With temperatures sometimes falling well below zero at night, early spring can be a difficult time for wildlife. Garden birds will have eaten most of the berries and maybe going hungry, whilst invertebrates such as worms, caterpillars, and beetles are still taking shelter.

Spring is a key time for breeding and establishing nests, so they must have suitable environments in which they can thrive. Discover ways to support your garden wildlife and lend a helping hand, with these wildlife gardening jobs for spring.

Feed the birds

Calorie-rich food such as sunflower hearts, suet nibbles, and fat balls, can help birds to prepare for breeding. Avoid putting out peanuts as adult birds may feed them to their young and they could choke on them.

Feed the hedgehogs

Hedgehogs will be coming out of hibernation in March and they will need to build up their fat reserves ready for breeding.

Leave out water and meat-based cat or dog food, such as chicken-flavored food in jelly or kitten biscuits. Put it out at dusk, then get rid of any remaining food in the morning.

Gather lawn clippings

After mowing your lawn, detach the box and leave the clippings to dry out. Once dry, put them in a dry corner of the garden to provide an area for slow worms to bask and nest. You may even encourage a queen bumblebee to start a colony there.

Empty your compost bin

Any wildlife that may have been hibernating should have emerged in March so you should be safe to empty your compost bin in April.

However, you should still take care to check the bin as best you can before emptying it, and search through the heap before plunging a fork into it, just in case there is any wildlife still sheltering in there.

Improve your pond

If you have a pond, now is a great time to improve it by adding plants to support the breeding and development of amphibians.

Add plants such as brooklimes and water forget-me-nots, for newts to lay eggs on, and submerged plants such as hornwort and curled pondweed, to oxygenate the water and protect tadpoles from predators by providing shelter.

You should also take the time to remove duckweed and blanket weed (algae) from your pond to help keep it in good balance.

Add plants for pollinators

Help pollinators through spring by adding some nectar-rich and pollen-rich plants to your garden. Aim for a good variety of flowers that have different shapes and flowering periods.

Plants such as crocuses, irises, alliums, hyacinths, snowdrops, and bluebells are excellent for bumblebees and other pollinators.

Get these plants and more from Boston Bulbs Wholesale. Look out for the ‘RHS Perfect for Pollinators’ symbols across our website for a clear indication of the best plants for pollinators.

Alternatively, for help selecting the best bulbs for your gardening project, contact our team at Boston Bulbs on 01775 769333, or email sales@bostonbulbswholesale.co.uk.

The Boston Bulb Company has over 40 years of experience in supplying only the finest quality horticultural products from farmers and growers throughout the UK and Europe