Hedgehogs and frosts.

The second hedgehog that we found on our lawn re-appeared a day later not looking well.  I took it straight to the local vet as Little Prickles had told us the first hedgehog had died. 

The vet treated the second one and then passed it to Little Prickles for care but sadly it died too. 

It is suspected that both were poisoned; the first one smelled of cleaning fluid and its thought that someone in our area had cleaned a patio or deck and left the fluid out and as it has been quite dry in this part of Hampshire the hedgehogs were looking for water and drank some of the fluid.  They only need a small drop to be fatal.  The other possibility is slug pellets of course; these can kill hedgehogs too. 

In the absence of our hedgehogs, I have been out each day hunting for slugs and finding plenty them.  I'm afraid I can't handle them without using a disposable glove: they are just too yucky. 

As the weather people say we are about to have a cold snap the Engineer has put some protection over my seedlings, its just left over plastic roofing from when we built our log store but once we have dealt with the open ends it should do the job.  It won't need to be on for long I hope.

Frugal frost protection.

I hope the gardeners among you in the UK are ready for the forecast frost, and please look after the hedgehogs.  Through dry spells its best to leave out a bowl of water for them so they won't need to go looking for it, although they really shouldn't be given milk to drink.