German cemetery gardeners seek watering exemption amid heat

The Federal Association of German Cemetery Gardeners (BdF) in Berlin is calling for graves to be excluded from municipal watering bans that have been imposed because of prolonged heat and drought. Chair Michael Ballenberger said, “We demand that grave watering on cemeteries be exempt from blanket watering bans,” and advised relatives to water early in the morning or late in the evening, using about 40 litres per single grave and watering less frequently but more deeply.

Several cities and districts have temporarily restricted or prohibited irrigation of gardens and green spaces, but there is no uniform national regulation. The BdF warns that the ongoing dry periods are harming many grave plantings, though no permanent damage has been observed so far.