October

When planting roses in beds or containers, use a peat-free soil specially designed to meet the needs of roses. Add some Organic Rose Feed to the planting hole at the same time. This provides your roses with the optimal conditions for rapid growth. Trees, shrubs and bushes can now be planted in a peat-free, special potting soil.

Check spruce now for infestation with the Sitka spruce aphid. Otherwise, the trees could suffer severe damage because if left untreated the trees drop their inside needles, thereby losing their ornamental worth. The easiest way to check for an infestation is through the so-called “ tap test”. To do this, hold a sheet of white paper underneath the branch inside the tree and then tap on the branch several times. If lice fall on the paper, then thoroughly treat the entire tree with BugFree Bug and Larvae Killer⁺. Spray the branches on the inside of the tree until dripping wet.

Ornamental shrubs can be planted from mid-October. It’s also time to plant roses too. Prepare the ground well before planting: First loosen well. Give heavy clay soil and light sandy soil a permanent humus concentrate. The permanent humus concentrate can ensure lasting soil fertility and improves the ground’s ability to hold water. The more favourable soil structure increases aeration in heavy garden soils. Activating the soil in this way provides shrubs with ideal and lasting growing conditions.

Clematis benefit from this especially, as they love a loose, fertile soil.

We recommend using mulching compost to improve the soil when planting shrubs in light soil as this enriches the ground with valuable substances and trace elements. Ericaceous plants are also grateful for such treatment. Immerse the root balls of ericaceous plants for 10 minutes in water before planting to ensure an optimal supply of water.

Light, sandy soils can also be enhanced with compost.

Evergreens and coniferous trees often suffer from a lack of water in the winter months as water evaporates from the leaves and needles even in winter. If the plant can no longer absorb water owing to the persistent frost or a lack of moisture, then this can lead to drought damage. This is why it is important to thoroughly water evergreens again now.

Toads, lizards, weasels and other beneficial garden inhabitants need a hiding place in winter where they can protect themselves from the cold and enemies. Piles of stones are suitable for this as they offer sufficient places to hide. A thick layer of leaves left underneath shrubs where they cannot be carried away by the wind is also good for toads.

Weeds look particularly out of place when the beds have been cleared and perennials have died back.

WeedFree Plus Concentrate⁺ also works at low temperatures – it can be used from spring to autumn. As WeedFree Plus Concentrate⁺ only acts on the green parts of the plants, it is also suitable for use under trees and shrubs. The agent is also available in a ready-to-use pump spray as WeedFree Plus⁺.