Backyard Ponderings

Goldfish…the other pond fish

goldfish

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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Pond Hurricane Prep and First Aid Tips

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

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Recycled Plastics for your Garden

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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Hiring a Pond Professional

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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Sexy Gardening

goldendewdrop

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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2012 Plant Hardiness Zone Map

2012 plant hardiness zone map

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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Spring Pond Checklist

feeding time

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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