Turning Bikes into Mobile Insect Hotels

In many gardens, bug hotels act as miniature sanctuaries for insects. The Natural History Museum notes that creating a safe space for bugs using recycled materials helps attract a variety of species that play essential roles such as pollinating plants and eating pests. Similarly, an eco-crafting blog points out that building a bug hotel from items you already have at home encourages biodiversity, attracting beneficial insects that feed on garden pests and pollinate flowers. These static hotels are usually placed in gardens or allotments, but what if you could take one with you?

What Your Soil’s Clumps Can Tell You: The Slake Test

Ever wondered if your garden soil is actually healthy, or just looks good on the surface? While most gardeners focus on pH and nutrients, there’s a simple test that reveals something more fundamental about your soil’s structure. It’s called the slake test, and it measures how well your soil holds together when hit with water—a critical factor affecting drainage and root growth.

DIY House Settling Detection: Early Warning Signs Every Homeowner Should Monitor

House settling is a natural process that occurs as your home’s foundation adjusts to soil conditions, moisture changes, and the weight of the structure itself. While some settling is normal, excessive or uneven settling can lead to serious structural problems that are expensive to repair. The key to protecting your investment lies in early detection through regular monitoring, something every homeowner can learn to do themselves.