This archive brings together practical, experience-led articles from The Backyard Farmer, covering gardening, DIY, indoor growing, foraging, reviews, and sustainable living. Each post is written with real-world use in mind — focusing on working with nature, building practical skills, and making sustainable choices more accessible.
Most UK hedgehogs begin hibernating in October or November and emerge again around March or April. However, these months are only a guide. Some hedgehogs settle down earlier or remain active later, depending on the weather, food availability, body condition and the individual animal. Hedgehogs
A hedgehog house provides a quiet, sheltered place to rest, nest and hibernate. This design uses suitable reclaimed pallet boards to create a compact shelter with a raised floor, a 300mm entrance tunnel and a removable roof protected by a loose weatherproof covering. Pallet boards
Wild hedgehogs mainly eat insects and other invertebrates, including beetles, earthworms, caterpillars, earwigs, millipedes and slugs. Their natural diet varies with the season, weather and what is available in their habitat. If you want to help a hedgehog visiting your garden, offer a small amount
Hedgehogs are mainly nocturnal, so seeing one in daylight can sometimes mean it needs help. Daylight activity alone does not prove that a hedgehog is ill: a bright, alert animal moving with purpose may simply be travelling, nesting or responding to disturbance. A hedgehog that
Feeding hedgehogs can provide useful supplementary food, but food that is accessible to a hedgehog may also be accessible to rats. The best practical approach is to offer a small amount after sunset, keep it available for a limited time and remove leftovers before morning.
If you want to attract hedgehogs to your garden, start by making it easy for them to get in and out. A small opening in the boundary, natural cover, fresh water and a garden free from common hazards are more important than buying specialist products.