Wildlife Section in Allotment help and stuff.

[Evilspartacus]

Ok where to start hmmm


I got an allotment last year and decided to have a section/haven/jungle for wildlife there was already a medium sized bush in the allotment so i decided to put the wildlife section there. I bought 3 packets of seeds, which consisted of Teasel, Foxglove & a Wildflower mix, a Tree (produces yellow berries and 2 small bushes (one of which produce black berries) i can’t recall the names of them .

And that is about has far as i have gone with it so far as the packets the seeds came in said that they would not appear till this year. Very little as far as i can tell as appeared yet but maybe that because of the slightly colder climate up here in Scotland.

I would very much like as many beasties and as many kinds of beasties roaming my tiny jungle as possible.

So what should i do now?

I'm planning to get a bird table at the end of the month should this be placed in the wildlife section or should i put it somewhere else in the allotment?

I also intended on having a nest box in place for next spring would it be best to specialise or get a box that many different birds can use? Also could i have nest boxes in close proximity to one another if not would i be able to have other species boxes lacewings bugs etc near to the nest boxes?

Would a washing up bowel do as a pond? Should i line it with proper pond lining or could i get away with a black bin liner?

Would it be worthwhile putting a smallish pile of wood in the wildlife section?

I look forward to reading your answers and further suggestions


Ta muchly Evil.



PS The wildlife section works out to be about 1.5 metres by 4 metres

[Jez]

Hi Evil,

Any photos you can upload are always a great help and also the plots situ so we can assess the area in better detail to help you make the most for wildlife. We may also be able to Identify the tree and the bushes you have and beneficial to wildlife they are! I'm always keen to help out but need a bit more to go on, hope you don't mind!?!

Jez

[Jez]

Teasel habitat and distribution according to 1 source states - An often common and conspicuous plant of streamsides, damp and grassy places, waysides and waste ground in southern Britain, extending north to Fife; rare in the north and in Wales, and scattered in Ireland.

[Evilspartacus]

hmm photo's

I'll probably put up some tomorrow after i have been to the allotment.

Warning ahead of time they will be the worst pics on this forum as i have a distinct lack of artistic flair.

As for my tree and bushes i think may have labels next to them saying what they are.

But yeah I’ll take pics tomorrow of my bushes and tree and then various ones of my allotment giving some kind of context to it's position.

PS I think that the tree maybe a Crab Apple tree.

[Hedera]

A rustic birdtable with bark left on the wood would be good, as insects could shelter there and the birds could pick at them. If your allotment is in the open the bird table would be best near your little tree and bushes as they like to fly to some shelter.
Some tall plants e.g. foxgloves, and your teasels would attract bees and birds. Depends on your soil type.
You can cut up bamboos or hollow stemmed plants to make your own bee and lacewing nests.
Good luck anyway, we'll love to see the results.

[Jez]

The good ideas are coming in for you know Evil. Nice one Hedera!

[cutecoot]

Just one bit of advice if you're thinking of using a washing up bowl as a pond .. make sure there is something in there, a stone or something with a bit of a slope/grip, so that if any birds that come to drink from the pond happen to fall into the water they have a way of climbing out again (My sister had a few casualties from using a similar sort of thing for a pond )

[Jez]

I'd be happier myself to make a small bird bath come watering hole out of butyl liner with the turf banking into the pond (doesn't have to be too deep or big). What you will need to do is cut into the turf and roll it back remembering that when you come to roll it back it is going to sit slightly into the water. So the pond/bath/watering hole what have you needs to be slightly longer and wider, not too much possibly 3/4". Sit the liner into the shape made with a layer of soft sand underneath as not to get punctured with enough liner left to sit under the turf as it is rolled back with its turf edge just dipping inside giving it a natural look!

Down side to this would be topping up the water as the grass roots will want to drink from it too!

[Kayleigh]

Hi Evil,

A washing up bowl is too shallow for any water wildlife to become established as it would freeze right through in winter but a small pond with a depth of 2ft with sloping edges would be fine I think....
Don't know if the other members of the allotment would appreciate you providing them with their very own Scottish midges lol..

A wood pile is also beneficial to wildlife..

Looking forward to the pics..

[cutecoot]

Yep, I agree with Jez