Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: celeriac on January 09, 2021, 17:04

Title: Looking after my 'wildlife area' (rubbish pile)
Post by: celeriac on January 09, 2021, 17:04
At the southern end of my plot between my neighbours shed/compost patch and my area is an untidy patch of land with an old lobelia, a pile of old wood and plenty of weeds/long grass. due to shading and access it wouldn't be much good for growing on so I've just left it, occasionly getting back the weeds when they ventured over my path and trimming the lobelia when it shaded my plot, leaving all the cuttings where they fall. When I look at recommendations for encouraging predators this little strip seems to be a good habitat, but I also can't help but think it's a good home for the pests as well.

Does this area seem like a net benefit/negative to my plot and does anyone have any tips for how I can tip the balance in favour of the predators?

Stay safe
David
Title: Re: Looking after my 'wildlife area' (rubbish pile)
Post by: jezza on January 10, 2021, 11:29
Hello do you mean Buddleia as I've never seen large Lobelias as for leaving it put a hedgehog box next to the shed that's your little helper  jezza
Title: Re: Looking after my 'wildlife area' (rubbish pile)
Post by: celeriac on January 12, 2021, 10:00
Whoops, yes that’s what I meant, I shall have a look at hedgehog homes, thanks
Title: Re: Looking after my 'wildlife area' (rubbish pile)
Post by: Growster... on January 12, 2021, 11:56
It's a great idea, Celeriac!

Most of our front garden has similar shrubs and plants, which I prune every year, but the budleia gets binned, as it'll grow just about anywhere! I then roughly strim paths between everything, as it's mainly dogwood, Japonica,etc., in fact a real hotch-potch, but we like it and so do the birds and wildlife in general!

We had an eight ft. one growing out of an outside wall in just 12 mths, last year! I chopped it down easily enough, but slipped and bruised just about everything from the neck down, so they fight back...

The things we do for nature...:0~