HOME & Style DID YOU KNOW?
There are more than 2,700 different types of earthworms residing on the planet. Earthworms are often known to be workhorses in the garden, helping to aerate and fertilize the soil while filling it with nutrients. Earthworms recycle materials like dead leaves, decaying animals and feces so new plant seedlings can grow and have the process begin anew.Worms have been around for 120 million years — one of the few species of insects that have stood the test of time. In just one acre of soil, there may be a million or more earthworms turning over the soil and chewing on organic matter.Without earthworms, most plants would not thrive. Earthworms have mucous covering their bodies in order to stay moist. This helps them to breathe through their skin.You may have noticed that after it rains worms appear on sidewalks and outside of their under- ground burrows. This is not because they are drowning un- derground, but because the environment is moist after it rains, making it moreconducive for worms to breathe and move around to find mates. Normally the dry conditions above ground make them dry out and die. Earthworms can be remarkable creatures to watch.
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Greener gardening
Continued from page 29 In addition to helping con-
serve water, mulch can also help reduce reliance on fertil-
izers.That’s because mulch provides nutrients to the soil as it breaks down, providing an eco-friendly alternative for gardeners who don’t want to rely on fertilizers to deliver nu- trients to their soil. * Plant more flowers. Planting flowers is another eco-friendly way to garden. Native flowers, in particular, can help maintain an area’s natural ecosystem, providing food and shelter for insects and other wildlife. More flowers and plants around the property also means there will be signifi- cantly less grass to mow, which reduces the amount of gas necessary to mow that grass in the warmer weather and the amount of green- house gases the lawn mower produces. In addition, less grass means less need for fer- tilizers and pesticides to main- tain that grass.
* Choose gardening tools and products with the environ- ment in
mind.Veteran garden- ers have a host of tools that help tackle every problem
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imaginable. But many older tools or gardening products might not be made of recycled materials. When shopping for gardening tools, whether you’re a beginner who needs everything or a veteran gar- dener whose tools have seen better days, choose products made from recycled materials. For example, many gardeners use mats to help reduce stress on their knees when kneeling down to garden. When buying a new mat, choose one made from recy- cled tires.
But emphasizing recycled products shouldn’t stop at the tool shed. Mulch, for instance, can be made from recycled rubber and won’t impact the environment in a negative way. Just be sure to purchase recy- cled mulch that is nontoxic and does not consume natural resources. * Live and let live. Insects might be a nuisance, but they can also be a gardener’s best friend. Spraying insecticide simply because insects can be pesky is shortsighted and im- practical. Certain spiders prey on other insects that can be harmful to a garden, while but- terflies and bees help pol- lenate flowers. Earthworms are also very beneficial to a garden, helping to aerate and fertilize the soil and enabling plants to grow by removing harmful matter from the soil.
DID YOU KNOW?
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Do you find yourself reaching for a can of soda or a cup of coffee during the day to banish fatigue? Many do. But you may want to grab a bottle of water instead. Research indicates that lack of water is the No. 1 trigger of daytime fatigue. Therefore, not only can drinking adequate supplies of water keep you re- freshed, it can also help to keep you more awake — even during a boring business meeting.
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