These tasks are still necessary in the garden now.

When the gardening year comes to an end, there is still plenty to do. Most property owners, however, enjoy spending the last warm days outdoors. Some tasks should not be postponed until spring, as they help the plants get through the cold season.

Many garden tools today run on batteries, meaning rechargeable batteries. Since these do not tolerate cold well, they should be used until completely drained and then fully recharged. If the recharging process is repeated every few months, the batteries will be ready for use again next spring.

Nest boxes are a great refuge for birds in the winter. Now is the time to put them up. If you have the time and inclination, you can build them yourself; otherwise, they can be purchased at hardware stores or specialty shops. They should be hung in a shaded spot, making sure that martens or cats cannot reach them. For protection against rain, it's best to hang the nest box slightly tilted forward. The entrance hole should face southeast or east.

Garden shears are useful helpers throughout the year, but they also need some care over the winter. Since they can transfer diseases from one plant to another at the cutting points, they should be thoroughly cleaned. Wiping them with alcohol is a good idea and can be followed by lightly oiling them. Other garden tools, such as spades or rakes, should also be thoroughly cleaned and oiled at this time.

The ornamental grasses that are currently blooming beautifully in the garden can be cut back in autumn, but they look especially beautiful with frost in the winter, so it would be a shame to cut them. However, rain and wet snow can cause significant damage to the plants. Therefore, they should be tied together or leaned against a support wall now. Twine or jute works well for this, and a bit of dry leaves at the base can help protect them from breaking.

Some vegetable varieties tolerate frost and don't need to be harvested hastily. These include kale and Chinese cabbage. Brussels sprouts and winter onions can also withstand temperatures down to -5°C. Additionally, now is the time to thin out flowering shrubs. About every 5 years, the thick branches should be cut close to the ground. They will regrow in the spring.