GARDENING fans are being warned not to rake up the leaves in their garden this season – and there are two major benefits, experts have revealed.
Although living in a leafy neighbourhood has its benefits, such as the relaxing space, being surrounded by trees also comes with downsides, especially around this time of the year.
But whilst we may want to keep the outdoor space – as well as the patio – clean and tidy, Britons are now urged not to rake up all the leaves and to leave some piles out, The Express reported.
Having colourful leaves all over the ground may be annoying – but they break down into the soil and add vital nutrients, which can help act as a natural fertiliser and boost next year’s lawn, crops, and flowers.
And there’s another key reason why you might want to consider leaving piles out – our dear animal friends.
When raking up leaves – whether it’s to get rid of them or to burn the leaves in a bonfire – hedgehogs are in particular danger.
This is because the spiny mammal sees log piles and piles of leaves as the deal places for shelter.
As Wiltshire Wildlife Trust explained: “Unfortunately, the native British mammals regularly fall foul of un-checked bonfires and are killed because of it.
“Considering their recent classification as vulnerable to extinction on the Mammal Societies Red List, the warning for bonfire night is now more crucial than ever.
”Since 2007, numbers of wild hedgehogs in the UK have halved, and there are now thought to be fewer than a million left in the UK.”
The Trust urged that gardeners should deliberately leave some piles of leaves and logs in their garden to help hedgehogs, especially with winter around the corner.
It added: “Leave wild areas in the garden, such as piles of leaves and logs.
”These make effective nests and attract the insects that hedgehogs need as part of their diet.
“Cover any drains or holes, and ensure any ponds or swimming pools have an escape route.
”Avoid using fruit netting as hedgehogs can become entangled in it.”
The Sun’s Gardening Editor, Veronica Lorraine, has shared the jobs you need to tackle in October.
“It’s a good time to trim deciduous hedges – like box, yew, hawthorn, hornbean and beech – plus hedge trimmers are a great upper body workout!
Make leafmould – gather up all the fallen leaves and fill either bin bags or plastic carrier bags. Seal the top, stick a few small holes in the bag – and then store for a year or more. Free compost!
It’s unlikely you’ll get any more red tomatoes so have one final harvest and chuck the plants on the compost. See if you can get the green ones to ripen by putting in a drawer (some say with a banana). Also keep the seeds from a couple – and plant again next year if they went well.
Finish getting in your spring bulbs. Ideally you’d have done daffs and alliums, but tulips are better in the ground when the soil temperature gets a bit colder.
It’s good to leave some plant litter in the ground – it adds to the nutrients as it rots down, and provides shelter and food for insects. But remove the manky brown bits collapsing all over the lawn/winter structure.
Mulch – it not only suppresses weeds, but keeps the soil warm, improves water retention and adds a little winter duvet to your outside space.
October’s a good month for carrots, peas, asparagus, broad beans, and rhubarb.”
The team of experts even advised that you could buy – or build – a hedgehog house and place it somewhere sheltered, amongst eaves, compost or tree branches.
However, if you insist on keeping the outdoor space clean, be super careful when sweeping up the colourful leaves.
Britons are encouraged to do whatever they can to prevent our animal friends from going extinct.
Over the last few years, hedgehogs have experienced a drastic decline, primarily due to habitat loss, changes in agriculture, urbanization, and increased predation, reported Green Feathers.
Factors behind the dramatic decline include the ”loss of hedgerows, fragmented habitats, intensified farming practices, and urban barriers’ have all contributed to their diminishing numbers”.
