Preparing Your Garden for The Colder Months

As the colder months approach, gardens across the UK start to quieten down. For hedgehogs, however, this is one of the most critical times of the year. Hedgehogs hibernate during winter – usually from November through to March – and the way we prepare and manage our gardens can make a huge difference to their survival. By taking a few simple steps, you can help these much-loved creatures stay safe, sheltered, and well-fed throughout the winter season.

Provide Safe Access with Hedgehog Highways

Hedgehogs don’t stay in one garden. During the night they may travel over a mile searching for food and shelter. Unfortunately, many gardens are fenced in, making it hard for them to roam. To help, create a small hole about 13cm in diameter at the bottom of your fence or hedge. This simple “hedgehog highway” allows them to move freely between gardens. If you can encourage your neighbours to do the same, you’ll be creating a vital wildlife corridor that helps hedgehogs find what they need to survive.

Create Nesting and Hibernation Spots

Hedgehogs need somewhere warm and safe to hibernate. Tidy gardens with manicured lawns and cleared borders often leave them with no choice but to curl up in unsafe places like sheds, compost heaps, or under garden furniture. You can help by:

Leaving leaf piles – instead of bagging them up, let them collect in a corner of your garden.

Building a log pile – this creates a natural, sheltered nesting spot.

Providing a hedgehog house – these can be bought online or at garden centres. Place the house in a quiet, shaded area away from foot traffic and curious pets.

Avoid disturbing these areas once winter sets in, as a hedgehog may already be hibernating there.

Avoid Garden Hazards

Winter gardening jobs can be risky for hedgehogs. Before using a strimmer, mower, or turning over a compost heap, check carefully for resting hogs. Their nests are often well-hidden and can be easily overlooked. Bonfires are another major hazard – what looks like a perfect pile of wood to us is often the ideal shelter for a hedgehog. Always move the pile to a new location before lighting or build your bonfire on the same day you plan to burn it.

Keep Your Pond Safe

If you have a pond, make sure hedgehogs can climb out if they fall in. In winter, icy conditions make it even harder for them to escape. Place partially submerged rocks or a simple wooden ramp at the edge or ensure your pond has a gently sloping side. This will allow hedgehogs and other wildlife to get out safely.

Offer Food and Water

In the run-up to hibernation, hedgehogs need to build up enough fat reserves to survive. Natural food sources like beetles, worms, and slugs become scarce as temperatures drop, so supplementing their diet is vital. Place out:

Specialist hedgehog food such as Brambles Crunchy or Meaty Hedgehog Food.

Fresh water in a shallow dish (never milk, as it makes hedgehogs very ill).

If you want to prevent cats and foxes from stealing the food, set up a feeding station. You can buy one ready-made or make your own from a sturdy plastic box with a hedgehog-sized entrance.

Foods to avoid giving hedgehogs include:

Bread and milk

Mealworms, peanuts, sunflower hearts (too much phosphorus – can cause bone disease)

Dried fruit and sugary foods

High-fat foods (over 15% fat content)

Keep Watch for Hedgehogs in Trouble

Although hedgehogs hibernate during the coldest months, milder winters in the UK often see them waking up in search of food. If you spot a hedgehog out in the daytime in winter, it’s usually a sign something is wrong. Contact a local hedgehog rescue immediately for advice. Keeping food and water available throughout the season can be a lifesaver for those that rouse early.

A Winter Refuge for Wildlife

By making your garden hedgehog-friendly this winter, you’re not only helping one of our most iconic species but also supporting the wider ecosystem. Hedgehogs are natural pest controllers, and a healthy hedgehog population is a sign of a balanced garden environment.
So, before winter truly sets in, take a little time to prepare your outdoor space. Create safe access routes, leave quiet areas undisturbed, check for hidden hogs, and provide food and water. These small actions can make a big difference – and with our help, hedgehogs have a much better chance of surviving the colder months.