How to Make Your Garden Wildlife-Friendly
The National Wildlife Federation designated the month of May as Garden for Wildlife Month. Urban expansion in many parts of the world continues to destroy valuable wildlife habitat. You can help turn this around by encouraging more wildlife in your area. There are many simple ways you can make your backyard more wildlife-friendly.
Water Features
Clean water is vital for the survival of all living creatures. Some of your local wildlife will need water simply for drinking and bathing. Whereas, animals like frogs and amphibians, and certain insects, need water for reproduction and a place to live.
You can start small. You might be surprised how many wild visitors a simple birdbath or shallow container of water will bring to your garden. You can also add a larger water feature, like a fountain or artificial pond.
Make use of any natural water features you already have on your property, such as a creek or wetland. If the area has been damaged for any reason, take the time to restore it to its natural state. Build up the banks if needed. Plant reeds, sedges or water plants along the waters edge to provide shelter and living spaces. These will also help naturally filter the water and keep it clean.
Food Sources
You can purposely put out food for animals, such as bird seeds or liquid hummingbird feeders. Planting wildlife-friendly plants is a good hands-off choice.
When youre considering what to plant in your wildlife garden, think of what it can provide animals. Does it make fruit like nuts and berries or plentiful flowers and seeds? Are the leaves and stems eatable to foraging animals? Try to avoid plants with thorns or toxic foliage and ones that are sterile and dont produce fruit.
Some great low-maintenance fruiting plants are raspberries, hazelnuts, wild currants, crabapples, hawthorn or Oregon grape. Many common wildflowers will provide abundant amounts of pollen, nectar and seeds. Try cornflowers, poppies, asters, blanket flowers, geraniums, cosmos, Shasta daisies or herbs like oregano, thyme and sage.
Another option is to include areas of natural grass or shrubs if you have the space. These are great for foraging animals like deer, geese or rabbits.
Shelter
Wild animals benefit from areas where they can hide from predators, make a nest or other home, as well as take cover from poor weather. Shelter can take many forms.
Plants and natural areas provide excellent spaces for wildlife to live. Try to include shrubs and trees where you can in order to provide height in your garden. The larger a plant is, the more shelter it can naturally provide.
Leave fallen leaves and branches on the ground when possible. These will allow spaces for a variety of species to move into. For instance, native bees and other beneficial insects often make homes and overwinter in fallen plant debris. Even undisturbed piles of rocks or logs can offer excellent shelter for many animals like snakes, rodents and insects.
You can also build your own garden shelters. Birdhouses, bat houses, bee boxes or an outdoor dog house are good starting projects. Its helpful to preserve any old rock walls or other human-made structures that may or may not still be in use. Insects and other small creatures can use the cracks and holes as habitat.
Go Organic
Chemicals used in the landscape will often do a lot more harm than you intend. For instance, many weed and feed products for lawns contain the herbicide 2,4-D. Studies have found that dogs whose owners use lawn products containing 2,4-D are twice as likely to develop canine malignant lymphoma.
Use compost and other organic products to provide nutrients and replace synthetic fertilizers. Find organic ways to target weeds and insect pests individually, rather than applying broad-range chemical pesticides. For example, you can purchase ladybug larvae at many garden centers to deal with an aphid infestation. The rest of your wildlife population will thank you.
Habitat
Consider creating some wild, human-free areas in your yard. Plants native to your area would be especially well-adapted for this use. A wild area could be left on its own with very little irrigation or maintenance, which can help more sensitive species establish themselves without human interference.
Related:
10 Ways to Save the Bees
What to Plant, Weed and Prune in May
Gardening for Butterflies
Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.
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