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Not Cutting the Grass


I hate the task of maintaining a garden of my own. Not helped by the fact I grew up with asthma which was triggered by cut grass.

As I live in a high rise apartment it's nice not to worry about that.
 
Georgewhitt said:
They are all waking up a bit too early down here. Got a family living behind a woodpile I put in my woodland bit a couple if years ago. Saw them snuffling around the garden last night.
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Been a very inconsistent winter for them. The two regulars we have outside haven't returned yet but I've spoken to people/Facebook groups and many seem to have returned early. The two which we have fostered indoors, one was in and out of hibernation and the other one didn't hibernate at all and is a very healthy top weight. (Both soon to be released into the wild, with one already back with the rescue). I'd anticipate the hog we still have with us, will be returning soon. Family member released a hog from a local rescue last week and has had a returning wild one return to feed in his garden. All "fun and games" but this time of year is notorious for injuries from grass strimmers and over excited council workers.
 
GordonMuchallNo1Fan said:
Been a very inconsistent winter for them. The two regulars we have outside haven't returned yet but I've spoken to people/Facebook groups and many seem to have returned early. The two which we have fostered indoors, one was in and out of hibernation and the other one didn't hibernate at all and is a very healthy top weight. (Both soon to be released into the wild, with one already back with the rescue). I'd anticipate the hog we still have with us, will be returning soon. Family member released a hog from a local rescue last week and has had a returning wild one return to feed in his garden. All "fun and games" but this time of year is notorious for injuries from grass strimmers and over excited council workers.
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What a lovely thing to do marra.
Really important beasts, and a gardeners best friend too imo.
Where I am, we have all tried to create a good environment for them, and hoped they would come. And sure enough, because of a plentiful natural food supply and shelter, they arrived. Smashing little things, and it gladdens my heart to hear them snuffling about feeding at night in the undergrowth.
 
Georgewhitt said:
What a lovely thing to do marra.
Really important beasts, and a gardeners best friend too imo.
Where I am, we have all tried to create a good environment for them, and hoped they would come. And sure enough, because of a plentiful natural food supply and shelter, they arrived. Smashing little things, and it gladdens my heart to hear them snuffling about feeding at night in the undergrowth.
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Thanks. Just got to do our bit to help them (I do the same thing for the local owl population which is thriving at the moment). Ultimately it's us humans who are responsible for their declines. Possibility we may get some to release as well into the nature reserve/field next to where we live. Just got to help really.
 
GordonMuchallNo1Fan said:
Thanks. Just got to do our bit to help them (I do the same thing for the local owl population which is thriving at the moment). Ultimately it's us humans who are responsible for their declines. Possibility we may get some to release as well into the nature reserve/field next to where we live. Just got to help really.
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I'm lucky in that it's very rural where I am. Large distances between properties, but beech hedgerows rather than fences so hoggy friendly. We have also all encouraged wild flower growth, and non of us use any kinds of pesticides on flower or veggie beds. It was a bit of a leap of faith for us veggie growers but hoggy and ladybirds etc seem to do all the hard work with slugs and greenfly etc. Never seen so many ladybirds chomping away on blackfly.
 
Georgewhitt said:
I'm lucky in that it's very rural where I am. Large distances between properties, but beech hedgerows rather than fences so hoggy friendly. We have also all encouraged wild flower growth, and non of us use any kinds of pesticides on flower or veggie beds. It was a bit of a leap of faith for us veggie growers but hoggy and ladybirds etc seem to do all the hard work with slugs and greenfly etc. Never seen so many ladybirds chomping away on blackfly.
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We've just had permission to release the hog we still have fostering at home, into the wild from home next week so we're over the moon with that.
 
Georgewhitt said:
How far do they roam marra?
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Seems to vary depending on what you read/believe.

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I get the impression they like to stick around if they find a favourable area. The ones my Dad had at his feeding station/hog boxes last year were the same ones, just kept turning up at different times and we had 2 feeding most nights at ours last year.
 
Big Jeff said:
We grow stuff specifically to attract bees 🐝

If we lose the bees we all die. Absolutely essential.

And wasps who are not so poplear (sic)
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Wasps are great for eating the aphids though marra. My best mates if I can trap one or two in the greenhouse sometimes.😁

Them and Ladybirds.
Got a Kilmarnock Willow out the front. Went out one day last summer, and it was a seething black mess. Covered in blackfly.
Came home couple of hours later and it was almost completely red with ladybirds. The ate the f***ing lot, and then moved on. Amazing to see it marra.
 
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Georgewhitt said:
Bet it's heaving with butterflies and bees in the high summer👍👍👍
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Loads of bees. We have a small wild border at the back of the garden. There's a load of purple flowers grow there in late summer. The bees love them.
I've just been jet washing the patio and found a bee looked to be struggling. I gave it a little sugar and water and after a little while it was on it's merry way. Oh the little things in life. :p .
 
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