Page 11 - Allotment Gardener Issue 1 2024

NATURE
...take care when mowing long grass and tidying wild patches, as they are an ideal place for a hedgehog’s nest
hedgehogs. If a shed needs to be dismantled, try to do it in October when the hoglets have left the nest and hibernation may not have started.
l Ponds – if there are any ponds on allotments, make sure there are escape routes e.g., plastic coated wire over the side and into the water to make a ladder, or a gentle slope to at least one of the sides. Keep ponds topped up, especially in hot weather so hedgehogs are less likely to topple in. Keep pots etc. that might fill with water upside down. Provide shallow dishes of clean water for all visiting wildlife.
l Don’t be too tidy – allotments can be very tidy places which don’t leave many places for hedgehogs to find shelter or food. So consider leaving some wild corners or edges to offer shelter and encourage natural foods supporting the food chain.
l Wild patches – strimmers mutilate – take care when mowing long grass and tidying wild patches, as they are an ideal place for a
hedgehog’s nest. When cutting long overgrown areas, check for hedgehogs and other wildlife, then cut initially to about a foot long. Check again before cutting any lower. Providing a suitable nesting or hibernating box can help prevent accidental disturbance.
l Fences – create 13 x 13cm (5 x 5”)
square holes in the allotment boundaries
so hedgehogs can come and go. Use environmentally safe wood preservatives on sheds, fences etc. as hedgehogs often lick
new smells or substances – your garden centre should be able to advise. Very occasionally hedgehogs are found with a leg trapped in between the gaps in log rolls (used for edging) so check these and other hazards regularly.
If the guidelines above are followed, allotments can be made much safer places for
hedgehogs to live and breed. Surveys show that hedgehog numbers are in decline so anything that can be done to help them
will be appreciated.
Article submitted by the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (B.H.P.S)
For more information on helping hedgehogs and the work of BHPS please see www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk
Allotment Gardener | Issue 1 2024 | 11