Gardeners urged to 'create leaf piles' in backyard before the end of the month
With temperatures dropping as we settle into autumn, Chris Bonnett, founder of GardeningExpress shares how gardeners across the country can look out for birds and wildlife during the colder weather.
Autumn is officially here and temperatures are on the decline which means the country’s wildlife will be feeling the cold too. In other words, our furry friends will be needing our help. During this time of the year, wildlife face many challenges as they try to stay warm and keep away from predators.
Animals such as hedgehogs and squirrels are busy searching for extra food, shelter and resources to help get them through the hibernation period during winter. They spend autumn building nests and loading up on food to help fatten themselves so they can stay warm during the cold.
Luckily, there are lots of simple and easy ways we can support wildlife from our very own garden.
Not only are you doing a great thing for our ecosystems by helping them, but it can also be very rewarding – it’s a great task to get the kids and grandchildren involved in too.
Just by leaving out nuts and seeds, letting your hedges grow a little longer and allowing leaves to pile up, you’ll be helping keep wildlife populations balanced which helps control pests, pollinate plants and maintain soil quality.
Chris Bonnett’s simple ways to help wildlife this autumn and winter:
Create leaf piles for hedgehogs
Hedgehogs seek warmth and protection from their predators during the winter. To help them, consider moving fallen leaves to one part of your garden to create a leaf pile for them to get cosy.
Install a bird bath
Birds will be seeking out water supplies as fresh water can be tough to find when it's cold, especially as most of it freezes over. If you don’t want to install a bird bath, leaving out a shallow bowl with some clean water in will work just as well. To prevent the water from freezing, place it in a sunny spot in your garden away from the wind. You can also line the bottom of the bath or bowl with some dark liner or rocks to help it absorb heat.
Leave out nuts and seeds for birds
Bird food is another resource that becomes scarce during the winter months. Regularly top up bird feeders with things like sunflower seeds and wild bird seed mix. Try to put bird feeders up high where cats can’t access the food and keep them away from poles or fences.
Leave fallen fruit
If you have fruit trees in your garden, leave some fallen fruit on the ground for wildlife such as squirrels, foxes, and birds to graze on. This natural food source will be great at giving these animals a natural boost of energy.
Leave food for hedgehogs
During autumn hedgehogs will be trying to build up their fat stores, ready to keep them warm during hibernation in the winter. Hedgehogs actually like meat based cat and dog food, dry cat food is also an option too.
Avoid using pesticides
Chemical pesticides can be harmful to wildlife so it’s worth staying away from them during the autumn and winter when these animals are more present in our gardens. To combat pest issues try companion planting or encourage natural predators like ladybugs.
Leave a wild patch in your garden
Leave one section of your garden to grow into a wild patch with long grass, weeds and overgrown plants. This will be beneficial to loads of birds, insects and small mammals.
