The days are certainly feeling colder as I wait for frost to arrive. This period can be a bit nerve-wracking for us gardeners, as we check and check again that we’ve done everything to protect our plants from frost and prepare the yard for winter. But I realized there’s one area I’ve been neglecting: supporting wildlife as the seasons transition.
Whether you have a carefully curated wildlife garden or just a few wildlife features in your yard, it’s key to keep offering support as we head into the coldest time of the year. If, like me, you are running out of time to put together some resources, don’t fret. You can do a few quick things to make your yard wildlife-friendly before frost arrives.
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How to Make Your Yard Wildlife-Friendly Before Frost
Supporting wildlife in the winter garden refers to a number of different things. It could be feeding birds in winter, offering lots of winter native planting for food sources, or providing shelter spots.
Experts say you can take this up a notch by creating an insulated wildlife shelter for extra warmth in preparation for frost:
How to Make an Insulated Wildlife Shelter
(Image credit: Kenneth Bieber via Alamy)
When I asked gardening experts for a quick solution to make my yard wildlife-friendly before frost arrives, they suggested one thing to prioritize: somewhere warm for wildlife to shelter in.
‘A slow, quietly composting heap gives off gentle heat, perfect for earthworms, beetles, and even hibernating toads,’ says Siobhan Shaw, sustainable gardening expert and founder of Growing to Give.
‘Instead of sealing your compost bin tight, leave a few gaps or a wild side where small creatures can slip in and out,’ she suggests.
If you make your own compost, it can actually be beneficial to have wildlife use it for a warm spot at this time of year because it provides some aeration, keeping your pile productive and helping you to maintain compost over winter.
Now is also a great time to start a compost heap, as there is a lot of organic matter from fall gardening tasks to add in. You can purchase a compost bin with a lid from Amazon to start your pile and keep an opening to welcome wildlife.
There are also other ways to provide an insulated wildlife shelter:
‘Small mammals, frogs and insects take shelter in the lowest layers of your yard to keep warm,’ explains Peter Gros, wildlife expert and co-host of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom.
‘You can help by creating a soft, insulated ground zone that mixes leaves, mulch, and low brush to trap heat and moisture,’ he suggests. ‘I like to think of it as a wildlife blanket that helps keep the ground from freezing solid for wildlife who are trying to survive the winter.’
Use this leaf collector from Amazon to collect leaves and create these shelter spots in your yard.
Siobhan Shaw
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Gardening Expert
Siobhan is the co-founder of Growing to Give, a dynamic global non-profit dedicated to transforming community-focused food security and agriculture through sustainable farming and gardening practices. Siobhan is a passionate advocate for women’s empowerment in agriculture, mentoring women who aspire to careers in the field. Siobhan also continues her decades of podcasting as the host and co-producer of the health and well-being podcast titled Real Talk.
Peter Gros
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Wildlife Gardening Expert
Peter Gros is a veteran wildlife expert who shares his love for wildlife and wilderness with families and children throughout the country. He has nearly 30 years of field experience with wildlife and has been a part of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom since 1985.
Other Ways to Help Wildlife Before Frost
(Image credit: Eckhard Supp via Alamy)
Alongside creating an insulated wildlife shelter, you can also make your yard wildlife-friendly before frost by doing the following things:
‘Hang feeders filled with nuts and seeds to give local wildlife the extra calories they need to get through colder days, especially when their usual food sources become scarce,’ Peter suggests.
There are plenty of bird feeders for fall and winter that provide birds with high-energy foods for extra warmth. Some good food options include suet balls (from Amazon) and wild bird seed mixes (from Amazon).
‘Planting the best evergreen shrubs can be a windbreak and roost for birds. Native evergreens like holly, juniper, or wax myrtle are great since their berries double as food through winter,’ Siobhan says.
Shop for evergreen shrubs at Nature Hills, to find the best fit for your yard.
FAQsWhich Garden Wildlife Use Backyards in Winter?
Many birds will remain in northern regions for winter, like robins, cardinals, and chickadees. They will be seeking refuge in backyards, particularly benefiting from food and shelter sources. Other garden wildlife likely sheltering in your yard during winter include hibernating frogs, squirrels, and lots of beneficial insects, including ladybugs.
You should also be aware not to over-tidy your yard in fall because it can impact hibernating wildlife. Likewise, try planting winter plants for wildlife ahead of frost.
Shop Wildlife Garden Accessories:
This wooden bird house can be placed in a tree to provide shelter for birds during the winter months.
Pollinator Watering Station
Insert these pollinator watering stations in flower borders. Bees and butterflies benefit from a water source like this year-round.
This bug hotel has lots of nooks for bugs to retreat to for warmth and rest. It’s constructed from sturdy fir wood.
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