When nature wakes up from hibernation, not all remnants of the cold season are far from gone. So that crocuses and daffodils do not have to fight their way through a dense mulch, it is worth freeing the garden of withered leaves in spring. Anyone who observes the right time will welcome spring with all its advantages.
Leaves can be removed from all beds after the Ice Saints
The leaves that fall down in autumn lie on flower beds and lawns. Here it serves as a natural frost protection, which is why clever gardeners only remove the withered leaves in the following spring. They also deliberately layer a layer of foliage around perennials to keep out the freezing temperatures. How and when you start cleaning up depends on the function the foliage is serving. Here a distinction must be made between
- foliage on beds
- Foliage as winter protection
- foliage on the lawn
Remove leaves from the beds
time
Since fallen leaves are an ideal and natural frost protection for your flowers, you should let the leaves rest on the beds for as long as possible. Since late frosts can still occur in May, it is advisable to remove the leaves after the ice saints. In addition, the layer of leaves inhibits weed development, so that you will have less work when spring cleaning the garden. However, you should not discard the old foliage after cleaning up. It is best to chop the leaves and put them back in chopped form as fertilizer on the beds.
Remove foliage for winter protection
time
If the foliage served as winter protection, you should remove it in mid-March. As a rule, you also cover the cold-insulating leaves with a jute or linen bag. However, this protection prevents the plant from getting water and air in the spring.
Remove leaves from the lawn
time
Leaves should be removed from the lawn immediately. Moss quickly forms under the layer of leaves, especially when they are wet. It is best to use a lawn broom to avoid damaging crocuses and other spring flowers.