The trees are withered, the water is missing in the pond, the boats are on dry land: Germany has experienced an extremely dry summer. Farmers had some serious crop failures, there were fields and forests again and again.
Even in the autumn, there has been little rain in many places, only now it changes. The dry months have left their mark. SPIEGEL ONLINE readers have sent photos that document these consequences of the drought.
Readers Florian Okon sent photos of a pond in Westmünsterland, which was covered in a thick layer of ice during the winter. A few days ago, the pond was completely dry. Christian Ries from Grambek wrote that even in mid-October he still had to water his plants and the lawn. After all, Ries said, the garden has never turned so beautiful in the fall. And reader Antonius Jax reported, because of the extreme low water one could have walked dry-footed to the Binger mouse tower, which actually stands in the Rhine on an island.
"Hauling cans for 1.5 hours every night, moving tubes"
Andrea Bauer, hobby gardener from Einbeck, wrote: "There were no snails that eat away everything else, but the drought has brought me to the topic of irrigation to my limits." She had to let her lawn dry up. "Every night for 1.5 hours hauling pitchers, moving around tubes, filling bird baths etc. Everything is just too much, I really hope that nature will recover!"
There were also letters that spoke of joy over the hot and dry months. Karin Grön from Flensburg, for example, was able to gain something from the drought: "After a totally rainy year we were all just happy." And now the apple harvest is great, the farmers have even brought in the third grass cuttings and everything is green again, except for the trees. which are beautiful, but the damage in agriculture should not be as severe as feared. "
What about the long drought in the gardens and on the walkways of the SPIEGEL ONLINE readers? Look for yourself:
photo gallery
17 pictures
Consequences of drought: withered trees, dried up ponds