Important item to put in your garden this month
Gardeners are being urged to leave a bucket or large container of water in their gardens this November for a very important reason.
You may be familiar with keeping wildlife fed and hydrated over the warmer summer months, but it's just as crucial as the temperatures start to dip. One animal, in particular, can do with a much-needed boost at this time of year... hedgehogs.
Thanks to a mixture of climate change, a loss of habitat and a reduction in food, hedgehog numbers are down significantly across the length and breadth of the UK. But making a few changes in our own gardens can make a big difference.
As a result, The British Hedgehog Preservation Society is asking gardeners to check on any hedgehogs that come into their gardens over the colder months, and to leave out food and water for them when they can.
They explained: “Autumn juvenile hedgehogs are old enough to be away from their mothers but too small to hibernate successfully. The autumn juvenile season can start as early as September and is busy through until the end of November. However, some will struggle on and the occasional one can be found from December through until April.”
It’s vital that we each do our bit to help them out as the weather becomes more unforgiving. To do this, gardeners can make sure there is plenty of water available to them – which is where the containers of water come into play – especially if they plan on feeding them dry foods.
Also, for those feeling more confident, “it is helpful if you can weigh your visitor at least once a week if its size is a concern to ensure it is putting on weight and doing well,” The British Hedgehog Preservation Society suggests. “Any under 250g in autumn are likely to be genuine orphans and should be rescued immediately.”
If you do notice that the food isn’t disappearing, the experts recommend "to continue to provide dry cat biscuits – these will not go off as quickly as tinned food, so are less wasteful.”
In terms of the water container, the bigger the better. A large bucket or saucer is ideal, or you could even repurpose the tub that you normally use for your garden cuttings or laundry to ensure that there is plenty of water for all kinds of wildlife to access.
If you want to help year-round, you could even turn a large plastic bucket into a mini wildlife pond, if you have the time and materials. Even though they tend to be more common over the summer months, we’ve put together a guide to create your very own pond to provide a habitat for frogs, as well as plenty of drinking water for hedgehogs and birds.
But whatever container you choose to use, filling it up regularly will definitely help over what can be some of the most inhospitable months for wildlife.
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