5 things we should all do to protect hedgehogs in our gardens – this season and beyond

As the colder months roll in, we'll all be cosy under blankets with our favourite comfort meals. However, there are some small critters outside who will need a little help getting ready for autumn and winter.

With so much to do to sort your garden out this season, it's all too easy to forget about helping wildlife in autumn. As temperatures drop and plants go dormant, many food sources and shelter options dwindle for the animals that call our gardens their home. One critter in particular who needs a helping hand is the humble hedgehog.

While you may already know how to attract hedgehogs to your garden to help with pest control, there are a few things you should be doing this time of year to help them survive harsher conditions.

How to protect hedgehogs through winter

Just as we've been helping birds through the hot weather this year, we still have much to do to help wildlife through the coming cold and rain. We've spoken with a garden expert who helps homeowners create a safe, welcoming environment for our prickly friends, hedgehogs.

1. Provide food

It's important to know which foods you can and cannot leave out for wildlife in autumn and winter months. While some food can seem harmless, when it comes to hedgehogs, getting it right is key to their survival.

"Building fat reserves is crucial for hedgehogs during this time of year. While they love insects such as beetles, earwigs and caterpillars, you can also leave food out for them. This includes specially made hedgehog food or meat-based cat food or dog food," says Kym Barlow, Commercial Director and Wildlife advocate at TDP.co.uk.

We'd also recommend staying up to date with the latest bird feeding advice too, as their needs will also change with the seasons.

2. Leave out fresh water

Adding a water station to your garden isn't just a great way of attracting birds to your garden; it's also a crucial way of helping hedgehogs stay healthy through the winter months.

"Hedgehogs will also need access to fresh water every day, so provide them with a shallow dish and replace the water daily. Don’t forget to clean it regularly and place it somewhere sheltered and accessible," explains Kym.

While you're completing your winter garden jobs, ensure you keep checking the water and remove any debris, like fallen leaves, when needed.

3. Provide shelter

If you're participating in the rewilding trend, then you may already have installed a hedgehog house; if not, they're incredibly affordable and can be DIY'd with other materials if you're looking to save money in the garden.

"Leave piles of dry leaves, logs and branches in a quiet and undisturbed part of the garden to provide hedgehogs with a warm place they may want to hibernate in over the winter. If you have a hedgehog house, you can also place leaves inside for extra warmth," suggests Kym.

4. Avoid pesticides

Using more sustainable garden ideas isn't just better for plant life; it can also make a huge difference to the health of local wildlife living in your outdoor space.

"Since pesticides kill insects, they reduce the food supply for hedgehogs. Avoiding these can provide hedgehogs with more natural food to help them build their fat reserves," Kym points out.

If you do need to use pesticides in your garden, it's best to try to only use them in small doses.

5. Always check before using machinery

Although you'll want to crack on with your autumn lawn care tasks, it's crucial you do a quick sweep of the area before starting any machinery on your lawn and around it.

"Always check the grass, log piles and leaf piles before trimming, mowing or clearing. Hedgehogs could be hiding in these places, and you could cause them serious harm by disturbing them, especially in October as they prepare for hibernation," says Kym.

FAQs

How can you encourage hedgehogs into your garden?

You may have noticed a lack of hedgehogs in your garden in recent years, and the sad reason is that there's a major decline in their numbers.

"Recent monitoring has shown that hedgehogs are being pushed towards extinction, with numbers in the wild dwindling by 30% over the last decade," says Matt Binstead, Head Keeper at the British Wildlife Centre.

You can attract them to your outdoor space by relaxing your mowing and maintenance, adding hedgehog-sized holes to your fence for safe passage and providing food, water and shelter all year round.

You can also help wildlife in your garden by letting certain weeds grow, which they like to feed on. It might make your garden look a little untidy for a while, but it's worth it because they are so valuable to local critters during the colder months.