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September has began, and with a flip within the temperature and a newfound briskness to the morning air; there’s a certain sense of the closing of summer season.
As summer season provides solution to autumn, I’m starting to return my consideration to my backyard – for now is a good time for the green-fingered amongst us to plan and plant a wild flower patch to return to life subsequent spring.
This time of yr, when the summer season annuals and biennials (vegetation that flower and set seed inside one or two rising years retrospectively, after which die) have completed flowering for the yr, it’s a good suggestion to chop again these vegetation by leaving the stems to break down and decay naturally; creating priceless habitats for bugs to dwell in by way of the winter.
Perennial flower stems (these from vegetation which re-occur yr after yr) may be reduce to round 20cm and seed heads will scatter throughout your patch, creating meals for birds in addition to seeding your patch additional.
However maybe the simplest solution to refresh the backyard and create a thriving wild flower patch ‘nature reserve’ for subsequent spring is to pop a seed ball on prime of the soil, water and easily watch it develop.
Seedballs for wild flower meadows
Seedballs have been created by Conservation Scientists to make rising wild flowers from seed less complicated.
They’re their very own mini ecosystem, defending seed from birds, ants and slugs and giving them the diet they should have a head begin.
Every wildflower species has a special flowering time and size of time taken to return into flower – some will flower within the first yr and others will flower within the following yr – however as soon as in flower, they may present necessary habitat and meals for an abundance of backyard wildlife.
Seedball’s Bat Combine
Seedball’s Bat Combine has been created in collaboration with scientists on the Pure Historical past Museum to assist backyard bats.
Bat Combine comprises a particular mixture of wildflowers to draw a large variety of bugs that bats feed on, together with flowers that launch their perfume within the night when bats are most lively in our gardens.
The combo additionally has a vegetation with a mix of lengthy and quick pollen tubes and a spread of colors and shapes of flower to maximise the variety of bugs that they appeal to.
Lots of Britain’s bat species are in decline, confronted with much less roosting locations and declining meals availability. They’ve large appetites, and a tiny Pipistrelle bat alone can eat over 3,000 mosquitoes an evening!
Seedball’s Beetle Combine
Additionally made in collaboration with the scientists on the Pure Historical past Museum, Seedball has created the perfect Beetle Combine to draw ladybirds and pollinating beetles.
Flowers within the Carrot or Umbellifer household (Apiaceae), and people with a number of flower heads, appear to be notably engaging to those necessary — however typically neglected — pollinators.
Do you know that many beetles pollinated the primary flowers 140 million years in the past on the time of dinosaurs?
These critters proceed to be tremendous necessary to our backyard ecosystems.
Seedball’s Chicken Combine
Chicken Combine is designed, fairly merely, to feed the birds — and it’s a way more sustainable possibility to purchasing bagged hen feed!
This combine will enhance the variety of birds seen in your backyard by boosting the meals provide for a variety of birds together with goldfinches, blue tits, chaffinches, greenfinches, robins and starlings,
In line with the RSPB, an absence of habitat and meals abundance has result in enormous decline (over 50% within the final 45 years) of many frequent UK backyard hen species.
While in bloom, the wildflowers are excellent for attracting bugs that many birds feed on and birds may even feed immediately on the vegetation and seeds themselves.
Benefits of autumn sowing
Though we principally consider springtime because the time to sow wildflower seeds, you don’t have to attend till spring to scatter Seedballs – in truth, there are an a variety of benefits to getting out within the backyard this time of yr.
In early autumn, the soil continues to be heat after the summer season, and the additional moisture within the air in the course of the autumn and winter months can in truth assist germination.
Poppies, amongst different wild flower seeds, truly require a chilly interval earlier than germination – which means that sowing them in autumn will give them a head begin with regards to flowering subsequent spring.
Though spending time over the backyard could also be much less interesting than in hotter climes, autumn can nonetheless be an interesting time to work outdoors, with its mushy gentle and calmer environment.
The autumn months normally imply much less watering too, as rainfall will increase — seed balls are already a low upkeep solution to backyard, autumn makes them much more so, because the change in climate decreases the necessity to water the bottom the place seed balls are scattered.
Issues to contemplate when sowing an autumn wild flower patch
Though leaves break right down to launch vitamins into the soil, wild flowers are identified to do higher in poorer soils.
A prime tip is to collect fallen leaves earlier than seed scattering; and accumulate up these which have fallen subsequently – earlier than they get likelihood to decay – stashing them in order that once they break down the ensuing leaf mould may be unfold in your vegetable patch.
As soon as the bottom is obvious; now can be a good time to consider sowing bee-friendly vegetation and flowers that may even appeal to butterflies within the spring, too.
Scattering a seed combine like Seedball’s Bee Combine will appeal to solitary bees, honey bees and bumblebees. Every seed ball comprises roughly 30 seeds from a mixture of bee-friendly vegetation advisable by the Bumblebee Conservation Belief; resembling Birdsfoot Trefoil, Foxglove, Crimson Clover, Viper’s Bugloss and Wild Marjoram.
They’ve additionally added pollinator-friendly annuals resembling Chamomile, Cornflower, Corn marigold, and Evening-flowering catchfly — that are discovered of their Butterfly combine, too.
The Seedball Butterfly Combine is a mixture of native wildflowers — principally purple, pink and blue flowers — designed to draw butterflies to our gardens, balconies and window packing containers.
Every seed ball comprises roughly 30 seeds from a mixture of flowers advisable by Butterfly Conservation: Purple Loosestrife, Overlook-me-not, Musk mallow, Crimson campion and Yarrow.
Win! Autumn Seedball bundle: Appeal to backyard birds, bats, beetles, bees and butterflies
I’ve teamed up with Seedball to supply one fortunate winner the prospect to win this bundle of Seedball wildlife-themed mixes price £42 — excellent for bringing wildlife into your backyard.
Prize Bundle consists of…
- 1 x Bat Combine wildflower tin
- 1 x Beetle Combine wildflower tin
- 1 x Chicken Combine wildflower tin
- 1 x Bee Combine bag containing 100 seed balls
- 1 x Butterfly Combine bag containing 100 seed balls
TO ENTER: If you happen to’d wish to be in with an opportunity of profitable, inform us why you’d love this prize. Go away your reply within the feedback under by twenty third September 2020.
One fortunate winner might be chosen to win this prize bundle, and notified on twenty fourth September 2020. Competitors open to UK Residents solely. Good luck!
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I appreciate the emphasis on creating habitats for wildlife through gardening. It’s important to consider how our gardens can support various species, and this article highlights some effective ways to achieve that.
It’s fascinating to learn about the relationships between wildflowers and local wildlife. This article not only encourages planting but also raises awareness about the declining populations of species like bats and birds, which is crucial.
This article provides a great overview of how to prepare gardens for the autumn season. The tips on using seed balls are particularly interesting, as they seem like a practical way to enhance biodiversity in any garden.
The information about the different seed mixes is quite enlightening. Knowing that specific flowers can attract certain insects and birds helps in making informed choices for planting a diverse ecosystem in one’s backyard.
I found the section on autumn sowing very informative. It’s a good reminder that gardening doesn’t just have to be a spring activity, and preparing now can lead to a more vibrant garden come springtime.