1.    The total mass of ants on planet earth outweighs the total mass of humans This might seem at first to be nearly impossible due to the much smaller size of individual ants versus that of human beings, but the fact of the matter is that the number of ants on this plant far outnumbers that of humans. It is thought that there are roughly 1.5 million ants for every human being on earth. 2.    Ants can be found on every continent except Antarctica There are well over 12,000 different species of these insects, and they can be found in virtually any setting on every continent on earth. They are equally at home in vast forests or even in a city setting. However the greatest number of insects is found in tropical regions of the world, such as the Brazilian rainforest and the African savanna. In fact it has been posited that a single acre of rainforest can be home to as many as three and a half million individual ants. 3.    They can form massive and self-sustaining colonies Because they are a highly social insect, it is no surprise that ants have a tendency to create huge colonies. The largest known colony of these creatures can be found in California, where there is a single mass of Argentine ants that stretches for over 600 miles and contains many millions of insects. In fact it is bordered by several smaller colonies that can occasionally be seen to engage in wars with each other. These colonies can be staggeringly large, sometimes reaching up to 20 feet underground. 4.    Ants occasionally raise and herd other insects Several species of ants display behaviors that are analogous to human activities in agriculture. For instance they will often surround a group of smaller insects such as aphids, and offer them protection from predators in exchange for allowing the ants to ingest the sweet substance that the aphids naturally secrete. The protective relationship even goes so far as actively destroying the eggs of the insects that might prey on the aphids such as ladybugs. 5.    Ants can enslave rival colonies It is relatively common for these insects to raid and rob the eggs from neighboring colonies. Once the eggs have been returned to the main colony of the raiding ants, they are raised as their own and once they hatch the new ants are kept as virtual slaves to the new colony, doing the same chores and protecting the nest in much the same way as the original insects. Generally speaking this behavior only extends across different species of the insect, however there are recorded cases of colonies of the same species of ant enslaving individuals from their species in their colony. 6.    Ants have one of the most regimented caste systems in the animal world The leader and most important individual insect in each colony is the queen. She is responsible for laying eggs and ensuring the survival of the colony and the strength of future generations. The queen on average has by far the longest lifespan of any of the colony, and can lay many thousands of eggs during her life. She is served by a huge army of worker ants, who are responsible for finding food and searching for new areas that might be hospitable for the expansion of the hive. On virtually the same level as the workers are the soldiers, who are not found among every species of ant, but are vital to the protection of the nest. They are equipped with larger jaws than the workers, which they put to use in the defense of the colony. 7.    They wage elaborate warfare against other colonies Several species of ant have been found to wage large-scale war against rival colonies. This often involves mere physical combat, and among the larger colonies warfare can cause the death of several million ants over the course of a few weeks or even months. There are also recorded cases of these insects using tactics that resemble psychological warfare against their rivals, such as camping out around the targeted nest and laying siege to the colony for several days before beginning any offensive action. The colonies that are targeted in this manner often stand no chance of defending themselves, as they are unable to forage in the days leading up to the inevitable attack. 8.    They can lift up to 50 times their own body weight Worker ants are able to lift and carry for long distances objects that outweigh them by up to 50 times. This would be equivalent to a human being being able to lift and carry something approaching the size of a family sedan. This ability is made possible by the low center of gravity of the insects and the power of their muscular structure, which is centered primarily in the front of their bodies. 9.    Ants can move 50 tons of soil per year in one square mile of land It has long been known that the ant is among the greatest movers of land in the animal kingdom. There are several reasons why they move dirt and soil. Among these reasons are objectives such as building nests and creating protective barriers for those same nests. In fact many species of the insect can create huge mounds of earth that are visible from quite some distance away. 10.     They can survive for up to a day underwater Because they do not rely on lungs to breathe but rather draw air in through holes in their thorax known as spiracles, ants can be submerged for quite some time before they suffer any negative consequences. There are cases on record of colonies being subject to floods, after which the ants came back to life seemingly miraculously after up to 24 hours submerged in the water. To learn more about ants, including ant control, please visit Do My Own Pest Control at www.domyownpestcontrol.com. Read more »

You just woke up to a beautiful morning. You go out to your veranda and stretch your arms and back. Then lo and behold! Instead of being greeted by a lush, green scenery, you find a yard that is a big mess. What to do? Landscape your garden! You might think that landscaping is strictly for the experts. Think again. Even non-pros like you can do it too. Just take note of the tips below and start beautifying your yard. • Measure your yard: Include all the nitty gritties such as the spacing, driveways, and columns. Come up with a blueprint after measuring your yard. Draw where the elements are situated as of the moment. Do not leave out any detail as this is important in creating a plan for your yard. My tip is to use a pencil in drawing so you can still make erasures. • Photocopy your drawing of the yard: This is a pretty neat trick that I saw on a design show. This is very useful especially if you have different designs for the yard. This way, you don’t have to draw the yard elements over and over. It’s indeed a time-saver! • Make a list of what you want: The list should include plants, trees (depending on your preference), fixtures, or any elements that you want to add. You can even ask your family members to help in the brainstorming. Some might want a fountain, outdoor dining area, barbeque area, or even a compost pit. Just jot them down. My tip is to add a walkway to keep you from stepping on your plants. This also adds beauty to your garden. In addition to aesthetic value, this walkway will also help you navigate around your garden. You can build a patio too. This will give you an area to entertain visitors in your outdoor space. Come up with another list of things you want to add for your patio. • Pick the elements you want best: Make sure that your picks fit the area well. In addition to that, ensure that your elements are situated in the best place possible. For example, you can’t put your vegetables under a shady tree as they need sunlight. • The expensive and high maintenance elements should be placed near your home. Outdoor TV, barbeque grill, or water fountain are just some of the examples. This way, you can keep them from being stolen. Another reason is that if they are closer to home, you can immediately fix them. • Do your homework. If you want to put plants in your yard, research about the best soil you can use to grow them. Delve into the different needs of your plants as well. To make it easier and more efficient for you, you can cluster plants with the same needs. • Install before planting. Set up your bricks, concrete, tiles, wood works, or anything part of the hardscape before planting. Get advice from where you bought your hardscape components from. This will save you time and effort as you are able to dodge potential troubles in installing the hardscape components. • Buy the seeds and plants that you want in your garden. Don’t forget about your design as you plant your flowers, trees, or vegetables. Protect your plants with leaves or any organic substances to keep them from losing moisture. Water them too. • Be extra watchful after planting the seeds. Look out for any problems or trouble. If you encounter problems, bring a sample of your plant to a professional or anyone who is very well-versed when it comes to plants. Take note of what the plants need to thrive. Say goodbye to your messy, dull and unorganized yard. Take note and use the tips in this post to get the best result. Good luck and I hope you have a good time landscaping! Author’s bio: Marcy Gray loves undertaking big projects such as gardening and landscaping. In addition, she likes to write reviews about baby care products such as the first years wave stroller and britax b ready stroller. She has been in the baby care industry for three years now. Read more »

There are so many great reasons why you should start your own vegetable garden, from the rising costs of food prices, the superior taste of your own fresh veg to the pleasure you will get from harvesting your own vegetables. So what do you need to get your vegetable garden started? Even if you are lucky enough to have a large plot of available land it’s wiser to think small. It’s better to have a small manageable garden that is highly productive than a large sprawling garden that can be difficult to manage and yields poor results. Planning your garden Properly planning your garden will be the key to its future success, everything from the location of the garden to the soil, the vegetables you want to grow and even the time that you can afford to spend each week showed all the accounted for. Location The majority of vegetables will need on average of about eight hours of sunlight a day so find a spot that will be able to accommodate that. Now that you found the perfect location it’s time to look at the soil, which is the most important aspect of any garden, good soil will yield good crops and bad soil will take a lot of work to bring it up to scratch. If your soil is poor you will need to add a lot of organic matter like compost and manure to help increase the nutrients in your soil but also help with drainage. Organic materials can help to aerate the soil making it much easier water to drain away. A quick test to see what kind of soil you have is to pick a piece and rub it in your hands, the ideal type of soil should be crumbly and feel light and airy. If it is cloggy or feels sharp and gritty then you may need to manure to make it more productive. The next thing you will need to investigate is the drainage of your soil. The best drainage is often found on level ground but the makeup of your soil will also play an important part. If your soil is clumpy then water may find it difficult to drain away. If your soil is to sandy then you may face problems with water and nutrients draining away too fast, this can be rectified by adding a lot of organic plant material that helps to aerate the soil. What will you plant? This is normally an easy decision for most, as you should plant what you and your family like to eat. But you should also take into consideration the harvest time of each crop you plant. If you set your garden with crops that mature at the same time you will be left with a glut of food in a short space of time while there may be slim pickings throughout the rest of the season. It’s also wise to choose vegetables that are suited to your climate and growing conditions that you can provide them. Vegetable gardening is not only a great source of cheap and tasty vegetables but for many it’s their passion and pride. If you can find time in your busy life to start your own vegetable garden you will soon find that it can reward you in so many more ways than just the vegetables it produces. This is a guest post by Neil from My Garden Hammock. A site dedicated to making the most of your outdoor space and taking the time to enjoy it to the fullest. The site also provides a wealth of information on garden hammocks and his favourite type the mexican hammocks Read more »

Starting an allotment or vegetable patch out back? Discover the dos and don’ts of planting and picking. Getting started Your first job is to clear any weeds. ‘Cut back the overgrowth, then use a fork to dig out the roots. Your soil is your best asset. So it’s better to use only part of your plot and clear it properly than to take chemical shortcuts with weed killer Designing your plot Look at where the sun falls, find any shady or boggy areas, check how exposed your site is, and use all this information to decide which crops should go where. Seed packets will tell you the best soil conditions for each plant. Think about how you want to divide the space: Raised beds made from old scaffolding planks let you plant similar crops together and you can rotate them to another plot next year to help replenish your soil. Bamboo wigwams and trellises let you utilize vertical space, expanding the size of your plot upwards. Remember to plant tall crop’s, such as peas and climbing beans on the north side of the other beds so they don’t block out the sun. Containers have space and great for potatoes carrots soft fruit such as blueberries and strawberries. Take your time Don’t try to develop the whole plot at once, instead sow green manure in any unused plots. These are plants such as clover and field beans which cover the ground to prevent weeds. After a few weeks dig them into the soil to provide plenty of plant boosting nitrogen while you work out what to do with that area next year. Compost Well-fed soil is essential for growing good veg, make sure you have a compost heap for collecting old plants and vegetable peeling which will rot down and add bulk and goodness to your soil. What to grow Leave bulky crops to farmers, so you can use your plot for the  crops that don’t take up too much space and are easier to grow. Plants like the beetroot, broccoli, chili, strawberries and tomatoes are always excellent candidates. Plant your favorites It might sound obvious but you want to be excited about what is growing in each of your plots and planting the vegetables that you like to eat will keep you interested and excited throughout the season Growing know how. Sowing your seeds: seeds basically come in two types, ones you can sow directly into the ground and those you need to nurture in seed trays before planting out. You don’t need a greenhouse, a sunny windowsill will get your seeds off to good start. Plants by post: If you missed the sowing season, your seedlings have died or you’re too timid or time-poor to start from scratch, then buy plug plants to get you going. Herbs, salads and basic food veg can all be bought as toddler sized seedlings ready to be planted into the soil. It’s more expensive than growing from seed but still cheaper than the greengrocer. Salads Give up chlorine washed supermarket bags of salad for home grown leaves. Baby spinach, mizuna, rockets and “cat and come again” lettuces like Lullo Rosso can be sewn into seed trays and transplanted into your plot when they’ve grown a few small leaves. Even easier, sow them directly into the ground, in the gaps where you’ve harvested one crop and are waiting to plant another. Sow seeds every two weeks and you have salad all summer. Flowers Flowers tend to fall into three types: those you can eat, those you can cut and those that help your other plants grow better. Edible flowers: nasturtiums, borage, marigolds  as well as courgette flowers. Cut flowers: traditional favorites include sweet peas corn flowers and sunflowers Pest control: French marigolds and lavender confuse pests; poached egg flour and candy tuft attract insects to your garden which can help fight off any unwanted critters. Getting you first veg garden can often seem like a daunting task, but the key is not to try and do everything at once brake you area into manageable pieces and work on them one by one and you’ll soon be surprised at what can be accomplished  and it won’t be long before your hard work is repaid! This is a guest post by Neil from My Garden Hammock. A site dedicated to making the most of your outdoor space and taking the time to enjoy it to the fullest. The site also provides a wealth of information on garden hammocks and his favourite type the mexican hammocks   Read more »

Many people who are new to gardening often disregard how important the soil is. Whether this is through negligence or plain ignorance is debateable but what is clear is that soil is a vital part of the circle of life and in order to successfully grow anything, gardeners should ensure that their soil is the best quality and most nutrient rich it can be. The soil that I am primarily talking about is topsoil. Topsoil is the earth’s top layer of soil and it is this that contains all the nutrients that plants and other life need. According to the North Carolina State University’s website there are 13 mineral nutrients found in topsoil. These are split into two types; macronutrients and micronutrients. While both of these are vitally important in order to sustain plant and animal life, it is the macronutrients that are the most important. The topsoil also contains water and air, which just like us, plants need in order to survive. In fact, soil is vital to the survival of all life on this planet. Without it, nothing can grow, therefore leaving us with nothing to eat. Meat is also off the menu since there will be no food to feed our livestock. Yet the most worrying thing is that the dystopian vision of a world without soil could in fact, turn into a reality. The world’s topsoil is depleting. Topsoil needs to regenerate and regrow, but modern farming and agricultural practices are resulting in topsoil that is disappearing at a considerably faster rate than it can be regenerated. The eventual impact of this would be a world food crisis. However, high quality topsoil can still be purchased from certain retailers, allowing gardeners to easily grow food. This is very beneficial, firstly to the gardener because they are able to enjoy cheaper, fresher and more nutritious food, yet also to the earth itself. If more food was grown organically, and on a lesser scale, the impact on our world’s topsoil could possibly be reversed. If you do wish to grow your own food you can and should do more to nourish your soil than simply purchasing a bag or two of organic topsoil. You should ensure that before you begin to grow anything, you clear the topsoil of weeds and dead plant matter, since these can significantly harm the growth of new plants. You should also avoid the use of any chemicals. Not only is organic farming much healthier for our bodies, it is also dramatically better for the earth also. In fact, gardeners shouldn’t only be concerned about the chemicals that coat our foods when we eat them; they should also consider the impact of breathing in the chemicals when they are used on the crops. While chemical fertilisers and pesticides may be the easiest and quickest route to a fully grown fruit or vegetable, it will over time, make this growth much more difficult. As the soil becomes unhealthy, eventually ‘dying’, everything within it slows in growth also, and the resulting produce will be much less nutritionally dense. In fact the nutrients in our foods have depleted by staggering amounts over the last 50 or so years. A recent study carried out by USDA researchers discovered that you would need to eat six of today’s peaches in order to intake the same amount of nutrients found in a peach harvested 50 years ago. One of the large contributing factors to this is the depletion in the quality of the earth’s topsoil. However, by growing fruits and vegetables at home, organically, and by using high quality topsoil, you should be able to grow foods with a nutritional content that is more akin to foods of the 1950’s than it is of today.   This post was written by James Harper on behalf of Boughton Loam And Turf Management. James writes on many issues including horiculture.   Read more »

There are several different types of garden trellises that will give your garden a great look, so you will want to take the time to consider the different options that are available to you. Read more »

Are you looking to increase the healthiness of your indoor plants buy don’t know how or don’t have the time and money to spend to make them look show room quality? Read more »

Something that new gardeners generally do not take into consideration when they are just getting started with their own personal gardens is the fact that they can start their garden indoors. Read more »