are no longer focused on growing shoots and forming flowers and seeds. Now they can instead focus on rooting in time for winter. On the other hand, you do not have to bring out enough hardy plants and dahlia tubers and spend them in the winter quarters.
Removing weeds and soil care
Once all of this work is done, the finishing touches are put on the flower bed. Pull existing weeds - be careful not to hoe! In this way you only damage the roots of the perennials and shrubs - and carefully loosen the ground cover. This is especially important for heavy, loamy soils so that they are aerated. Sandy soils, on the other hand, are best left alone. Then mulch the soil, for example with brushwood, straw or leaves.
tips
Roses in the flower bed should be piled up, standard roses should even be packed with jute or garden fleece to protect them from frost.