At the beginning of September, the official end of the gardening season is slowly heralded. The sowing and planting of numerous plants can still be carried out in autumn. Find out here what they are.
In a nutshell
- Sow for fast growing autumn and winter vegetables
- Cold germs need frosty temperatures
- Autumn season: between September and the end of November
- Sow/plant early bloomers in the fall
Sowing in autumn
Sowing these types of vegetables, herbs and flowers in autumn is worthwhile.
vegetables
| vegetables | time of sowing | time of harvest |
|---|---|---|
| Lamb's lettuce (Valerianella locusta) | until the end of September | in November |
| Chard (Beta vulgaris) | beginning of September | after six to eight weeks |
| Pak Choi (Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis) | beginning of September | until December |
| Lettuce/leaf lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. crispa) | until October | after about eight weeks |
| Radish (Raphanus sativus var. sativus) | September | after about eight weeks |
| Rocket / garden mustard rocket (Eruca sativa) | September | after about six weeks |
| Mustard (Sinapsis) | until October | after about three weeks |
| Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) | in September | following spring |
| Wild Rocket (Diplotaxis tenuifolia) | until mid-September | about four to six weeks later |
| Winter broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) | until the end of September | in May |
| Winter purslane (Claytonia perfoliata) | between September and February (below twelve degrees Celsius) | between November and April |
Lamb's lettuce, chard (top row from left to right) and radishes, spinach (bottom row from left to right)
herbs
| herbs | time of sowing | time of harvest |
|---|---|---|
| Chervil (Anthriscus) | in September and mild October | next year |
| Coriander (Coriandrum sativum) | until the end of September | in November |
| Cress (Lepidium sativum) | until October (at least 15 degrees Celsius) | after about two to three weeks |
| Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) | in September or early October | in the following year |
Chervil (left), parsley (right)
flower
| flower | Timing of sowing/planting | heyday |
|---|---|---|
| Adonis (Adonis) | September to mid-October | between April and May |
| Christmas rose (Helleborus niger) | Sow until October (cold germ) | from the end of November to March/April (depending on the weather) |
| monkshood (aconite) | End of November (cold germs) | from May/June |
| Gentian (Gentiana) | September October | from May |
| flame flower (phlox) | October/November (cold germs) | from April/May (depending on the species) |
| Buttercup (Ranunculaceae) | until October | from April (depending on the species) |
| Hyacinth (Hyacinthus) | between October and November | between February and April |
| Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus) | in autumn (at least ten degrees Celsius) | from May |
| Crocus (Crocus) | between October and November | February to March/April |
| Daffodil (Narcissus) | until winter (if the ground is frost-free) | from February to the end of May (depending on the species) |
| Snowdrop (Galanthus) | until the end of October | between January and February |
| Tulip (Tulipa) | from mid-October | mid-April to late May (depending on variety) |
Amur Adonis, Christmas rose (top row from left to right) and crocus, daffodils (bottom row from left to right)
Notice: "Sowing" does not exclusively include plants whose seeds are to be planted in the ground. Bulbous plants, such as crocuses and tulips, also have to germinate and therefore also belong to this category.
planting in autumn
You also have to plant some plants in autumn so that they bloom in the new year.
| plant | planting time | heyday |
|---|---|---|
| Asters (Aster) | between September and November | from May to autumn (depending on the species) |
| Bergenia (Bergenia cordifolia) | in September | between April and May |
| Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum) | no later than September | from August to November |
| Forsythia (Forsythia) | September/early October (with winter protection) | from mid-March |
| Hydrangeas (Hydrangea) | September | from June to September (depending on the species) |
| Conifers (Coniferales) | November to April | evergreen |
| privet (privet) | in October | from June |
| Rhododendron (Rhododendron) | between early September and mid-November | from May or June |
| roses (pink) | from mid-October to the end of March | in June and July (main bloom) |
| Weigela (Weigela) | possible from September to October | from the end of April/beginning of May |
| Ziest (Stachys) | between September and November | summer bloomers |
Aster, forsythia (top row from left to right) and privet, rhododendron (bottom row from left to right)
Tip: Mountain asters and summer asters should only be planted in spring at the beginning of the growing season. Then they settle better and grow stronger.
6 tips for planting in autumn
Just because planting or sowing in autumn is still possible without any problems, this time of year should not be "underestimated". There are a few important details to keep in mind:
Winter protection for potted plants
Be careful when planting and sowing in tubs, balcony boxes and pots that are outdoors. Due to the lack of protection from thick layers of earth, frost penetrates the earth much earlier and immensely more. Good for cold germs, but where there are roots, they can quickly frostbite and in the worst case die. To be on the safe side, sowing and planting should be done by the end of September at the latest. In addition, protection against the cold is recommended.
Notice: Extreme, prolonged frost can also damage specimens that have just been planted in the bed. A layer of mulch can help. In the case of light germs, however, you should definitely do without them.
Choose frost-free times
Fleece covers allow you to protect beds from severe frosts.
It should be ensured that before each planting and sowing, ideally two weeks, no prolonged ground frost is to be expected. Exceptions are cold germs. All other plants and their seeds initially require loose soil to retain moisture. Otherwise, they can even dry out at longer freezing temperatures.
No waterlogging
Regardless of whether it is a seed or an implant, waterlogging can mean death for both variants. Autumn is often very rainy. The sun is becoming less and less powerful, so less and less water evaporates from the ground. The risk of waterlogging is therefore greatest in autumn. For this reason, the soil should always be prepared well by loosening it up and, if necessary, creating a drainage system.
Avoid drought
Even if autumn is often rainy, newly planted specimens often only need a few days of drought to cause damage. This arises from the combination of “lack of rain plus wind”. The risk for evergreen species is particularly high in September and up to mid-October. Regular moisture checks are recommended well into winter so that the new plants can establish themselves and take root.
prevent seed robbery
Vegetable bed with protective net against seed robbers
When sowing, it should be noted that animal visitors to the garden eat up fat for the winter, especially in early autumn. Birds and rodents in particular are among the seed eaters. If the sown plants are dark germs, they are usually covered with a thick layer of soil. On the other hand, light germs, which are quickly accessible to birds, mice and the like, are risky. If you lay out many of these, you may lose the entire seed. A close-meshed net can protect the seed here.
Observe crop rotation
If you want to plant seeds or new plants in an existing and previously planted vegetable bed in autumn, you should definitely observe the recommended culture sequence. If heavy consumers were previously present, medium or weak consumers must follow. If there were medium eaters in it, only weak eaters are to be placed. Be careful with cabbage too. Cabbage should never be grown again directly after cabbage.
frequently asked Questions
Do plants grow better by pruning after planting?Usually not. The opposite is usually the case. Pruning puts stress on plants. This, combined with the stress of planting, results in a high energy loss. This often causes plants to take root more poorly and, in the worst case, even die.
Does it make sense to sow lawn seeds in the fall?Yes, if you still sow the seeds during September. Then the ground is usually still warm from the summer. This is necessary for the germination of the seeds. If September is warm, you can distribute new and overseeding until mid-October. With a bit of luck, you can save yourself watering with the lawn sprinkler when sowing in the fall.
What is the best protection against the cold when planting and sowing in a tub?At the latest when the first frost announces itself, you should protect your new plantings and seeds in the bucket. The best way is to cover the bucket with foil. Place the buckets on an insulating surface, such as a piece of wood or polystyrene. In addition, position the tubs in a wind-protected place. In the case of prolonged frost and sub-zero temperatures, a fleece on the surface of the earth is a good service against the cold. Alternatives: thick layers of leaves, pine needles, straw or twigs.