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Wildlife Garden

Woodchips or Grass

15 years ago

I have a 50' by 75' back lawn which I mow only a few times a season. Over 12 years I have never fetilized the area and I have allowed most anything to grow there. I have enjoyed seeing many tiny weedy plants that most people with manicured lawns never get to see. By the end of the season the area looks very unkempt. I notice that many breeds of birds scratch around the grass looking for insects and turning up lots of moths. My front yard is woodchips and I am considering dumping woodchips in the back. Woodchips would provide habitat for worms, salamanders and other insects. Any opinons about the net change in food source for birds?

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midwesternerr
15 years ago
Well, the wood chips will reduce the amount of seeds and change the types of insects available for a while I would think. One solution might be to incorporate some logs and large rocks into the weed patch. This would add hideouts for toads, woodland insects, and salamanders while maintaining the weeds and weed-featings insects for the birds.
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