I’m actually so excited for September! The crowds have gone, wildlife is on the move and there are many tasks for a wildlife gardener. Yeh the weather has been hit and miss the first two weeks, but actually that is a little welcome relief too! It has been a hot, dry summer which many rejoiced over, where as I couldn’t help but have this lingering feeling that it is an ominous sign of things to come. Drought and heat will have seen a lot of wildlife suffering.
Anyway- back to positivity and trying to sort out a wildlife garden for Autumn. Here are some things to do and look out for.
Clear some stuff, but not everything. Choose the area(s) you would like to clear- maybe it’s a hazard or looks particularly bad. Be picky- ensure that there are plenty of messy areas that provide shelter and food for all sorts of wildlife. The parts you choose to clear, take your time with. Do it bit by bit. Try not to disturb areas where wildlife have already made their home. Give insects the opportunity to move from one section to another. Also make sure that flowers have had a chance to set seed so that birds can have a chance to eat their nutritious produce. If you are sweeping up leaves, use them for a leaf mould (for fertiliser), a leaf pile (for habitat), or throw in your compost.
On that note… collect some seeds! Seed saving is fun and cheap! Gather the heads of flowers that have gone over (changed colour and are ready to disperse) and are dry. Take seeds out and put in a dry paper envelope, removing any chaff that might have fallen in. Poppy and Nigella seeds are fun as you can bang their capsules into the bag and millions of little seeds just fall out. You can sow them in spring.
Let nature do its thing. As is the message for most wildlife gardening. Let vegetation die back naturally as much as possible. The soil will be nourished by leaf litter plus invertebrates will love it which in turn will be loved by mammals and birds.
Sow some wildflower seeds and spring bulbs! Yes- now is a great time to sow some seeds and plant Spring bulbs. Wildflowers will need a bare patch of earth, raked over gently and then the seeds spread out evenly. You shouldn’t need to cover with soil. If you broadcast a lot of seeds, some will make it past the birds and bugs. Yellow rattle (Rhinanthus minor) is a great one to include if the wildflower patch is near a lawn as it prevents grass encroaching. Native bulbs like Daffodils (Narcissus lobularis) and Bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) will provide much delight in their early flowers.
Birds. Migratory birds will be on the move. Swifts and swallows are probably all gone by now- on their journey back to Africa. Some birds will have returned from their summer jaunts up north. Birds visiting your garden at any time will appreciate food and water left out for them, but autumn is when the food supply starts to dwindle so it is quite important. Keep those feeders topped up and always clean in between fills.
Ponds. Leaves will be falling and probably gathering in your pond. You don’t want much leaf litter at all in the pond as it will increase the nutrient level which will cause an algal bloom. However, a good idea is to make a little leaf pile near to the pond for amphibians to enjoy. Make sure this leaf pile is strapped down firmly with some large-holed wire mesh so the leaves don’t end up in the pond, but also don’t trap animals like hedgehogs. If you need to do any pond maintenance, autumn is a good time to do so. (See more here).
I’ll leave it at that for now! I’m sure it will give you something to do, or at least some tasks to keep in mind. Remember that access, food, water and shelter are needed for wildlife all year round.
Most of all- enjoy being in your garden space and notice the growing number of wildlife species that are also enjoying being there. You are providing them with the things they need to have a happy life!
