Gardeners advised to encourage hedgehogs

Gardeners have been advised to encourage hedgehogs into their garden to help keep pests under control. Dave Hamilton, who contributes to BBC Gardener’s World Magazine and The Guardian’s gardening blog, said that gardeners need to put in an effort to make their garden more appealing to the “valuable pest controllers”.

Advising gardeners on what steps to take, the gardening author said: “Leaves can be mounded up to turn into mulch or leaf mould, while leaving grass longer will help biodiversity – if need be, cut paths through the long grass to make a potentially scruffy-looking, hedgehog-friendly environment more appealing to fussy humans.”

He added: “A well-positioned pond will provide drinking water and, as long as they can escape were they to fall in, make a valuable addition to the hedgehog-friendly garden.”

Hedgehog expert, Hugh Warwick, said that hedgehogs require “food, shelter and water”.
“Think how you can mimic a hedgehog’s ideal home, which is – have a look at the name again – yes, a hedge,” he said.

“Shrubs or brambles that are close to the ground and under which a hedgehog can nest [will do], along with leaf litter to make the actual nest.”