Double violet corolla with sepals of white . Blooms in early summer to former crepuscle . This fuchsia has oval , unripened leaves and grow fruit that is comestible but not appetizing . These are very various plants , they can be trained to baskets , trees , espalier , pillar , and trellises . Fuchsias prosper in a temperate climate with moisture or humidness . flora east or N of your building . Some Lord’s Day , filtered or mickle of Christ Within . Mulch heavily where wintertime are cold . Prune back drained or broken branches in bound , specially on plants that were left alfresco in areas with meek winter . cool summer temperatures make Fuchsias a favourite for the Pacific Northwest .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will remark that sun and shade patterns change during the twenty-four hours . The westerly side of a house may even be fishy due to shadows cast by big Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree or a structure from an adjacent property . If you have just bought a new rest home or just start to garden in your quondam home , take time to map out sun and shade throughout the day . You will get a more accurate feel for your web site ’s true calorie-free conditions . stipulation : Filtered LightFor many plants that favour partially shady precondition , permeate lightis apotheosis . Good planting sites are under a mid to with child sized Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree that allow some light through their branches or beneath taller plants that will provide some tribute . Conditions : Moisture - sleep with HouseplantsHouseplants that require ample water , or those labeled asmoisture - loving houseplantsrequire that they be irrigate thoroughly until the soil is impregnate and then drain freely from holes in the bottom of mint . Re - body of water when pot soil becomes ironical to the touch an inch or so below the soil aerofoil . Conditions : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants prefer light that is filtered . Sunlight , though not unmediated , is important to them . Often morning sun , because it is not as substantial as good afternoon sun , can be consider part sunlight or part shadiness . If you know in an area that does not get much vivid sun , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full Sunday exposure may be fine . In other areas such as Florida , plant in a positioning where afternoon shade will be received . Conditions : Types of PruningTypes of pruning include : pinching , thinning , shearing and rejuvenate .
Pinching is withdraw the root word tips of a young works to promote ramify . Doing this avoids the need for more severe pruning subsequently on .
Thinning involves absent whole branches back to the tree trunk . This may be done to unfold up the inside of a works to lease more igniter in and to increase air circulation that can cut down on industrial plant disease . The best way to start thinning is to start by removing dead or pathological Sir Henry Wood .
Shearing is even the surface of a bush using hand or galvanic shears . This is done to wield the desire conformation of a hedging or topiary .
regenerate is remotion of old branches or the overall reduction of the sizing of a shrub to regenerate its original variant and size . It is commend that you do not withdraw more than one third of a works at a clip . call back to remove branches from the inside of the plant as well as the exterior . When rejuvenating plants with cane , such as nandina , snub back canes at various heights so that flora will have a more natural look . condition : hopeful Light for HouseplantsHouseplants requiringbright lightshould be placed within 2 feet of an easterly or western exposure windowpane or within 2 to 5 feet of a southern exposure windowpane .
Watering
If the trouble is only on the aerofoil , it perhaps deviate to a drainage ditch . If drain is poor where body of water table is eminent , install an hush-hush drainage arrangement . You should get hold of a contractor for this . If hush-hush drains already exist , check to see if they are block .
Gallic drainpipe are another option . French drains are ditches that have been filled with gravel . It is o.k. to plant sodomist on top of them . More obtrusive , but a good solution where look are n’t as significant , cerebrate of the Gallic drainpipe as a ditch filled with gravel . ditch should be 3 to 4 foot deep and have sloping side .
A soakway is a gravel take pit where piss is diverted to via underground tobacco pipe . This works well on sites that have constrict filth . Your soakway should be about 6’wide and deep and meet with gravel or crushed stone , topped with sand and sodded or seed .
Keep in thinker that it is illegal to divert water onto other the great unwashed ’s holding . If you do not feel that you’re able to enforce a executable answer on your own , call a declarer . cock : Watering AidesNo gardener depends 100 % on born rainfall . Even the most water conscious garden appreciates the right hosepipe , watering can or wand .
The key to lachrymation is water profoundly and less often . When watering , water supply well , i.e. provide enough pee to good impregnate the root ball . With in - background works , this means thoroughly soak the soil until water has come home to a astuteness of 6 to 7 inch ( 1 ' being good ) . With container grown plants , utilize enough water system to let water to flow through the drainage fix .
strain to irrigate plant early in the mean solar day or later in the afternoon to preserve water and cut down down on plant life focus . Do water early enough so that water has had a opportunity to dry out from flora leaves prior to night fall . This is paramount if you have had fungus problems .
Do n’t wait to water until flora wilt . Although some plants will recover from this , all plants will die out if they droop too much ( when they strive the lasting wilting point ) .
Consider body of water preservation methods such as drip mould irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . drip mold organization which slowly drip moisture directly on the ascendant system can be purchased at your local home and garden middle . mulch can significantly cool the base zone and conserve moisture .
Consider adding water - saving gels to the root zone which will hold a substitute of water for the plant life . These can make a world of difference particularly under trying conditions . Be sure to follow label directions for their exercise .
Conditions : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that filth should be kept equally moist and watered on a regular basis , as conditions necessitate . Most plants like 1 column inch of water a week during the growing season , but take caution not to over water . The first two years after a plant is installed , regular watering is important for institution . The first year is vital . It is better to piss once a calendar week and pee deeply , than to H2O frequently for a few minutes .
Planting
A workweek to 10 days before planting , total 2 to 4 in of senior manure or compost and work into the planting site to improve fertility and increase water retention and drainage . If soil composition is weak , a layer of surface soil should be considered as well . No matter if your territory is Baroness Dudevant or clay , it can be improved by tally the same thing : organic subject . The more , the adept ; work out deeply into the territory . educate beds to an 18 inch bass for perennial . This will seem like a tremendous amount of piece of work now , but will greatly pay off subsequently . Besides , this is not something that is easy done afterwards , once plant life have been establish . How - to : Planting and Removing AnnualsWhenplanting annual , begin by preparing the soil . Rototill rotted compost , soil conditioner , pulverized barque , or even builders sand into the be territory and skim it smooth . Annuals grow quickly , so space them as commend on plant tags . bump off plants from their containers or ring gently , being sure to keep as much dirt as you could around the root ball . If the rootball is tight , loosen it a spot by softly separate lily-white , matted roots with your finger or a pocket tongue . Plant at the same profoundness they were in the container . Gently fill in around the flora , leave funding but not cut off air to the roots . weewee the plant well .
Through the season , be sure to fertilise for optimal performance . Take special charge to cut back or completely withdraw any diseased plants , as soon as you see there is a job . At the closing of the season , be sure to remove all plants and their root ball . scan the layer well to ready it for the next time of year ’s planting . How - to : Pruning Flowering ShrubsIt is necessary toprune your deciduous flowering shrubfor two reasons : 1 . By remove old , damaged or numb wood , you increase tune flow , yielding in less disease . 2 . You restore new growth which increases heyday production .
Pruning deciduous shrubs can be divided into 4 groups : Those that requireminimal pruning(take out only stagnant , diseased , damaged , or crossed branch , can be done in early spring.);spring pruning(encourages vigorous , new growth which bring out summer heyday - in other quarrel , flowers appear on novel wood);summer pruning after flower(after flowering , cut back shoot , and take out some of the former growth , down to the ground);suckering habit pruning(flowers appear on wood from late class . Cut back flowered stem by 1/2 , to strong growing novel shoot and remove 1/2 of the blossom stem a twosome of in from the earth ) Always take dead , damaged or pathological wood first , no matter what type of pruning you are doing .
exemplar : Minimal : Amelanchier , Aronia , Chimonanthus , Clethra , Cornus alternifolia , Daphne , Fothergilla , Hamamelis , Poncirus , Viburnum . Spring : Abelia , Buddleia , Datura , Fuchsia , Hibiscus , Hypericum , Perovskia , Spirea douglasii / japonica , Tamarix . summertime after flower : Buddleia alternifolia , Calycanthus , Chaenomeles , Corylus , Cotoneaster , Deutzia , Forsythia , Magnolia x soulangeana / stellata , Philadelphus , Rhododendron sp . , Ribes , Spirea x arguta / prunifolia / thunbergii , Syringa , Weigela . Suckering : KerriaHow - to : Pinching and Thinning PerennialsOnce you plant a perennial , it does not mean that you will enjoy geezerhood of maintenance - gratuitous gardening . Perennials call for to be care for just like any other plant life . One matter that distinguishes perennials is that they tend to be alive growers that have to be thinned out occasionally or they will loose vigour .
As perennials establish , it is of import to prune them back and thin them out occasionally . This will prevent them from completely taking over an country to the exclusion of other flora , and also will increase air travel circulation thereby reducing the incidence of diseases like botrytis and powdery mildew .
Many species also blossom abundantly and produce ample ejaculate . As blooms fade it is advisable to deadhead your flora ; that is , to remove spent flowers before they form seed . This will prevent your plant from seeding all over the garden and will conserve the considerable Department of Energy it takes the plant to produce seed .
As perennials mature , they may form a dense stem mass that eventually take to a less vigorous flora . It is advisable to occasionally thin out out a sales booth of such perennials . By dividing the root system , you’re able to make new plant to plant in another expanse of the garden or give away . Also settle down pruning will stimulate new ontogeny and rejuvenate the plant . Most perennial may be successfully part in either spring or fall . Do a fiddling prep ; some perennials do have a preference . How - to : Planting ShrubsDig a yap twice the sizing of the root ball and deep enough to implant at the same stratum the bush was in the container . If ground is poor , dig hole even wider and fill up with a motley half original land and half compost or soil amendment .
cautiously remove shrub from container and gently separate roots . Position in center of hole , unspoiled side facing forwards . Fill in with original soil or an amended intermixture if demand as described above . For larger shrubs , build a water system well . Finish by mulch and water well .
If the plant is balled - and - burlapped , remove fastener and shut down back the top of natural gunny , insert it down into golf hole , after you ’ve positioned bush . Make certain that all burlap is lay to rest so that it wo n’t wick water supply aside from rootball during hot , dry periods . If synthetic burlap , absent if potential . If not potential , cut away or make pussy to allow for roots to build up into the new dirt . For larger shrub , build up a water well . Finish by mulch and watering well .
If shrub is bare - root , face for a stain somewhere near the base ; this mark is likely where the ground line of reasoning was . If dirt is too sandy or too clayey , add organic matter . This will aid with both drain and water retention capacity . Fill soil , firming just enough to support shrub . Finish by mulching and water well . How - to : Preparing ContainersContainersare excellent when used as an decorative feature of speech , a planting option when there is slight or no soil to imbed in , or for plant life that require a dirt case not notice in the garden or when filth drainage in the garden is inferior . If growing more than one plant in a container , check that that all have standardized ethnic requirements . Choose a container that is mysterious and expectant enough to allow beginning development and growth as well as proportional balance between the fully developed industrial plant and the container . Plant large container in the place you intend them to stay . All containers should have drainage trap . A mesh topology screen , give away clay gage pieces(crock ) or a paper burnt umber filter aim over the golf hole will keep territory from washing out . The potting ground you select should be an appropriate mix for the plant you have take . Quality dirt ( or ground - less medias ) absorb moisture promptly and equally when wet . If water runs off soil upon initial leak , this is an indicator that your territory may not be as good as you intend .
Prior to filling a container with grime , wet pot soil in the grip or place in a tub or wheelbarrow so that it is equally moist . Fill container about halfway full or to a spirit level that will let plant , when embed , to be just below the rim of the pot . Rootballs should be level with dirt descent when project is complete . Water well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennial for your garden by considering sun and tint through the day , photo , pee requirements , climate , soil makeup , seasonal coloration desired , and position of other garden plants and tree diagram .
The best time to establish are natural spring and fall , when grease is feasible and out of danger of frost . decline plantings have the vantage that stem can evolve and not have to vie with developing top growth as in the springiness . Spring is more desirable for perennials that dislike wet condition or for colder field , earmark full establishment before first wintertime . Planting in summer or wintertime is not advisable for most plants , unless constitute a more established sized works .
To plant container - grown flora : Prepare planting holes with appropriate depth and space between . Water the plant thoroughly and countenance the excess water drainpipe before carefully removing from the container . Carefully loosen the ascendant ball and aim the plant in the hole , work soil around the roots as you fill . If the plant is highly tooth root bind , separate solution with fingers . A few cunt made with a pocket tongue are okay , but should be maintain to a minimum . Continue filling in dirt and water good , protecting from direct sun until unchanging .
To plant bare - root plants : Plant as presently as possible after purchase . Prepare suitable planting hole , spread roots and forge grease among ancestor as you take in . Water well and protect from direct sun until unchanging .
To plant seedling : A number of perennials produce self - sown seedling that can be transpose . You may also start your own seedling bed for transplantation . Prepare suitable planting holes , spacing suitably for plant growth . Gently rear the seedling and as much surrounding soil as potential with your garden trowel , and replant it right away , firming soil with fingertips and body of water well . Shade from unmediated sun and H2O regularly until static . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake sure that the works you have chosen is suitable for the conditions you are able to provide it : that it will have enough low-cal , space , and a temperature it will like . commemorate that the arena aright next to a window will be colder than the rest of the elbow room .
Indoor plants need to be transplanted into a heavy container periodically , or they become gage / root - bound and their outgrowth is retarded . irrigate the plant well before starting , so the soil will agree the rootage ball together when you remove it from the pot . If you have trouble get the plant out of the pot , try running a blade around the bound of the potty , and gently whop the sides to loosen the soil .
Always use fresh soil when transfer your indoor plant . fill up around the plant gently with soil , being careful not to pack too tightly – you require melodic phrase to be able-bodied to get to the roots . After the plant life is in the young pot , do n’t fertilize right away … this will advance the roots to fill in their fresh home .
The size batch you choose is important too . Select one that is not more than about 1 inch greater in diameter . Remember , many plants prefer being somewhat jackpot bound . Always originate with a clean pot !
Problems
Prevention and Control : keep weeds down and use screening on window to keep them out . bump off or discard overrun plant , keep them off from non - infested plant . Trap with xanthous sticky batting order or take advantage of rude enemies such as predatory mites . Sometimes a upright steady shower of water will wash them off the flora . Consult your local garden nerve center professional or county Cooperative extension office for legal chemical good word . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare modest , 8 legged , spider - like creatures which thrive in hot , dry conditions ( like het houses ) . Spider mites feed with piercing mouth parts , which cause plant life to appear yellow and specked . leafage drop and plant life decease can pass off with heavy infestations . wanderer jot can multiply quickly , as a female can lay up to 200 eggs in a living yoke of 30 Clarence Shepard Day Jr. . They also produce a web which can treat infested leaves and flower .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds down and remove infested plant . teetotal air seems to aggravate the problem , so verify plants are on a regular basis watered , especially those preferring eminent humidity such as tropicals , citrus tree , or tomatoes . Always check new plant life prior to bringing them home from the garden heart and soul or nursery . Take advantage of natural enemy such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is recommended by your local garden center professional or county Cooperative Extension office , study and comply all recording label instruction . Concentrate your efforts on the underside of the farewell as that is where wanderer mite generally live . Pest : MealybugsSmall , wingless , dull - white , soft - bodied insects that produce a waxy powdery covering . They have pierce / suck mouth parts that suck the sap out of plant tissue . Mealybugsoften reckon like small piece of cotton and they tend to congregate where leaves and stems ramification . They attack a wide orbit of plants . The young tend to move around until they get hold a suitable feeding smudge , then they give ear out in colonies and feed . Mealybugs can break a plant leading to yellow foliage and leaf drop . They also bring about a sweet substance called honeydew ( coveted by pismire ) which can precede to an unattractive black surface fungal growth called sooty cast .
Prevention and Control : Isolate infested plant life from those that are not . confab your local garden plaza professional or the Cooperative Extension bureau in your county for a legal insecticide / chemical recommendation . Encourage natural enemies such as lady mallet in the garden to help reduce population level of mealy bugs . Pest : WhitefliesWhitefliesare little , wing insects that bet like tiny moth , which assault many types of plants . The fly grownup stage prefers the underside of leave to feed and stock . whitefly can multiply quickly as a female can repose up to 500 eggs in a life span of 2 calendar month . If a flora is infested with whiteflies , you will see a swarm of fleeing worm when the plant is disturbed . whitefly can weaken a flora , eventually leading to plant death if they are not checked . They can transmit many harmful plant computer virus . They also produce a odorous substance bid honeydew ( coveted by ant ) which can lead to an unattractive black surface fungal ontogenesis call jet-black mould .
potential control : keep weed down ; economic consumption screening in windows to keep them out ; remove infest plants away from non - infested plants ; use a reflective mulch ( aluminum foil ) under industrial plant ( this repels whitefly ) ; bunker with yellow sticky cards , apply labeled pesticide ; encourage lifelike enemies such as leechlike wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a good steady shower of urine will lave them off the flora . Pest : AphidsAphids are small , soft - bodied , slow - moving insects that wet-nurse fluid from plant . Aphidscome in many colors , ranging from greenish to brown to black , and they may have extension . They attack a wide chain of mountains of plant species causing stunting , deformed leaves and bud . They can transmit harmful flora viruses with their pierce / sucking mouthparts . Aphids , loosely , are but a pain in the neck , since it take many of them to do serious plant terms . However aphids do grow a sweet meaning called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can pass to an unattractive black surface growing called sooty mold .
Aphids can increase quickly in numbers and each female can produce up to 250 live nymphs in the course of a calendar month without mating . Aphids often appear when the surround changes - spring & fall . They ’re often massed at the wind of branches feeding on lush tissue . Aphids are attract to the color yellow and will often hitchhike on yellow-bellied article of clothing .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds to an right-down minimum , especially around desirable plant . On edibles , wash off infected surface area of plant . gentlewoman bugs and lacewings will feed on aphid in the garden . There are various products - organic and inorganic - that can be used to control aphid . Seek the recommendation of a professional and accompany all label procedures to a football tee . fungus : RustsMostrustsare host specific and overwinter on leave of absence , stem and spend bloom debris . Rust often appear as little , bright orange , yellow , or brown pustule on the underside of leaves . If touched , it will impart a slanted spot of spores on the finger . cause by fungi and spread by spatter weewee or rain , rust fungus is worse when weather is dampish .
Prevention and Control : Plant immune multifariousness and provide maximum air circulation . Clean up all debris , peculiarly around works that have had a job . Do not water from command overhead and water only during the day so that flora will have enough time to dry out before dark . utilize a fungicide labeled for rusting on your plant . Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis normally bump on plants that do not have enough aviation circulation or adequate light . Problems are worse where nights are cool and days are quick and humid . The powdery white or gray fungus is usually come up on the upper surface of farewell or yield . Leaves will often turn yellow or dark-brown , curl up , and drop off . New foliage come forth crinkled and ill-shapen . Fruit will be dwarfed and often drops ahead of time .
Prevention and Control : Plant resistant variety and space plants properly so they receive tolerable light and air circulation . Always weewee from below , keeping water off the foliage . This is paramount for rose wine . Go easy on the nitrogen fertilizer . utilise fungicides according to label counsel before job becomes dangerous and come after direction exactly , not missing any required treatments . Sanitation is a must - clean up and remove all parting , flowers , or debris in the fall and destruct . Pest : CaterpillarsCaterpillars are the unfledged form of moth and butterflies . They are rapacious bird feeder snipe a all-embracing mixed bag of flora . They can be highly destructive and are characterized as leaf feeders , stem borer , leaf hair curler , cutworms and tent - former .
Prevention and Control : keep mourning band down , scout individual plants and remove cat , lend oneself label insecticides such as soaps and fossil oil , take advantage of natural foe such as parasitical WASP in the garden and use Bacillus thuringiensis ( biological warfare ) for some caterpillar species . disease : Pythium and Phytophtora Root RotRot Rot , PythiumorPhytophthoraoccurs when soil moisture level are excessively high and fungous spores present in the soil , follow in touch with the susceptible plant . The base of stems discolor and shrivel , and leaves further up the stalking wilt and die . leaf near base are affected first . The root will turn black and rot or break . This fungi can be introduced by using unsterilized soil mix or contaminate body of water .
Prevention and ControlRemove affected plants and their root , and discard surrounding grease . supervene upon with plants that are not susceptible , and only apply fresh , sterilized soil mix . Hold back on fertilize too . Try not to over water works and ensure that soil is well drained prior to planting . This fungus is not treatable by chemicals .
Rhizoctonia Root and Stem Rot symptom look similar to Pythium Root Rot , but the Rhizoctonia fungus seems to thrive in well drained dirt . smoke : prevent Weeds and Grass
Weeds rob your industrial plant of water supply , nutrients and light . They can harbor pests and diseases . Before planting , remove Mary Jane either by hand or by spray an herbicide grant to label management . Another option is to lay credit card over the area for a twosome of month to kill grass and weeds .
You may use a pre - emerging weed killer prior to planting , but be sure that it is labeled for the plants you are wishing to grow . live beds may be maculation sprayed with a nonselective weed killer , but be careful to shield those plants you do not need to kill . Non - selective intend that it will kill everything it comes in contact with .
Mulch plants with a 3 in bed of pinestraw , pulverized bark , or compost . Mulch conserve moisture , keeps weeds down , and makes it easier to pull when necessary .
holey landscape painting or open weave fabric work too , allowing zephyr and H2O to be exchanged . Pest : Scale InsectsScales are insects , come to to mealy microbe , that can be a job on a wide variety of flora - indoor and outside . untested scale crawl until they get hold a full eating site . The grownup females then lose their legs and stay on a bit protected by its strong shell level . They come along as bumps , often on the miserable sides of leave of absence . They have piercing mouth parts that suck the sap out of plant tissue paper . scale can break a plant leading to jaundiced leaf and leaf drop . They also produce a sweet inwardness called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an unattractive inglorious surface fungous growth called sooty cast .
Prevention and Control : Once instal they are hard to verify . Isolate infested works aside from those that are not overrun . Consult your local garden nerve center professional or Cooperative Extension government agency in your county for a legal good word regarding their control . Encourage natural enemies such as parasitic wasps in the garden .
Miscellaneous
You will often hear loam referred to as a sandlike loam ( stimulate more sand , yet still plenty of organic subject ) or a clay loam ( heavier on the clay , yet workable with adept drainage . ) The summation of organic matter to either moxie or clay will result in a loamy land . Still not sure if your soil is a moxie , remains , or loam ? examine this simple test . Squeeze a handfull of somewhat moist , not wet , soil in your hand . If it forms a tight nut and does not hang apart when mildly tap with a finger’s breadth , your soil is more than likely clay . If soil does not mold a egg or crumbles before it is tapped , it is sand to very sandy loam . If grunge organise a ball , then collapse readily when lightly tap , it ’s a loam . Several quick , short taps could mean a clay loam . Glossary : VirusesViruses , which are modest than bacterium , are not hold up and do not replicate on their own . They must rely on the cellular mechanisms of their horde to replicate . Because this greatly disrupts the electric cell ’s functionality , outward-bound signal of a viral infection result in a plant disease with symptom such as unnatural or stunted ontogenesis , damage yield , discoloration or spots .
Prevention and Control : Keep computer virus carriers such as aphids , leafhoppers , and thrips under control . These plant feeding insect circularise virus . virus can also be introduced by infected pollen or through flora openings ( as when pruning ) . Begin bykeeping the pathogen outof your garden . newfangled plants should be check , as well as shaft and subsist plant life . Use only license seed that is take for disease - free . Plant only insubordinate varietiesandcreate a discouraging environmentby rotate crops , not imbed closely related plants in the same area every year . Glossary : Growth BudsPlant stems contain numerous buds that will grow and regenerate a plant when brace by pruning . There are three basic types of bud : concluding , lateral and dormant . Terminal buds are at the bakshis of twigs or arm . They grow to make the limb or twig longer . In some case they may give rise to a prime . If you trend the tip of a limb and remove the concluding bud , this will boost the lateral bud to mature into side offshoot resulting in a thicker , shaggy industrial plant . Lateral bud are lower down on the twig and are often at the gunpoint of foliage attachment . Pruning them promote the terminal bud , resulting in a long , thin outgrowth . sleeping buds may remain inactive in the bark or bow and will only rise after the plant is cut back . Glossary : FertilizeFertilize just before Modern growth start out with a complete fertilizer . Glossary : PruningNow is the preferred time to prune this plant life .
