Log pile ...

[Blackdogjnr]

Hey,

I'm going to try and incorporate rot into my garden much more in future, i hopes of attracting more fungi, invertibrates etc

I have come into contact with a chap getting rid of large amounts of wood. I thought this'd be a great way to get myself a bunch of log piles near the pond and behind the shed...

The logs are untreated pine and have been kept dry for about ten years aparrently, I assume the guy is selling it as firewood.

Do you know if this will do? Are there any types of wood that are suitable?
When I think of log piles I always envision actual chunks of tree... perhaps this is purely an aesthetic thing for a wildlife type garden... ? Also wondering, if I half-bury logs and keep them damp how long it usually takes for them to start to rot enough for creepies to start feeding and living under there?

Any thoughts?

[Dogghound]

Half burying will increase the speed of the rot, completely burying afew logs and putting some normal ones above them will also be a good idea and maybe rotating them in a year or so. They are great for wildlife, however it is worth considering you will get alot more numbers and diversity of species of invertebrate if you use deciduous logs, which in turn will attract more amphibians etc. You will still get a number of creepy crawlys with pine though.

[sunnydale]

I have quite a few deciduous logs in my garden, kindly donated by a friend of mine who's a tree surgeon
Some are now rotting down quite nicely and have fungi growing on them and around them. I've been amazed at the variety of invertebrates and other creepy crawlies that now exist underneath them. Not long ago, I had a small toad hiding in my Germander Speedwell! I was pulling Couch grass from out the middle of it when the toad hopped out and made me jump!
I covered my borders with a good quality mulch a couple of years ago and placed the logs randomly on top, although it's getting ready to have a new layer of mulch put on now and some new logs too.

The blackbirds and Thrushes are always scratting in it to get to the creepies beneath.

What started out as an idea to make my garden more low maintenance (I have Scoliosis and gardening hurts), has become a mini ecosystem in it's own right!

So yes, Blackdogjnr, get yourself some lovely logs for your garden!

[nightshade]

I have found that standing the logs in their "natural" upright attitude increases the incidence of Fungi and of course different types of tree/log
encourage different types of fungi and insect/invert.

[Blackdogjnr]

Excellent advice guys.
Thanks as always.

I've arranged for a few large bags to be delivered tomorrow.
In terms of getting other types of logs, where do I go? garden centres? farms?

Also I have noticed many people reccomend having large established patches of stinging nettles and other 'weeds' in the garden... sounds wierd but where would I get these? Just have a walk in some scrubland and steal some clumps of nettles???

[sunnydale]

Originally Posted by Blackdogjnr

Just have a walk in some scrubland and steal some clumps of nettles???

Ouch! Rather you than me!
I collect wild flower seeds at the end of the Summer but only from where a species is abundant. I plant them in the garden and it's interesting to see which ones come up!

Is that naughty?

[nightshade]

Just kick up a piece of root for the nettles, phone around the firewood/log sellers they have access to whole trees most of the time

[sunnydale]

........or do like I did and make friends with a tree fella!

[thunder]

Originally Posted by Blackdogjnr

Also I have noticed many people reccomend having large established patches of stinging nettles and other 'weeds' in the garden... sounds wierd but where would I get these? Just have a walk in some scrubland and steal some clumps of nettles???

Large established patches of nettles are not as good as small, scrawny patches in full sunlight, especially if you are thinking of attracting Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell butterflies

henrya

[Kymba]

While your out looking for nettles to Pinch <> You could also try and pick up some already rotten bits of wood to give your log piles a kick start. This is what i have done and it means you have instant wildlife to look at and they will very quickly spread onto your new wood.