The Fall Koi Pond

 koi fish  No Responses »
Sep 082010
 

Every part of the backyard is affected by the seasons. Fall as beautiful as it is signifies a time when growth slows down and everything slows down. This also includes the Koi pond and your Koi.

Koi add to the enjoyment of your backyard oasis and give the yard a more festive tropical feel. But they do need special care and depending on your climate the care will vary.

Project in the Koi pond in the fall are to cut back on the food your Koi get. They will need less in fall and winter months. Its also a good time to check the plats, remove any overgrowth and dead plants. Also check your Koi to see if they are healthy.

A Koi pond will add to the feel of the backyard so keep it healthy and well maintained.

Posted by Denise at 11:29 pm  Tagged with: , , , ,

Create a holding bed for moving plants

 Backyard Garden  No Responses »
Sep 052010
 

There’s a change in the weather here in NW Pa. So I spent time preparing a holding bed for the new perennials I picked up and for more that I am getting in a few days. There’s a perennial sale on so its time to revamp the backyard oasis!

In the fall a holding bed is one of the most useful garden tools I have. Yes, it’s a garden bed or sorts but a necessity if you’re diving and moving plants.

I usually make a quick raised bed out of any wood I can pick up for free and match its measurements to old windows or shower doors. (Just in case I have to cover the holding beds against frost or cold.) Old dresser drawers also work well and since I usually use these beds for a few weeks any old dresser drawer will work.

Set you holding beds up in an area of the backyard that is close to water and will get some shade, since theses are transplants and need protection for all day sun.

I use these holding beds for perennials I am diving, new perennials, flowers I am moving and for cool weather annuals that I want to add color to the backyard.

I have also used a holding bed for sick plants while I am nursing them back to health.

The nice thing about a holding bed is that it temporary. I usually put it in a place in the backyard that needs better soil and create the bed. After I am done I remove the bed and rake toe soil over the top of the ground, add compost and I have a area with better soil that I can either plant in the following year or reseed with grass.

Tip: If your nights are cooling down to less than 50 degrees it time to start bring in any indoor houseplants you moved outside for the summer. I also start moving in geraniums, which I over winter for the following year

Posted by Denise at 10:10 pm  Tagged with: , , , ,

How to Clean a Swimming Pool Filter

 backyard pools  No Responses »
Jul 062010
 

Keep the pool clean and ready to use at all times in the summer is important with a busy pool. A pool filter helps maintain a healthy pool in your backyard oasis.

There are several different types of swimming pool filters. They don’t take long to clean and the benefits of cleaner healthier pool are worth the effort.

The Young.
Creative Commons License photo credit: haleyloves

It’s best to clean a crushed sand filter by back flushing water through the system about once a month. Your system’s pump station will come with instructions on how to reverse the water flow to clean the debris from the filter.

You will need to replace the sand in a crushed sand filter completely every three to five years, depending on the amount of use the pool gets during each season. The kinds of large airborne contaminants your filter encounters will also need to be taken into consideration.

Replace the diatomaceous earth in a diatomaceous earth filter two or three times a year. This helps to ensure the grid-structured system filter is working at maximum efficiency.

Rinse a modern enhanced cartridge filter in the sink when the pressure gauge on your pump begins to show a rise in pressure of 10 or more lbs. After its rinsed place it back into the unit.

Replace the cartridge of these modern enhanced filters every two to three years. You’ll know it’s time to replace When the pressure doesn’t go back down to the normal range; it has become clogged with hard deposits that cannot be rinsed out. This is a sign that the cartridge needs to be replaced.

There are many changes in pools and pool care and a growing shift towards going green in pool care. This is one reason why rushed sand filter systems are being outlawed in a growing number of areas. When the sand filters are back flushed this water is contaminated and may mix in with groundwater supplies.

The new enhanced cartridge filters outperform the old cartridge type systems and the other methods described here. They do not damage the environment, making them popular and the new trend in pool care.

Posted by Denise at 7:43 pm  Tagged with: , ,

Use Swimming Pool Ionizers for a greener pool option

 backyard pools  No Responses »
Jul 052010
 

Going Green is an option more people are looking into for the home. And with swimming pools being a popular addition to many backyards, people are looking toward alternatives to the chemicals needed to keep a pool clean and healthy.

075
Creative Commons License photo credit: Coppell Pools

Swimming pool Ionizers are one answer to a “Greener Backyard.” Ionizers are a way to keep pools clean and healthy and reduce the dependency on chemicals.

Ionizers utilize copper, silver and zinc to safely kill water-borne algae and bacteria in swimming pools. An ionizer is considered an environmentally friendly alternative to the disinfecting chemicals used in many pools. Chlorine and muriatic acid, two such cleaners, can leave swimmers with red eyes, discolored eyes and dry skin. Many people will develop allergies to these chemicals in time.

A swimming pool ionizer sanitizes the pool through the use of a low-voltage electrical current. This current disperses positively charged metal ions in the water. Algae and bacteria are negatively charged so they bond with the copper, silver and zinc ions and are rendered harmless.

Most ionizers plug into the regular electrical outlets. But there are a few solar powered ionizers available. The solar units are usually about a foot long and float in the pool. They have a small solar panel that produces the current needed to discharge ions of copper, silver and zinc.

If you are considering purchasing a swimming pool ionizer, make sure that the model you select is designed for the size of your pool. Your local pool supply center will be able to help you determine the correct size you need.

Swimming pool ionizers typically cost anywhere from $200 to $1,500. And in the long run, ionizers are a less expensive option for keeping pools clean than chemical disinfectants. Another advantage of an Ionizer is it requires less frequent water testing. The positively charged metal ions will not evaporate or dissipate so keep a more balanced pool.

Ionizers will also eliminate chemical odors, dry skin, bleached hair and red, itchy eyes that swimmers often complain about in a chlorinated pool. But keep in mind; swimming pool ionizers will not completely eliminate the need for chlorine, especially in pools with temperatures in excess of 90 degrees. Ionizers have a difficult time combating dense growths of algae, which thrive in hotter climates so chlorine may have to be occasionally added to keep the pool sparkling clean.

So if the use of chemicals bothers you or you have a person sensitive to chlorine, you may want to check into the use of a swimming pool Ionizer. A healthier environmentally friendly pool will just add to the comfort of your backyard oasis retreat.

Posted by Denise at 10:48 am  Tagged with: , , , ,

Mosquito Control for your Backyard

 backyard oasis  No Responses »
Jul 042010
 

Summer is one of the most active times for the family and entertaining. It’s also a time when you may have to try to fend off the mosquito population.

mosquito
Creative Commons License photo credit: CrazyCh3m

Some people have more of a problem with this if they live in a wooded area with pine trees or near a creek or river.

Here are a few tips that may help control mosquitos in the backyard oasis area.

  • Change the water in birdbaths and drain areas where water collects, such as tree stumps, buckets, mud puddles and gutters.
  • Use natural repellents like citronella lamps and candles to help to keep mosquitoes away.
  • Grow lemon-scented Asian grass or use a skin skin lotion that has this ingredient.
  • Hot-pepper-wax repellent is effective for organic protection.

And if you live near a creek you may want to consider building or buying bat houses and putting them up. Many people are not fond of bats (me!) but they do serve a purpose and if you place the bat houses away from the house they should help control the mosquito population and leave you and your family alone.

With a littel care you should be able to control mosquitos in your backyard

Posted by Denise at 9:05 pm  Tagged with: ,
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