Leaves are falling, cooler weather is coming, and the signs that the seasons are changing. With this change happening in your garden, the wildlife that resides within your garden is also prepping for the chilly season.

As plant growth begins to slow down closer to winter, winter-dormant plants and animals make winter preparations by finding a suitable place to hibernate. This means a lack of wildlife visibility in your garden. There are ways to maintain the wildlife in your hibernation in your yard.

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How to help maintain the wildlife in your garden

Wildlife gardening is a wonderful way to reconnect with nature during the colder months and to appreciate the beauty that the cool weather brings. Many animals seek warm, well-insulated places to overwinter, and they may migrate to your garden if it meets their needs. Additionally, some will store food and build nests in your garden.

  • Gardeners tend to clean up debris, but it is important to keep most of it to help maintain wildlife in the garden. Most animals will use the debris to stay covered up during winter. Rathe,r leave your tidying up until the beginning of spring.
  • Don’t prune some of your shrubs yet, as they will provide warmth and protection for some wildlife during the cold winter.
  • Keep the dying and dead leaves of perennials and bulbs, and grass stalks, until the end of winter.
  • Avoid using pesticides and chemicals that could harm wildlife.
  • Don’t trim the tangle creepers of your hanging plants yet, especially those up against the walls. The animals absorb heat through the autumn and winter days and radiate it out through the night, creating warmth.
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Whatever you end up doing, know that wildlife gardening is rewarding and is an enjoyable way to create sustainable biodiversity in your garden during all seasons. By providing the resources, you are helping to maintain the wildlife in your garden.

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