Fall is a great month for gardeners for many reasons. Not only are your fruits and veggies at their best, but according to experts, “this is the season to do less.”
For example, leaving inappropriate leaves on your lawn can provide a convenient place for wildlife to fight, while leaving ivy undisturbed can provide a rare late-blooming food source for birds and pollinators.
And according to Chris Bonnet, founder of GardeningExpress.co.uk , autumn is a good time to ignore certain animal-friendly weeds too.
“Weeds don’t always have to be bad news – some of them can actually be very valuable to your local wildlife,” he said.
“You don’t have to let your garden become overgrown, but if you have the space, leaving a patch of weeds to grow can make a huge difference in the biodiversity of your garden,” added Bonnet — weeds like:
1) dandelions
Of course, they are usually associated with early spring nectar. But according to a gardening expert: “Their fluffy seed heads are a valuable food source for birds such as goldfinches and sparrows.”
That’s why leaving some to go to seed can be so valuable for wildlife conservation.
2) Nettles
Although they might bother us, they provide food for butterfly species like the red admiral and the turtle dove.
“As temperatures begin to drop, nettle patches also provide shelter for insects preparing to overwinter,” Bonnett added.
3) Dadi
Despite their reputation as a weed, Wildlife Trust points out that thistle seeds offer food for birds, such as the goldenrod, even after their flowers stop providing nectar for butterflies, such as the little copper.
Bonnett agrees: “As their flowering season ends and their seed heads ripen, they offer a feast for flocks of goldeneyes and other birds.”
4) Dock
Not only can they provide welcome relief from any accidental stings (seeing as nettles have a place in your conservatory), but they supply both food and shelter.
“The large, broad leaves of docks create protected microhabitats, and their leaves are an essential food source for the larvae of insects such as the green dock beetle,” Bonnett said.
“In late summer and early fall, its seeds provide a reliable food source for seed-eating birds.”
5) broadleaf plantain
You might notice this growth in sidewalk cracks and on your borders.
“Its broad leaves provide food for small mammals such as rabbits, as well as insects such as bees, hoverflies and certain caterpillars,” Bonnett said.
“The dense rosettes also offer shelter for insects and other small creatures, making it a valuable plant for biodiversity.”
