Hedgehogs are one of the few mammals that truly hibernate. During hibernation they look like they’re asleep but they’re actually in a state of torpor, dropping their body temperature to slow down bodily functions and save energy. During hibernation hedgehogs don’t eat or drink, relying instead on stored body fat. It’s therefore important that hedgehogs eat as much as possible before hibernation to help them survive winter – those that don’t gain enough weight before autumn can’t hibernate. These individuals are often found during the day and need taking to a rescue centre immediately.
Where do hedgehogs hibernate?
Hedgehogs hibernate in dry, sheltered, out-of-the-way places such as in log and leaf piles, large open compost heaps, and in the spaces beneath sheds. They may also choose a well-placed hedgehog house. If you have a hedgehog house, avoid checking it as any disturbance may disturb the hedgehog and result in it losing energy or having to find a new place to rest.
Hedgehogs never hibernate in an exposed place. If you find a hedgehog out in the open that appears to be sleeping or hibernating then it will almost certainly be very sick and will need taking to a rescue centre immediately. Using gloves, pick up the hedgehog and pop it in a high-sided box with a towel in the bottom and keep it warm – use a covered hot water bottle if necessary. Call your local rescue centre immediately.
When do hedgehogs hibernate?
Hedgehogs typically hibernate from October to March, although in mild winters they can be active into November and December, and some may not hibernate at all. Those that do hibernate may not do so constantly – it’s perfectly normal for them to move to a different hibernation site
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African violet is perhaps the only full-blown paradox that can survive on a windowsill. On one hand, it is a celebrated show plant, with new cultivars eagerly sought after by collectors and enthusiasts. It has its own organization, the African Violet Society of America, and its own magazine, African Violet. A quick Internet search reveals that there are almost as many African violet sites as there are pages for sex and dieting. And yet, these plants are mass-produced by the hundreds of thousands and are readily available for a minuscule price from mom and pop garden centers, enormous mega-merchandisers, and a host of medium-size vendors.
Possibly from the Latin barba, a beard, many species have a hairy or downy look (Scrophulariaceae). Mullein. A genus of 300 species of hardy herbaceous plants, mostly biennials or short-lived perennials, from temperate parts of Europe and Asia.
Named for Karl August von Bergen, 1704-60, German botanist (Saxifragaceae). These hardy perennial herbaceous plants with large evergreen leaves were at one time called megasea, and were at another time included with the saxifrages. The flowers which come in early spring are showy in white, pink or red-purple, borne in large heads on long stems. The large leathery, glossy leaves are also decorative, especially as in some kinds the foliage is suffused with reddish color in winter.
From the Greek pyr, fire, probably with reference to fever, since the plant was used medicinally to assuage fever (Compositae). These hardy plants are admirable for a sunny border and last well as cut flowers. Long known as pyrethrum they are botanically classified under Chrysanthemum.
The students have returned to school, your mailbox is crammed with a new crop of seed catalogs, the leaves are falling, and the days are getting shorter. Drive by your local garden center or roadside stand and the displays are filled with ornamental kales and cabbages. Autumn has arrived.
From the Greek helios, the sun, and anthemon. a flower (Cistaceae). Sun Rose. A genus of evergreen and semi-evergreen shrubs, sub-shrubs, perennial plants and annuals, very free flowering. Numerous named varieties and hybrids are grown and four species are native plants.
After Helen of Troy ; according to legend the flowers sprang from her tears (Compositae). Sneezeweed. Hardy herbaceous perennials from North America, good for cutting and popularly grown for their late summer flowers. The disc of the flower head is very prominent, a characteristic of the entire genus.
I have given up indoor seed starting completely on several occasions. The first time it happened I was a novice gardener. I had ordered seeds of just about every plant that I saw in the garden catalogs without thinking about such practical things as gallons of potting soil, hours of daily watering, and square feet of windowsill space. It also did not occur to me to determine whether or not I had room in my garden for even a fraction of my seedlings. My chaotic efforts eventually produced some wonderful plants, but the process was so exhausting that I said: “Never again.”
Commemorating M. Gaillard de Marentonneau, a French patron of botany (Compositae). Blanket flower. A small genus of annuals and perennials, natives of America, with a long flowering period, useful for cut flowers. Somewhat untidy in habit, the long stalks fall about in wind and rain. Gaillardias need some twiggy stakes to help to keep the flowers clean and in full view.
Tender climbing perennial plants which are free flowering and suitable for growing in pots in the greenhouse, or for planting out of doors. They are closely related to the Snapdragon (Antirrhinum), to whose family, Scrophulariaceae, they belong.