Each morning, as I go out to feed the animals, I have the pleasure of watching beautiful swarms of dragonflies playing in the yard. From a distance, you see them buzzing around quickly darting back and forth as if they are playing a game of tag, their wings shimmering in the sunlight. It is such a beautiful and peaceful way
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Most people when considering fish for their pond think of Koi, but the Goldfish, a distant cousin to the Koi, are also popular fish for ponds. Goldfish are a smaller, inexpensive alternative to Koi and are safely kept in a pond with Koi, Orfe and Plecostomus (algae eaters). They are social and enjoy living in groups. Like Koi, Goldfish are
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Aquatic turtles make a wonderful addition to an outdoor pond but before you run to the pet store to pick out your new pet, it is important to make sure your turtle’s new home is properly equipped to keep him healthy and happy. As with any new pet, be sure to research proper care and feeding requirements as well as
Read more... →It is that time of year again, hurricane season. While most of you have an emergency plan for your family including your four legged family members, those of you with Koi may not have given a second thought as to how to prepare your pond for a hurricane or other emergency. Pond hurricane prep is very important when you raise
Read more... →Have you seen the latest Backyard Buzz? What is the Backyard Buzz, you ask? It is pond and garden product reviews and how-to’s, it is pond and water garden how to’s and how to create useful and artful items for your outdoor living space using re-purposed items. Join Dave, on his journey to find the best products, as he reviews
Read more... →No matter where you go, you hear people discussing the virtues of recycling. Personally, I am a huge fan of the “three R’s”; recycle, reduce & reuse, or should I say “four R’s”, have to add my favorite, re-purpose. The environmentally conscious tell us we should avoid purchasing items made with plastic like plastic water bottles or even the plastic
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A couple of weeks ago Dave was repairing a pond that a “professional” installed. We seem to see a lot of this type of service call these days, which got me to thinking. Don’t get me wrong, we appreciate the work and Dave loves a challenge, but, so many of these repairs can be avoided if the pond is installed
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Bend, twist, push, grunt… squat, reach, pull, grunt… That is my work out, no not at the gym but in my garden. Although you may not feel sexy working out in the garden wearing old sweats and covered in dirt but try changing your gym workout to a garden workout and watch the results both physically and mentally. Not to
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The US Department of Agriculture released the 2012 Plant Hardiness Zone Map, it is the first update provided by the USDA since 1990. According to the USDA website, “The 2012 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map is the standard by which gardeners and growers can determine which plants are most likely to thrive at a location. The map is based on
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Follow these tips in our Spring Pond Checklist to get your pond ready for warmer weather. 1. Add or transplant your Water lilies, fertilize & prune: A 9″ or larger shallow no-hole pot works best for lilies. If your lily is already in a large pot, you can re-use the pot just change out the old soil for new soil. Water
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