Top 5 Benefits Of Having Hedgehogs In Your Garden

by John Griffith
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Hedgehogs may be tiny, but their benefits to the garden are mighty. This little creature is every gardener’s friend. They take care of a ton of tasks around your property without you knowing it. Having hedgehogs hanging around your garden is truly a blessing. They deal with pest control, garden maintenance and so much more. Who knew something so small can be so useful. If you start seeing hedgehogs around your property, try to make them feel as welcome as possible, so you enjoy all their handy work. Instead of shooing them away, make them your friend and keep them around! Today, we will share with you some of the top benefits of having hedgehogs in your garden.

This little creature is every gardener’s friend

hedgehogs in your garden hedgehog in between clovers

Benefits Of Having Hedgehogs In Your Garden

Hedgehogs are absolutely adorable. But these small prickly creatures aren’t just pleasing to the eye, they are also marvelous gardeners. That’s exactly why you want to keep them around your garden. There are a ton of ways hedgehogs help around the garden. Today we will tell some of the main reasons, you should try to keep them around.

Hedgehogs are absolutely adorable

small hedgehog in flowers

#Natural pest control

It is completely natural for your garden to attract certain pests. However, this is something you won’t have to worry about if you have hedgehogs hanging around your property. They are a great control of natural pest control. Hedgehogs love to feed on pesky insects like beetles, slugs, snails, and other types of bugs that may cause damage to your plants and flowers. So, by letting them roam free and enjoy their all-you-can-eat buffet, you can ensure the pest population in your garden is maintained low.This way you own’t have to use chemical pesticides that may be harmful to you and the environment.

Hedgehogs love to feed on pesky insects

hedgehog peaking through wood

#Maintain the ecosystem

While you may not notice them at all times, hedgehogs actually play an active role in maintaining a healthy ecosystem for your garden. But how? These prickly creatures clean up any fallen berries, fruits, and other types of fallen organic debris that may attract pests. This also stops the growth of bacteria and mold around your garden. By maintaining the cleanliness of your garden, they remove the potential souses of disease and infestation. So, you are left with a clean, vibrant garden. Thank you hedgehogs!

Hedgehogs play an active role in maintaining a healthy ecosystem

hedgehog with grass in its mouth

#Pollinate plants

While hedgehogs aren’t really considered to be primary pollinators, unlike bees and butterflies, they do still pollinate plants. They just do it by accident. Hedgehogs also visit flowers in hopes of finding sweet nectar and pollen. So, as they move from one flower to another, all the pollen stuck to their spines or fur gets moved around. This accidental transfer of pollen is great for the pollination process of your plants, as it supports their reproduction and contributes to a thriving garden ecosystem.

Hedgehogs also visit flowers in hopes of finding sweet nectar and pollen

close up of a hedgehog

#They fertilize soil

These little creatures have a diet that consists mainly of worms, insects, and other types of invertebrates. So, as they traverse around your garden, it’s more likely than not they will do their business at one point. While this may sound yucky to you, it is actually very beneficial for your soil. Hedgehog droppings are rich in nutrients, so they act as a natural fertilizer. This helps to enhance the soil’s fertility and promotes a healthier plant growth.

Hedgehog droppings are rich in nutrients

hedgehog walking on path

#Helps with conservation

Sadly, the hedgehog population is declining due to habitat loss and many other factors. So, by creating an environment that is hedgehog-friendly you are contributing to the conservation of these beautiful creatures. Your garden can be a little safe haven for the hedgehog population in your area. This will help keep the natural balance of the world around you.

Your garden can be a little safe haven for these creatures

hedgehog in the garden

These were just some benefits of having hedgehogs in your garden. We hope you found this article useful. Now you will know not to shoo these creatures away next time and can even try to make your garden as hedgehog friendly as possible to attract them more!

These were just some benefits of having hedgehogs in your garden

hedgehog eating off ground

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John Griffith

John Griffith is a young, passionate journalist. Writing has been John’s hobby ever since he was a boy. He has worked in some of the UK’s most successful news portals over the course of his professional career but found his forever home at Archzine.