Make gardening more fun (and less work) with these tips

Yes, I usually take you to discover Switzerland when I am away. But today I want to write about gardening and take a closer look at our Swiss idiosyncrasies here or give tips to help your own green thumb – and depending on the case, you’ll have to work less in the garden because you have the right plants in the right place. place and they can help themselves.

You don’t even need a big yard. Even if you have a small balcony, you can get more yield with a few tricks and also give nature a helping hand. I wish you a lot of succes!

If you want to promote biodiversity, you should pay attention to the choice of soil that peat-free universal ends are used – if possible produced in Switzerland. Peat extraction is prohibited in Switzerland.

And then it is important: always keep the ground covered. If you do not do this with plants, then you have to mulch, for example with grass clippings, and also leaves in the fall. There is hardly any better fertilization and the nutrients can be put back into the soil.

I know, I know: cherry laurel and thuja are super at first glance because they’re easy to care for and provide year-round coverage. Great for privacy. But: for our Swiss nature they are practically worthless. Hedges are important habitats for many animals: birds, hedgehogs and insects.

Therefore: Get rid of it and plant native shrubs such as dogwood, yew, hazelnut or blackthorn instead. Not all of them are evergreen, but nature will thank you. And you can also get rid of the weevil.

Wild bees play a major role in pollination. In agricultural crops, they can cover up to two-thirds of the total pollination effort. Therefore they should be encouraged.

Wild bee hotels are now very common in Switzerland. That’s all great. But did you know that only about 30 of the 600 or so wild bee species in Switzerland actually use them? 75 percent of our wild bees nest in the ground, some in dead wood, crevices in walls, and on stones or stems.

And then there are the specialists who nest in snail shells or pith stems. You can leave snail shells in the garden.

For the metal club bee, place the stems of the bramble 20 centimeters apart vertically on your balcony or on your garden fence. They should not touch the ground, too much sun is not good either. A few wild flowers nearby and there is a good chance that you will attract the wild bee. Important: leave the stems in the same place for at least a year, that’s how long it takes for some to hatch.

More information about wild bees can be found here.

We all know it: with some people we get along very well, with others we don’t at all. Plants are the same. Peas like to be near cucumbers, lettuce or zucchini, but dislike beans, potatoes and tomatoes.

And then there are plants that deter pests. For example, basil repels whitefly, nettles are good against aphids and onions prevent fungal diseases.

You should be aware of these “relationship problems” of the plants in your garden. They will thank you with more lush growth and are less prone to pests. Here’s an overview of who’s with whom and who’s usually not with whom.

No caterpillars, no butterflies. And who doesn’t get excited when a butterfly crosses their path? Even. It also always helps to have volunteer pollinators in your garden. That’s why I’ve always had at least one fennel in the garden for years. Because this is one of the favorite plants of the caterpillars of the well-known swallowtail.

I would also always leave nettles in the garden. At least as long as they are not within reach of children or on the road. Nettles are the ideal food plant for the caterpillars of the small tortoise.

Here you will find more information about feeding plants for butterflies.

Do you want beautiful flowers on your balcony and at the same time do something for the wild bees and butterflies? The Green Advance Foundation has the solution ready with the Future Planter project.

You can order an organic wildflower set there that is tailored to 14 different Swiss cities. This offers superfood for local, endangered species and is delivered directly to your home: plant, water, enjoy and help.

That’s no problem either. Leave a corner of your garden alone. Don’t remove foliage, leave dead wood, and don’t prune back last year’s plants. Hedgehogs, wild bees and butterflies have their nursery there. Be lazy and help – what could be easier?

And yes, the animals also lend a helping hand in the garden, for example with pest control.

Maybe you don’t have the space, time or inclination to have your own garden or a few pots on the balcony. Then you can also do something good for nature on the PC.

Plant a wildflower in just three clicks. Or rather, it was planted in your name in the Zurich region and is still attuned to local butterflies and wild bees. You sponsor a wildflower, get a certificate and the Green Advance Foundation does all the work. It couldn’t be easier. Read more at bepflanz.me.