The Very Small Humminbird SmartCast RF-35 Wrist Mount Fishfinder With RSS

Sometimes smaller is better when it comes to electronics. Think back to the first cell phones. They were huge bricks that required you to carry around a case for the battery!

Today's shopper wants things that are easily portable and easy to use. They do not want huge, bulky items. That is the thought behind the Humminbird SmartCast RF-35 Wrist Mount Fishfinder with RSS. Though the name is a mouthful, the actual device is very small.

There is no one disputing the handiness or the smallness of the Humminbird SmartCast RF-35 Wrist Mount Fishfinder with RSS. You strap on the fish finder that resembles a watch and then you cast out a sonar buoy that resembles a neon duck.

The sonar buoy sends back readings of the water terrain and any fish in the area. The range is pretty good with it covering 75 feet around and a depth of 125 feet, which is quite impressive sounding. But though the technical specifications sound good, the actual reality is different.

Yes, the Humminbird SmartCast RF-35 Wrist Mount Fishfinder with RSS would probably impress your friends on the "cool gadget" level.

But the ensuing comments after it failed to work would quickly turn those impressions sour as it did for many of the people who purchased one. Though it is very inexpensive, you are better off finding a better fish finder than this one.

To read more The Very Small Humminbird SmartCast RF-35 Wrist Mount Fishfinder With RSS

Getting A Little Extra With The Eagle Cuda 300 Fishfinder

There are some things that you should automatically expect from all fish finders on the market these days. The first is that the fish finder alerts you to the depth of the water and the second is the terrain of the ground beneath your fishing area.

The third is the temperature of the water. These things can all help you land the fish you are after but really you should expect more. The Eagle Cuda 300 Fishfinder does give you the basics and it gives you a bit more.

The Eagle Cuda 300 Fishfinder is not a top of the line model. It will not give you a 300 foot radius to look at terrain and fish. It does not come already loaded with terrain maps of area fishing spots.

But it does give you all of the basics you would expect to find in a fish finder plus a little extra. It is that little extra that has helped boost sales of this fish finder.

You can easily find the Eagle Cuda 300 Fishfinder for around $100, which is remarkably cheap considering all that you do get.

No, it probably is not for the competitive fishermen or fisher women, but it is a great model for beginners and for those who like to fish recreationally on occasion. That is perhaps why it is one of the best selling fish finders of its kind.

To read more Getting A Little Extra With The Eagle Cuda 300 Fishfinder

Better Features Of The Lowrance HDS-10 Fishfinder/GPS Chartplotter

The price differences in various fish finders on the market these days are amazing. You can find a basic fish finder for around $100 or you can find the ultimate fish finder for $2,549.99, yet not everyone needs that fish finder.

It is a lot of money to pay for a device that simply helps you to locate fish. The average recreational sportsman or woman who just likes to fish on occasion is not going to need that type of fish finder.

But for those who fish professionally or like their gadgets high tech, the Lowrance HDS-10 Fishfinder/GPS Chartplotter is for them.

You absolutely cannot compare the Lowrance HDS-10 Fishfinder/GPS Chartplotter to lower end fish finders you find on the market these days. And it is a far cry from the fish finders of the past.

Those early models offered very basic functions. They would give the temperature of the water, the depth of the water and if you were lucky a rudimentary graph of the terrain beneath the boat.

To read more Better Features Of The Lowrance HDS-10 Fishfinder/GPS Chartplotter

Gone Fishing WIth The Humminbird SmartCast RF 15 Portable Fishfinder

There seems to be a disparaging distance between those people who own a boat and those who do not. Boat owners have the luxury of having sophisticated fish finders to help them determine the underground terrain and fish within distance.

Those who fish from the shore or maybe do not own a boat of their own are forced to fish the old fashioned way. But with technology becoming so portable now everyone can have the luxury of a fish finder with the new Humminbird SmartCast RF 15 Portable Fishfinder. It looks like something James Bond would use if he decided to go fishing.

Do you want to know how simple and easy it is to use the Humminbird SmartCast RF 15 Portable Fishfinder? The whole fish finder is broken into two parts. You have the display and then you have this nifty gadget that looks like a neon duck.

That neon duck is actually called the Remote Sonar Sensor. You cast it out into the water where you are fishing and it gives you back "below surface" information. It is that easy to use.

The Humminbird SmartCast RF 15 Portable Fishfinder is perfect for those on the go who do not want to be tethered to a boat or to have to lug around a more traditional fish finder. It is not for everyone and it is not marketed as such.

It cannot plot your fishing course and it does not come pre-loaded with area maps. But it is rugged and it is for those who want to just pick up and go fishing wherever they want.

To read more Gone Fishing With My Humminbird SmartCast RF 15 Portable Fishfinder

Furuno FCV 295 10.4" Fish Finder For The Professional Fisherman

It is easy to see a body of water and automatically think that one piece of equipment can handle all of your fishing needs. But the reality is that with different types of water terrain and fish, your equipment has to change as well.

Fishing in a pond or a lake versus the ocean is a big change. Traditional fish finders just simply cannot cut it. You need a fish finder that can do the job correctly. That means looking at the Furuno FCV 295 10.4" Fish Finder.

Though it may be tempting for you to rush out and purchase the Furuno FCV 295 10.4" Fish Finder you should keep in mind that this fish finder is not for recreational fishing on a river.

This highly advanced fish finder is far more useful in an ocean or deep water setting if you are a professional fisherman and need to catch large fish or large schools of fish for your job.

The Furuno FCV 295 10.4" Fish Finder is not for everyone. At a whopping $2,562.78 (with a 10% discount) at www.boatersworld.com, it is a very expensive fish finder to own. This is not feasible for the person fishing in a stream or lake.

This is meant for serious professionals. So if you are just fishing as a way to pass the time or for a hobby, then there are much cheaper fish finders on the market that will do a good job for your particular needs.

To read more Furuno FCV 295 10.4" Fish Finder For The Professional Fisherman

Finding Information About Water Beneath Your Boat With The Eagle FishEasy 350C Color Compact Fishfinder

Fish finders are a bit of a multitasking tool mixed with a uni-tasker. Fish finders can give you a lot of information about the water beneath your boat and the area around it.

But its primary usage is to help you catch fish. And there are a lot of fish finders on the market so picking one out can be difficult. It really comes down to how suitable the fish finder is for the area where you will primarily be fishing. One you should take a look at is the new Eagle FishEasy 350C Color Compact Fishfinder.

If you have purchased the previous model fish finder from Eagle, the 320C, then the new Eagle FishEasy 350C Color Compact Fishfinder is going to make you much happier.

For starters it has a screen that has been enhanced so you can see it during daylight hours. Plus they upped the sonar range another 60 degrees so that gives you better coverage area. To top it off they sealed it in a waterproof casing.

Though there are some complaints on the whole, most users are very happy with the new Eagle FishEasy 350C Color Compact Fishfinder. They like the new range and the fact that it can also handle higher boating speeds.

You no longer have to go at a snail's pace and wait for the fish finder to refresh data. And though it is not the cheapest model around, you can pick one up at the Bass Pro Shops website for $219.00, which is very reasonable.

To read more Finding Information About Water Beneath Your Boat With The Eagle FishEasy 350C Color Compact Fishfinder

Getting The Basics With The Garmin Fishfinder 140

It is good to have a choice in fish finders. But it can also be confusing and a bit overwhelming. You may not need the highly sophisticated model and certainly not need the price tag.

But you do need a dependable fish finder that is not going to break the budget but still gives you the basic amenities. The fish finder you may need to check into purchasing is the Garmin Fishfinder 140. It does not chart your location or give you a wide sonar range but it also does not cost thousands of dollars.

Garmin is one of the leading names in GPS equipment. They have many fine products and the Garmin Fishfinder 140 is one of them. As far as fish finders go though, it is quite basic. You can get a digital readout of the depth of the water and also see what fish come into range.

There is even an alarm setting so you can preset the fish finder to only alert you to fish of a certain size. You can also see the bottom terrain in either a narrow or wide view for better coverage.

The real problem with the Garmin Fishfinder 140 is the sales tactic. Sure you can buy it for $100.00 but you have to pay extra for the mounting hardware and screen cover. That is just poor marketing on Garmin's behalf.

Granted those extras only tack on an additional $50.00 but it is still the principle of the matter. Trying to up-sell accessories that are actually necessities is a shoddy sales tactic.

To read more Getting The Basics With The Garmin Fishfinder 140

Easy To Read The Lowrance X96 Fishfinder

If you are a hobbyist of fishing, then you know that besides your rod and reel the next piece of equipment that is almost as essential to have is a fish finder. But with so many fish finders on the market how do you narrow down your choice?

There are hundreds to choose from so you need to take a look at the technical specifications first to see what meets your needs and what does not. One fish finder you may want to take a look at is the new Lowrance X96 Fishfinder.

One of the most important factors in deciding upon a fish finder is to find out the field of sonar it operates within. There are some on the market that can give you 180 degree range. Granted, the Lowrance X96 Fishfinder does not have that kind of range but it does compensate for it in other area.

With a 60 degree view of the water, along with notification of the temperature of the water and the fact that it has a 16-level gray-scale definition, it does make it highly competitive. Plus the screen measures 5" diagonally, which is easy to read.

The Lowrance X96 Fishfinder is not the cheapest fish finder on the market nor is it the most expensive one. You can easily find it for $199.00 at Bass Pro Shops.

That is a very reasonable price considering that it is so easy to use. Yes, you could go with a cheaper model but it may not fit your needs in the same way this one does.

To read more Easy To Read The Lowrance X96 Fishfinder

Our Symbiotic Relationship With Rose Plant

You could say that rose plants and the human race have a kind of symbiotic relationship. Certainly, for as long as humans have been around, roses have been there too.

While people learned the nature of the plant, and eventually went on to produce a multitude of different colored and fragrant roses, the flowers themselves have influenced the human psyche and even, at times, human economics and culture.

The world may owe the art of rose cultivation to the ancient Chinese, since the people of that region were cultivating rose plants about five thousand years ago. A millennium or two later, the Egyptians became aware of the rose plant and began to make wreaths that incorporated these flowers.

Remnants of such wreaths have actually been discovered buried in Egyptian tombs. The people of Crete, during the Bronze Age, represented their flower gardening in frescoes on the walls of their homes, and once again roses are featured in the paintings.

People in European nations regard rose plants almost matter-of-factly, as an ordinary fact of life. But for several centuries, the plants seemed to have been forgotten, until the knights of the Crusades brought them back from the lands in which they had fought.

Then the countries of Europe seemed to make up for lost time, adopting roses as the symbols of royal houses, and learning rose gardening with such enthusiasm that occasionally roses functioned as legal currency.

Things have settled down since then, and roses have become as much beloved by ordinary people as they have often been by the aristocracy. As companions through history, human beings and roses have had a long, eventful partnership.

To read more Our Symbiotic Relationship With Rose Plant

Maintaining A Healthy Rose Garden

In creating a rose garden, you'll be following in the footsteps of many people, famous and otherwise, who have worked to make these gardens beautiful and memorable.

Working with roses is of course just a subset of gardening with flowers in general, yet these particular flowers evoke something extra in the human psyche.

So you'll want to take considerable thought for your design, whether you're hoping to create something casual yet controlled, or a garden that's more formal, with straight lines and strict symmetries.

Yet you will still need to be knowledgeable about some of the factors that will affect your rose garden, and one of them revolves around things that could negatively affect both the health and look of your plants.

Certain types of roses, like hybrid teas for example, are particularly susceptible to rose diseases, so you can improve the health of the garden by planting those along with roses with a stronger constitution.

You also need to take thought about whether you want to enhance the look of the garden in other ways in the winter, when the rose plants are cut back and bare.

Even with just a few decorative elements, you can make your rose garden a peaceful, beautiful place to be. For example, you might set an arch over a path, with climbing roses growing over it, and create the impression that visitors are entering some sort of bower.

Adding a rose pool or pots of trailing roses along pathways can make the garden an idyllic setting. With good planning and watchful care of your roses, you will make a garden that will be both a pleasure and a refuge for you.

To read more Maintaining A Healthy Rose Garden

Creating Healthy Rose Gardens

Healthy rose gardens start before you set a single plant in the ground. The ground itself is the first determining factor in whether or not your roses will be healthy. Prepare the soil, preferably with a well-drained loam, with an added layer of organic matter on top.

Gardening experts also recommend adding three pounds of super-phosphate per 100 square feet, then mixing with the soil down about twelve inches. Home gardening doesn't have to be complicated, but you need to follow the right steps in the beginning to create the perfect garden.

The bushes planted in rose gardens can arrive in different forms. For example, a "bare root" plant starts with only a few canes, no foliage and just the roots. This bush needs immediate planting, adding a cone of soil around it to a height of eight inches for about three weeks until it starts new growth.

Container bushes can simply be placed into the soil after removal from the containers. Boxed roses are planted the same way as bare root plants, after removing the cardboard. Good rose care involves knowing details like this, and giving each plant the right treatment.

The time for planting rose gardens varies depending on the plant, but you definitely have to wait until all danger of frost has passed. When it comes to bare root plants, you plant in the early spring, though other kinds of roses can be planted somewhat later.

The main thing is to take the steps necessary to create the healthy garden, from preparing the soil and planting in a sunny spot, to feeding and rose pruning afterward. Take this extra care with your roses, and they should thrive all summer long.

To read more Creating Healthy Rose Gardens

Knowing How To Grow Roses With Cuttings

Some people learn how to grow roses by going all out, and start by buying several plants to put right into the garden. But what if you could learn rose gardening by a more gradual method?

One way of doing this might be to cadge some rose stems from a friend, and see if you can get them rooted and growing in your garden or a container. This might help you discover if you even have an affinity for roses, and it is certainly less expensive than going with a garden center purchase of several bushes.

You'll have to pick your roses carefully, though, because not all types of roses grow well from cuttings. It's likely some expert gardeners have managed to do it even with the difficult varieties, like hybrid teas.

But if you still don't know much about how to grow roses, or you're not very experienced, then you will find varieties that simply will not grow by this method. Of course do some research to get specifics, but you can be fairly confident trying this with varieties like floribundas or miniatures.

When teaching people how to grow roses via cuttings, some recommend using containers with heating pads under them to encourage root development, though that may not be necessary if you've used rooting powder.

In milder climates you should be able to grow the roses right outside, and may not even need Mason jars. Either way, it should take one or two months for the cuttings to become rooted.

Once that has happened, and with continued research and rose care, you should be able to start creating a rose garden. You may discover your green thumb, and realize that this method of rose propagation is something you want to continue exploring.

To read more Knowing How To Grow Roses With Cuttings

Finding Resources About Growing Roses

What better way to learn rose gardening than with the help of a society devoted entirely to everything connected with roses? Such organizations can be found in many towns and cities throughout the country, and they are a wonderful resource for learning about growing roses.

Certainly you can learn much from books or from internet research, but your very best resource will be the rose growers in these societies, with all the experience and information they offer.

These societies provide forums for the exchange of helpful information from all over the world.

Growing roses is a universal love that easily crosses boundaries, and when members of these organizations meet at their annual conventions, they exhibit their roses for each other, study new varieties, and learn about the kinds of roses grown in different regions of the world.

They exchange gardening tips, learn about new books, and extend knowledge amongst all rose growers.

These societies devoted solely to roses are a great force for teaching general rose care, as well as pushing conservation of all the varieties.

With the research they sponsor into the types and treatment of diseases, as well as their registrations of both new and old varieties of roses in all areas of the world, they are doing everything they can to make growing roses easier for all people who love these historic plants.

By sharing information, they are ensuring that rose growing has a great future.

To read more Finding Resources About Growing Roses

Caring For Roses To Maintain A Healthy Rose Garden

Caring for roses doesn't just mean watering and putting on a little fertilizer and hoping for plenty of sunlight. There's more to keeping a garden full of healthy rose plants.

First of all, giving proper care involves trying to keep them from being susceptible to rose diseases or pests. But once those things do arise, you need some idea of how to treat them.

Usually the response is as simple as pruning off a diseased branch, or perhaps spraying to eliminate pests. Keeping an eye on these things will help your plants achieve proper growth and produce healthy, beautiful flowers.

Of course prevention is where you start, with a garden design that includes proper soil drainage and good air circulation, as a defense against fungus.

It will also help if you mix different kinds of roses, so that those that are more susceptible to disease, like hybrid tea roses, are planted with those that are less so. Caring for roses means planning for their protection before disease or pests even enter the picture.

Caring for roses is not necessarily complicated, and when problems arise, most of the time they are fairly easy to deal with. Spraying for bugs or trimming off diseased branches doesn't take much work, and steps can often be taken so that even these issues don't arise.

Sometimes the garden design itself is the culprit, creating conditions that promote the growth of fungus. But if you work on preventive measures, and stay aware of your options when you need to deal with these problems, then you can keep on top of things and keep your garden healthy.

To read more Caring For Roses To Maintain A Healthy Rose Garden

Planting Roses In Your Garden

When planting roses, you may want to avoid planting only that type of flower in your garden, because that could actually put the entire garden at risk.

When only one species of plant exists in a garden or other location, all of the plants could be affected if a disease occurs with nothing to buffer them or prevent its spread.

So prudent flower gardening might dictate that you don't restrict the garden to just roses, but plant other flowers as well.

When you think of planting roses along with other flowers, though, you have to take new factors into consideration. One of those will be height. For example, floribunda roses generally don't grow much higher than two or three feet.

You likely wouldn't want to choose petunias as their companions, unless you pick a variety that grows along the ground, because you're likely to get nothing but a big mash-up of flowers. You might prefer to put something like alyssum below the floribundas instead.

When setting annuals between and among your roses, you might create a rose garden design that's different from what you've been prone to do in the past.

You could place more shade tolerant roses along walls where you've never had them before, and show off the colors of your roses by creating a contrasting background color with your annuals.

Planting roses and other types of flowers together can be a great experiment in creativity, and will not only help to protect your garden from disease, but it can revive your own enthusiasm as well.

To read more Planting Roses In Your Garden

Caring For Your Roses With Rose Gardening Tips

If you're thinking of starting your own rose garden, then you'll need to start checking some rose gardening tips to be sure you learn what to do and how to do it properly. There are websites and books all over the place to help you learn what you need to do. You'll start with good soil, and learn how to water properly.

Each new tip will teach you things like proper pruning and fertilizing, how to deal with rose diseases, and how to protect your garden during the winter months.

In some ways, rose pruning and grooming is as complicated as fertilizing. Much of this is done during the dormancy of the plant, as you trim back the branches or canes, saving the 3-5 most healthy, thick stalks, and cutting back to 12-24 inches.

When you've first planted the bush, remove flower buds for a couple of months, to promote growth. With regard to rose gardening tips for polyanthas, floribundas or miniatures, you should cut back to within six inches of the ground every three years, to renew the vigor of the bushes.

When preparing your garden for the winter, other rose gardening tips can advise you on whether or not you need to wrap the bare stalks and place mulch around the base or whether to bury the bush during the cold months. You may also start preparing roses for winter by planting in the spring, to give their roots time to develop.

Tips like these are available in books, on the internet and at rose nurseries and gardens. You will have many opportunities to learn how to create a beautiful rose garden and to help it grow in a healthy way.

To read more Caring For Your Roses With Rose Gardening Tips

Humminbird 997C SI Combo NVB Color Fish Finder With GPS Technology And A Memory Bank

The internet has taken a lot of the frustration out of shopping. You do not have to go from store to store trying to find the best deals possible. A couple of webpages will give you great price comparisons on whatever you are searching for.

Fish finders are especially easy to find with so many fishing and sporting good stores going online. The key is reading the user reviews and then making your decision. One fish finder in particular you should check out is the Humminbird 997c SI Combo NVB Color Fish Finder.

Since technology has changed so much over the last thirty years you can expect that the technology behind fish finders has changed as well. The early models were expensive and very distorted.

Not to mention they also gave a very limited view of the bottom and the range of fish. With the Humminbird 997c SI Combo NVB Color Fish Finder you do not have to worry about this.

The downside to the Humminbird 997c SI Combo NVB Color Fish Finder is definitely the price. Most new fishermen are not always keen on paying out two thousand dollars just for a fish finder.

But it is not uncommon for professional fishermen to pay the big bucks for equipment designed to help them win tournaments. This is not a fish finder for the twice a year fisherman because of the expense.

But if you are serious about your sport and your boating equipment, then it is one that may fit your needs.

To read more Humminbird 997C SI Combo NVB Color Fish Finder With GPS Technology And A Memory Bank

Choosing Granite Slabs For Your Kitchen

When you are thinking of renovating your bathroom or kitchen, you may not immediately think of using granite slabs. But if you stop and consider, it stands to reason that this material ought to be used more often in home design.

Granite patterns and colors are varied and calmly beautiful, and the stone is strong and durable. This is why it's being used more and more in the home, in recent years, for things like bathroom granite vanity tops and kitchen counters.

Granite slabs may not be as expensive as you fear, even though they generally aren't cheap. If you look around at several home supply stores, you may find granite blocks that have chips in the surface or other flaws, which would likely mean a considerable markdown in price.

The flaws might not even be visible once the granite countertop installation is complete. Another way of getting a good price is to ask a supplier when they're changing from old to new inventory, because the old pieces will sell for much less under such circumstances.

To read more Choosing Granite Slabs For Your Kitchen

Better Ideas For Design Water Features In Your Home And Yard

Design water features as a centerpiece in your backyard or inside your home, can be a fascinating option to improve your home. You may look at your yard and all you see is a lawn with a few trees and flower beds. If you want to place a cherry on the cake then a water feature may be your ideal solution.

You may look at placing one water feature in your backyard and a smaller water feature in your garden, next to your garden pond. Every time people come to your home, they want to look at the work you have done in your garden and they can relax in garden chairs around your garden pond and look at the water feature.

There is nothing better, than relaxing in the summer time, and be mesmerised by the design water features in your home, yard and garden.

If you had a professional installer install your garden pond, you may request the same company about installing a water feature in your garden. They may be able to offer a special deal, as a returning customer. It is often a better option, to use a quality landscaping company to install your water feature, just in case there are complications and the professional installer can come back and fix any problems.

To read more Better Ideas For Design Water Features In Your Home And Yard

Better Reasons To Build A Cheap Greenhouse

Build a cheap greenhouse to supply you with delicious garden produce all year round. Some produce cannot grow outside in adverse climatic conditions, while you can create ideal conditions inside a greenhouse, away from cold, rain and windy conditions.

Even when it is snowing outside, you may still grow produce in your greenhouse, by creating ideal conditions for growth, including heaters, fans, and grow lights. The grow lights will supply the lighting conditions plants need for growth. The heaters will help fight cold conditions and the fans will help fight extreme heat conditions.

You can use natural, organic fertilizers to help your herbs, fruit and vegetable plants grow inside your greenhouse. If you want to continue to cook with fresh garden produce, long after the growing season is over, then it would be an ideal solution to build a cheap greenhouse.

This is the advantage of having your own greenhouse. You can grow your own produce all year round. It may be cold, raining and clouds are covering the sun outside, but you are protecting your growing plants, with your heater. Grow lights are helping to shine light on your growing plants.

If you are not using chemicals, like chemical fertilizers and any other chemicals on the soil or on your plants, then you are setting up to grow organic produce. Many people these days, like to grow their own produce, in order to grow fresh produce and use it in their meals on the same day.

This way all the natural flavours from your greenhouse garden produce, will flood your meals, making your meals much more delicious.

Many people, have a garden and a greenhouse in their yard. Your garden may grow produce when the climatic conditions are ideal, while your greenhouse will be able to supply you with produce all year round.

Some garden vegetables, may not grow in your garden, once the growing season is over, but you may be able to continue to grow produce in your greenhouse.

This is why it is to your advantage, to build a cheap greenhouse.

To read more Better Reasons To Build A Cheap Greenhouse

Relaxing Outdoors And Fishing In Private Fish Ponds

If you're an avid fisherman, then you are probably getting irritated that your excursions to your favorite ponds and lakes are increasingly being wrapped up in bureaucratic red tape.

Licenses not just for you but for your companions, fishing quotas, catch-and-release rules; all of this may really be getting to you, and it may seem like some level of government is adding brand new rules every year. Yet there may be an alternative for you, as you might be interested in fishing in private fish ponds in the future.

Using private fish ponds doesn't of course remove all potential of being subject to state or federal fishing regulations.

After all, there may be streams and rivers flowing into or out of the private property, and anyone fishing in those will be required to get the same licenses as usual; these are still considered public waters and are under government jurisdiction, not being privately owned.

But these stocked fishing ponds at least provide the opportunity, most of the time, to relax and do some fishing without turning it into a complex project.

So remember that the option of fishing in private fish ponds is a viable choice, if you're getting really tired of an overdose of licensing and regulations. Many owners take great care to stock their ponds with types of fish that are natural to the area and that will thrive and be healthy.

Since many of the regulations are concerned with protecting the environment and fish stocks, by going private you place the worries about over-fishing in the hands of the pond owner, who is constantly vigilant. This may help both private and public fishing waters, in the end.

To read more Relaxing Outdoors And Fishing In Private Fish Ponds

Stocking Your Garden Pond

A garden pond doesn't necessarily have to contain fish, although most of them do. Some people prefer to use their ponds as a place to display exotic, aquatic plants. Whatever the function, it's going to affect the size, shape and depth of the pond.

For example, goldfish can live in a shallow pond, while koi fish ponds need to be in deeper water. Certain plants float on the water's surface, while others need a greater depth of water to accommodate their roots and long stalks.

Stocking a pond with certain types of plants might encourage wildlife other than fish to begin congregating there. For example, you might attract small frogs or dragonflies. Different ecosystems will be created by different types of plants.

You may also limit or encourage certain kinds of plants depending on how large or deep the garden pond is. Water lilies, of course, can thrive in almost any kind of pond, since there are species that float on the surface without needing to root in the soil, as well as others that need to plant their roots.

You can't ignore the equipment and other factors that will help the pond stay healthy and clean. A pond water pump can ensure good circulation of nutrients while a filter helps to clean up the water.

A proper balance of plants can also make sure that algae will not become a problem. Gather as much information and advice as you can to learn what supplies you need; whether mechanical or organic. These can all help you make your garden pond a healthy place.

To read more Stocking Your Garden Pond

The Great Outdoors With Fishing Ponds

You may not enjoy a vacation in a luxury hotel, doing touristy things in a city somewhere. A lodge with fishing ponds and other rustic activities might be more up your alley, and can help to avoid conflicts if different family members have different expectations.

You yourself may be more interested in completely roughing it in order to do some fishing in ponds and lakes in some forested valley, while your spouse or the kids might insist on accommodations with electricity and hot and cold running water. This sort of lodge or rustic resort may be your answer.

These establishments are certainly aware of the appeal of providing fishing ponds among their many attractions. You'll find lodges that feature these ponds from Tennessee to Colorado, from Oregon to Georgia, and everywhere in between.

While the kids perhaps goof off in the swimming pool and other family members play miniature golf or go hiking in the woods, you could be relaxing in a small boat and angling for the types of fish you like to eat. Many lodges even supply all the rods and tackle as part of the vacation package, without extra charge.

It's possible that in addition to the lodge's private fishing ponds, which wouldn't require you to get a fishing license, you might also want to fish in some nearby ponds and lakes.

If they aren't privately owned, that might bring in the licensing requirements, but the lodge management can supply such details when you book your vacation. Whatever your wishes, having a holiday in a location like this might be just what your family needs, to relax without a lot of hassle, and go home refreshed when the vacation is over.

To read more The Great Outdoors With Fishing Ponds

Time For Relaxation With Pond Fishing

Natural ponds on farms or out somewhere in the woods might have been the first places some people ever fished, going out perhaps with their dad or older siblings. This makes fishing in such places something of a trip down memory lane for these people.

Many of them feel differently about pond fishing than about fishing in larger bodies of water, which can be more intense and also more commercial. It's true that the smaller ponds create an atmosphere that magnifies the importance of each action, yet these are places where the person can let the pressure go.

You almost need to engage in your own personal version of pond management as you approach a pond for fishing. That is, you control how you yourself relate to the fish and to the pond environment in which they are found.

For example, many people see the overgrowth of plants along the edges and try to cast their lines rather wildly out into the clear center of the water. Yet the fish, bass especially, actually feed more in this vegetation. Knowing the pond and the habits of the fish can make a person's pond fishing more effective and interesting.

Pond fishing can be something you obsess over, requiring the type of finesse and precision it sometimes does take, or it can provide an opportunity to float lazily in a small boat and not worry about things.

You may cast along the edges of the vegetation for bass, or let your line drag along the bottom if there are catfish in the pond. A healthy, clean fish pond can be simply a utilitarian place for catching supper, or it can be a place for doing a little reminiscing or a little dreaming.

To read more Time For Relaxation With Pond Fishing

Private Fishing Pond With Perfect Conditions

In order to allow pleasure or sport fishing in your own private fishing pond, you'll need to be sure that all the conditions are right. Being a responsible owner and manager of such a pond involves much more than simply sitting in your own boat fishing all day.

You want to make sure that you have a healthy, clean fish pond as well as abundant, healthy fish. So it's important to take steps to be sure about these things. You may not get to relax at the pond quite as much as you might have envisioned, but it will be a much more pleasant place if you take proper care of it.

Some of the management of your fishing pond will vary, depending on whether it's a natural pond or if you're building it yourself. Natural ponds probably already have proper drainage and a certain natural ecosystem; otherwise they'd be nothing but dirty, smelly, algae-clogged puddles.

But if you're building the pond yourself, then you'll need to consult with knowledgeable people to reproduce the right kind of environment. You can't expect fish to survive and be healthy without creating the right conditions for them.

Two things are crucial for managing your fishing pond properly and making it a pleasant, abundant place to fish. These important things involve maintaining the correct pond environment first of all, and then following a wise, sustainable pond stocking policy.

Many biologists and environmentalists have studied what is needed to create a healthy pond, so be sure to take full advantage of their expertise. If you do this, then both you and your visitors will find this pond to be a great place to fish.

To read more Private Fishing Pond With Perfect Conditions

Stocking Your Pond With Pond Fish

If you've created a domestic fish pond, then your choices in pond fish will be different than those for rural ponds designed for sport fishing. And among the choices you have, certain factors about your pond will determine what kind of fish will better suit the environment.

Everything from the actual pond design to its location and the surrounding climate in your area will have a bearing, and will either broaden or limit what kind of fish you can place in the pond.

Stocking a pond also involves choosing the right kind of plants and creating the right environment. You'll never have a pond completely free of plants, but not every kind of fish eats them. That means that with goldfish, for example, that don't eat plants, you might choose slightly fewer than for koi, which do.

Another thing to consider is climate and temperature. In a climate where you can't prevent the water from freezing over even with a heater, then it might be wise not to have a pond at all. Pond fish can't survive without oxygen and frozen water would effectively cut it off.

Koi fish ponds are very popular at the moment, but goldfish serve just as well in shallower or smaller ponds. Another interesting type of pond fish is the Orfe, which is also a type of carp.

They might not need as deep a pond as their cousins the koi, but because they swim quickly and in schools, they might need a much longer pond instead. There are many different permutations of fish and types of ponds, so the wisest course before stocking yours is to consult with a good supply store to get the best advice.

To read more Stocking Your Pond With Pond Fish

Healthy Living Environment With Pond Plants

Take a tip from a book about healthy ponds in the wilderness; provide a lot of good pond plants if you're trying to recreate a pond environment in your own yard.

These prevent the water from becoming sterile, and create a healthy living environment in which your fish can thrive. Proper pond care necessitates that you create a good balance, including several different types of plants that serve different purposes in the pond ecosystem.

The most important kind of pond plants, though they are by no means the only kind you need, are those that help create the oxygen that the fish themselves need to survive, and which do a better job of this than any artificial method.

But plants also help reduce the problem of pond algae as well, because they use up the compounds created by the bacteria in the water that break down organic matter. Some good oxygenating plants to look for are Anacharis (Ditch-moss, WaterPest) or Cabomba (Washington Grass, Fanwort).

In addition to the floating pond plants in the center, you'll want to add the extra balance of marginal plants along the edges. These root in the mud of the shallows, and bring further shade and cooling to the pond.

It may seem odd to think of placing the right plants as a part of fish management, yet it's the plants that actually create the environment that will determine the health of your fish.

Keep the plants balanced and properly varied, and the fish will do very well, thus making your pond a happy place for both you and the fish.

To read more Healthy Living Environment With Pond Plants

A Healthy And Balanced Fish Pond

Be meticulous as you plan where you're going to place your fish pond and how you're going to construct it. There are many more things to consider than most people would suspect.

You'll need to look from the heights of the tree branches above the yard to the depths of the ground beneath the pond location. Designing and stocking a pond requires that you pretty much think of everything.

Look at the trees in or near your yard. For the sake of proper pond care, you'll want to avoid placing the pond directly under them or, in some cases, anywhere near them.

The reasons are twofold; you don't want the pond to get clogged up with fallen leaves, and just as importantly, you don't want tree roots penetrating the pond itself. Check where tree roots run in your yard, and avoid placing your fish pond anywhere near them.

When you've got your fish pond set up at last, then you'll need to choose the supplies you need. Of course this includes mechanical equipment like filters and pumps, but pond supplies extend even to your choice of plants to include.

You'll need to research aquatic plants and provide a balance between floaters and marginal plants, and perhaps introducing packaged bacteria in recommended amounts to get the ecosystem going. Then, at last, you can introduce the fish, a few at a time, and your pond will be complete.

To read more A Healthy And Balanced Fish Pond

Ornamental Koi Pond Decorating Your Garden

If you're creating a special garden in your yard or perhaps even in a greenhouse, then a koi pond might be that one final jewel to consider adding to your design. Koi are a type of Japanese carp that bear beautiful, bright colors and patterns, and can grow to be quite large.

Many of those designing ponds for public spaces actually place these fish as decorative features, to add to the overall look of these places, as well as the beauty and natural feel.

One thing to keep in mind if you put a koi pond into your yard is that it needs to be big enough for these fish to survive in. Many experts suggest that for every 100 gallons of water your pond contains, you should have one fish.

It might be hard to resist the temptation to add more, to add to the range of patterns and colors, but the fish themselves would be harmed by overcrowding. Fish pond predators will need to be thwarted as well. Making the pond between five and eight feet deep will help discourage them.

A good filter and pump are essential for keeping the pond clean, and another very important piece of equipment in a koi pond will be a heater, particularly in a cooler climate.

The pond cannot be allowed to freeze over in the winter, so this may be a final limitation on who can create one, and where these fish ponds can be located. In countries that have quite severe winters, it simply might be too risky for the fish, or too expensive for the owner to bring them indoors until spring.

But for someone in a climate that can accommodate koi fish ponds, creating this type of feature has the potential to turn their garden into a beautiful jewel.

To read more Ornamental Koi Pond Decorating Your Garden

Plants With Propeties To Make Natural Insect Repellent

Using a natural insect repellent is becoming more popular, as our society becomes more health conscious and as the state of the environment weighs more heavily on our minds. A lot of the bug repellent choices that are manufactured these days use plants as the source ingredients to create a more organic insect repellent.

There are a number of different plants that have unique properties that tend to ward off certain pests, and the use of plants is a healthier and safer alternative to chemically based insecticides.

There is an argument that one could simply grow these types of plants around the house and create a yard that not only looks nice, but turns it into an insect-free zone. However most of the time, in order to turn the plants into a natural insect repellent, the plants need to be crushed and the repellent properties extracted.

A lot of the plants mentioned could be in your yard and you could find bugs using them for shade or as a nesting place. The plants could be broken down by homeowners in order to create a form of natural pest repellent, but simply having flowers present is usually not enough.

Chemical sprays that used to be routinely used on crops several decades ago may be more effective in killing and warding off insects, yet a natural insect repellent is safer and healthier.

There are numerous types of insect repellent spray products that are made from plants and are available for purchase. All that is needed is for you to match up your needs with what the repellent can offer and you can feel more secure being outdoors.

To read more Plants With Propeties To Make Natural Insect Repellent

Making Your Own Effective Natural Bug Repellent

Natural bug repellent is something that you can make yourself at home. Many of us are more aware of the contents of certain bug control products and wish to avoid using sprays or lotions that are full of chemicals.

The good news is you can create an effective repellent at home. The basic ingredients, if used properly, will be a safer mix for your skin, and you will also save money as the products you use are everyday items that you likely already possess.

Your natural bug repellent will then be ready to be applied either as a lotion or insect repellent spray. Like most any commercially made insect repellent, your homemade batch will need to be reapplied if you get wet or after you've been outside in the sun for an extended period of time.

A homemade bug repellent, though safer than most commercially made products, can still produce a chemical reaction; pregnant women should check with their physician before using.

Natural bug repellent can be made cheaply and easily in the comfort of your own home. Everyone has their own body chemistry and so the strength of a homemade organic insect repellent can be adjusted according to each person's needs.

If you live in a location that has a high number of insects, then you may need to make stronger repellent as well. Finally, a natural insect repellent will have a much softer impact on the environment.

To read more Making Your Own Effective Natural Bug Repellent

Accelerating Grass Growth In The Springtime With Fall Lawns Alive! All Natural Fertilizer

The winter weather can be unforgiving on our lawns; killing off grass, injuring roots and sucking the life out of soil. It then seems like it takes homeowners half the spring and summer trying to restore the grass back to its healthy green again.

The Fall Lawns Alive! All Natural Fertilizer is a product that is designed to accelerate grass growth (which occurs within 10-14 days of your springtime application). All winter long, Fall Lawns Alive will provide a long-lasting blend of vital nutrients to the soil, boost resistance to insects and disease, and improve the soil structure.

The beginning of spring and the start of fall are the most important times to perform routine maintenance on the lawn and a little bit of the right stuff can go a long way, taking your lawn through each season with ease.

The most reviews for Gardens Alive, including the Fall Lawns Alive! All Natural Fertilizer, can be found at www.davesgarden.com. One buyer calls them the "very best fertilizers ever made!"

In addition to the fall formula, other products are highly rated as well. "I am a new Gardens Alive customer and have been very happy with the 100% Spring Organic Lawns Alive fertilizer," says another reviewer.

Though the formula was "powdery" and sometimes tough to spread, this buyer said the lawn is "currently very thick and green!" Other buyers report using the Flowers Alive, Tomatos Alive and living insects kits to stimulate their lawns' natural processes.

Some consumers admit these products are a bit pricier, but insist they work great so all-in-all Garden's Alive products are a great buy. "Customer service is excellent," a number of individuals have commented.

Consumers can buy 20-pound bags (to cover up to 2,500 sq ft.) for $24.95 or 40-pound bags (to cover up to 5,000 sq ft.) at www.gardensalive.com. They also offer $1-per-bag product discounts, the more bags you buy.

Even though the product is a little pricier than other fertilizers, especially with shipping factored in, buyers are making the conscientious decision to have plush, green, organic lawns at any cost.

Besides, a little bit of Fall Lawns Alive! All Natural Fertilizer goes a long way, considering you only have to perform this kind of maintenance twice a year.

To read more Accelerating Grass Growth In The Springtime With Fall Lawns Alive! All Natural Fertilizer

Gardening Solutions And Plant Suggestions With EasyBloom Plant Sensor

The EasyBloom Plant Sensor is the perfect product for that tech-savvy gardener. EasyBloom's manufacturer, San Francisco-based company PlantSense, said they wanted to bring greenhouse operator technology to amateur gardeners.

In one test, EasyBloom took in 129 data points over 30 hours and recommended 321 plants for that specific soil and conditions. While guesswork can sometimes be a fun part of the process, EasyBloom provides you with solutions to ailing plants and plant suggestions you may have never thought of before.

The EasyBloom Plant Sensor has received rave reviews with the press. In a January 2009 article titled "Cool News Gizmos For Home, Families, Kids," CBS News writes, "The EasyBloom enables anyone to enjoy a beautiful garden, from a single potted plant to a backyard full of blooms."

ABC News recommends this gadget in their December 2008 article "New Home Gadgets for the New Year" and in their May 2009 article "11 Gadgets to Make Her Gush." Barron's chose EasyBloom as their February 2nd, 2009 "Gadget of the Week," with the author writing, "I was impressed with the EasyBloom's secondary functions, which say if plants need watering and diagnose ailing ones."

The EasyBloom Plant Sensor does not win everyone over. Some people feel that gardening should be an intimate moment involving man and nature only. "This is not hands-on gardening," argues Bruce Butterfield of the National Gardening Association.

"I'll rely on my old-fashioned green thumb," adds St. Petersburg Times contributor Yvonne Swanson, who says that "most of the rules are thrown out the window" with Florida gardening.

One Amazon reviewer from Texas argues that this gadget only alerts you to the water/sunlight conditions of the plants and that "Using your better judgment would be more effective and allow you to learn as a gardener." Other reviewers say they don't like that they had to register before being able to use this gizmo.

To read more Gardening Solutions And Plant Suggestions With EasyBloom Plant Sensor

Improving Your Garden With Tips From Joy of Gardening

If you're looking for a great book about vegetable growing, you're probably hoping to find full-color photos, easy-to-read charts and well-written descriptions of various planting charts and garden tending methods.

Expert gardener Dick Raymond's top-selling book, Joy of Gardening, borrows from his 40 years of professional experience as a Garden Specialist and mentor. This book has received glowing reviews and has been referred to as "The Gardening Bible."

You'll find that readers of this book are almost cult-like in their fanaticism about every pearly word of wisdom Dick Raymond has. For proof, just read some of the glowing reviews at www.amazon.com.

People call Raymond "my guru" or "my master" and talk about spouting off quotes from the book everyday. Disheartened gardeners who suffered a bad season find they are rejuvenated by this book and experienced gardeners learn tips and techniques that take them further than they ever thought before.

"My garden looks ten times' better than last year's," one reviewer writes. "This is the only book you'll need," another satisfied customer adds. At www.angeluspress.org, Joy of Gardening was called "so vivid you can almost smell the dirt and taste the fresh vegetables!"

The review adds, "The locals around here say this is the best book on gardening." On the Powell's Books website, an enthusiastic reviewer writes, "I have had this book for years, and refer to it each year. In fact, in early January and February it's good for the soul to read about gardening."

Given the dicey economy, it's no surprise that seed orders were up 40% in 2008 or that backyard gardens have sprouted up like crazy. Gardens are one of the best investments you can make, giving you high yields and fostering healthier living.

Whether you're working with a full yard, a terrace, a box, a pot or a raised bed, Joy of Gardening can get you started with everything you need to know to create delicious and successful organic food for your family. You can buy this book at www.lehmans.com or www.amazon.com.

To read more Improving Your Garden With Tips From Joy of Gardening

Frightening Pests Away From Your Garden With The Easy Gardener 8021 Garden Defense Electronic Owl - Sound and Motion Sensored

On a beautiful day, the sky is blue, the grass is green, the birds are lightly chirping, a baby bunny sits in the dandelion thicket and a mother deer emerges timidly from the forest. Yet, if you're a gardener, this picturesque portrait of nature could quickly become a nightmare.

The birds are squawking, leaving bird seed, feathers and droppings all over your swimming pool and porch as they swoop down to feast on your grass and plant seeds. That little bunny has devoured all of your pansies, snapdragons, lilacs and blueberry plants.

The deer chewed up your trees and left a mess littering your lawn. It doesn't take long before you try to regain control of your yard with something like the $30 Easy Gardener 8021 Garden Defense Electronic Owl - Sound and Motion Sensored.

The ideal use for the Easy Gardener 8021 Garden Defense Electronic Owl - Sound and Motion Sensored is to deter porch pests. Most of the satisfied customers reported having pigeons, sparrows and woodpeckers terrorizing their porches with feathers, nests, seeds, droppings and destruction.

Ideally, you should set the owl under a covered area, where it won't get hit by too many elements, and move the decoy every few days so the animals don't get too used to it. You will probably need to replace the batteries every two months or so to keep it functioning. Squirrels are also easily deterred by this humane home and garden product.

As with many garden products, the Easy Gardener 8021 Garden Defense Electronic Owl - Sound and Motion Sensored is another victim of cheap manufacturing. Numerous consumers report malfunctioning sensors and owls either hooting at all hours of the night or simply not hooting at all.

Buyers report that the bird decoy did not seem to be waterproof and that pieces of plastic broke off when the bird was dropped. Battery holders sometimes jammed with dirt and couldn't be opened easily or snapped off.

If the owl sits still for more than a day at a time, the pests become used to it and may even try to peck at it or chew on it just to spite you! While this natural deterrent seems to work wonders for pesky porch squirrels and pigeons, it may not be for everyone.

To read more Frightening Pests Away From Your Garden With The Easy Gardener 8021 Garden Defense Electronic Owl - Sound and Motion Sensored

Releasing Live Ladybugs Into Your Garden

No one likes to spray chemicals on their beautiful vegetable garden that holds ingestible food, yet many gardeners feel pressured by chewed-up leaves, desecrated produce and unsightly pests lingering around the crops.

Today more and more gardeners are choosing more earth-friendly methods of pest control. One solution is to introduce live ladybugs to your garden. They're not interested in what you've got going on, but they will be intensely interested in the predatory bugs floating around. Ladybugs love to eat nasty aphids, beetles, weevils and mites!

Arbico Organics live ladybugs have been endorsed by numerous green blogs, such as www.idealbite.com, www.goorganicgardening.com, www.smart2begreen.com, www.organic-eden.com and www.organicgardeningbloghowto.com, to name a few. According to the Arizona Daily Star, Arbico Organics is the only company in the world that produces ladybugs.

"Natural pest control is a growing business," says Pamela Martinez from Arbico, the 22-year-old, Catalina-based company. She adds that they do ship these "tiny terminators" around the world, although live bugs cannot be sent to Hawaii.

The only real downside to buying live ladybugs is that some people feel this may upset nature's balance. An overabundance of ladybugs will send them packing: they'll be in search of food and you'll be in search of the money you've lost.

Even so, the ladybugs make ideal predators. You won't have to worry about them succumbing to other predatory garden pests. The bright color warns others that they look like an unsatisfying meal.

They can release a bad smelling and orange-tasting chemical when stressed, which other predators find downright revolting. Ladybugs have also been known to play dead and even bite! (But don't worry because humans can't feel their tiny mandibles at all.) To order ladybugs of your very own, visit www.arbico-organics.com.

To read more Releasing Live Ladybugs Into Your Garden

Tips And Ideas For Growing Mushrooms

Growing mushrooms inside your home is an option available to many people, these days. You can purchase a mushroom growing kit and grow mushrooms to meet your cooking needs. You do not need grow lights or place the mushrooms near a window as mushrooms like the dark and hideaway places around your home. If you have a cellar or a space in your garage, you can take advantage of your facilities to grow mushrooms.

Alternatively, you can grow mushrooms outside in your yard, but you do not need a yard with a garden space to grow mushrooms, as you can grow mushrooms inside your home, in a garden shed or in your garage.

You can find growing mushroom kits online or you may place a request with your local garden nursery. I always buy my mushroom kits online as they have been rather reliable and are easy to grow in a dark corner of my home.

You do not need high levels of water and sunshine as demanded by growing vegetable plants, as mushrooms belong to the fungi family and therefore are different to vegetable plants. Following the instructions on the mushroom kit, you should see your efforts rewarded with growing mushrooms.

There should be instructions in the kit on how to feed and care for your mushrooms. As long as you follow those instructions you will be rewarded with plenty of growing mushrooms.

To read more Tips And Ideas For Growing Mushrooms

Preventing Garden Pests From Overtaking Your Garden

Garden pests can devour the growing plants in your garden. Some of these pests will eat everything, even the roots in the soil. There are preventative measures you can take to stop these pests eating all your hard work.

If you have squirrels and birds feeding on your garden produce, then you can place feeders away from the garden, somewhere else in your yard, high up on trees, for them to feed to their hearts content. You may even place a bird bath underneath the trees, to make the areas near the feeders as hospitable as possible, to keep them away from your garden.

Placing mulch on the soil surrounding growing vegetable plants, will help prevent snails, slugs and even rodents from reaching the plants in your garden. Taking these measures will help prevent garden pests overtaking your garden.

As you can see, there are many ways to keep pests out of your garden, so that you are rewarded with produce for your effort.

To read more Preventing Garden Pests From Overtaking Your Garden

A Better Hideaway With Garden Ponds

Garden ponds add a little mystery to the garden. Most gardens are full of growing plants with one or two garden gnomes. Some may have a small table top fountain, with water splashing about.

More people these days, like to include a little hideaway pond with fish and living water plants, to relax on a Sunday afternoon. Away from phones and bad news. There is always something relaxing about watching fish swim around your pond.

One of the major decisions you need to make about a new pond, is where in your garden do you want to install it? Will you install it yourself, or arrange for a landscaping company to install it for you? Do you want to include fish and live water plants?

There are companies who will install a garden pond for you and even supply the water plants and fish. This may cut the time you need for installation and you can get back to the installation company if there are any problems.

This solution may be more convenient for many people, as you may not have the time or the confidence to ensure your pond is perfect and there are no long term maintenance problems.

To ensure you receive good service, get a number of quotes from different companies, before you make a final decision. You may also ask your friends if they had a pond installed in their garden and if they were happy with the installation company.

You may even ask the installer for advice. Most often, the installation company is a landscaping business, so you may get landscaping advice about where you should place your pond.

Getting ideas may be your perfect way to create your hideaway with garden ponds.

To read more A Better Hideaway With Garden Ponds

Decorating Your Yard With Concrete Lawn Ornaments

Concrete lawn ornaments help to improve the landscape around your yard. You may have a few miniature fruit trees, a small organic garden and even a stone walkway. But placing an ancient Greek statue, or a water fountain adds an artistic statement to your yard. You want to say to the visitor of your home, you like to decorate your yard with art.

Decorating your yard and decorating your home with art, indicates you love your home sweet home. You are not taking your home for granted, you like to state this is where you live and the yard is part of you. By placing artistic ornaments around your yard, you are highlighting areas of your yard.

For example, you may look at placing an ancient Greek statue inside your garden, you may even place statues of dogs around your yard, to scare strays away from your yard, as they may think the competition is too much in this yard. The ornaments highlight your garden and your yard, drawing the eye to interesting parts of your yard.

Bird baths are another option for concrete lawn ornaments, to attract birds to your backyard. You may have some birdfeeders near trees, but having a bird bath close to your garden, adds another dimension to your backyard.

You may not have room for a large Greek statue or a Pagoda to guard your garden, but you can always decorate your garden with a bird bath. You may even place a water fountain nearby, to keep the birds entertained.

Then you can sit in an area where you cannot be seen by the birds, under the shade and be entertained by the variety of birds coming to your backyard, fascinated by your concrete lawn ornaments.

To read more Decorating Your Yard With Concrete Lawn Ornaments

Growing Hot Pepper Plants In Your Garden

Hot pepper plants are easy to grow in your garden. You can grow a variety of peppers including hot and mild peppers, as I have both in my garden, growing among the tomatoes, cucumbers and all my other growing garden plants. I do not use any chemicals, to keep my garden organic. I create my own garden fertilizer using compost bins in my yard. Any green waste, from my yard I collect and place it in the compost bins.

I initially started growing hot pepper plants using planters, but have since moved them into my garden. I heard stories that peppers were difficult to grow, but I was lucky and did not have any problems in maintaining a successful garden with my favourite organic produce in my backyard.

Apart from hot pepper plants, I now grow mild pepper plants, to increase the variety in my garden. After I collect all my peppers, I place them in jars, making my own varieties of pickled peppers. I add cut cucumbers and unripened green tomatoes, with plenty of salt and lemons from my lemon trees.

I make a number of jars, full of pickled peppers, that I give some away to my neighbours, friends and relatives. I have separate jars for hot peppers and mild peppers as some people do not like hot pepper, while other people specifically request for hot peppers. I now have people asking me if my pickled peppers are ready. I seem to have built a reputation in my neighbourhood for quality pickled peppers!

Whenever we have a family get together, a social event or a dinner party, there is always plenty of peppers and other produce from my garden. I love garden fresh produce, as I can taste all the natural flavours, as I can pick it and place it on my meals on the same day.

To read more Growing Hot Pepper Plants In Your Garden

Avoiding Chemicals With A Weed Prevention Program

Weed prevention program without using chemicals in your garden, requires lots of hard work by pulling out weeds, whenever you see them in your garden. This may take up too much of your time and may even strain some of your muscles.

Gardening is a pleasure and not a torture session. Besides, there are many retired and disabled people keeping themselves active with gardening, who may find it difficult pulling out weeds.

If you do not wish to use chemicals to keep weeds out, then you can take steps to prevent weeds from growing in your garden. For example, you can cook weeds, by placing black plastic garden tarps to cover the weeds on your garden, with the hot sun bearing down on them under the tarps.

When your garden plants have finished giving you garden produce for the season, then is the time to take steps to stop the growth of weeds in your garden.

This is one of a number of steps you can take to prepare your garden for a weed prevention program, where you can prevent the growth of most weeds. If you do not allow weeds to grow, then you would not have to pull weeds out! Life can be made so much easier for the lazy gardener!

Taking these weed prevention steps, helps you to avoid the use of chemical agents like herbicides, and it may help you keep you garden chemical free, making it an organic garden. Many people these days, maintain an organic garden in their backyard, so that they can avoid all the tasteless fruit and vegetables available in many food stores.

When you use freshly picked herbs, vegetables and fruit from your garden, you can use them in your meals straight away and taste all the natural flavours flooding your meal. You may not realise there was so much flavour, until you start using your garden produce to make your meals.

You can grow much more garden produce, by taking up steps to eradicate weeds with your weed prevention program.

To read more Avoiding Chemicals With A Weed Prevention Program

Creating Your Natural Fertilizer With Garden Compost

Garden compost in your garden, is a natural fertilizer without all the chemicals you get in a chemical fertilizer. You can make your own garden compost with a compost pile or compost bins in your backyard, or buy organic garden compost from your local garden nursery.

Making your own compost, allows you to make nutrients for your garden, to help your fruit and vegetable plants grow. As every gardener knows, you need to add nutrients to your soil, especially if the soil lacks nutrients for growing plants. It is easy to make your own natural garden fertilizer using green waste and food scraps.

You can reduce the amount of food scraps you send off to land fill, by adding them onto your compost pile. You can add yard clippings, fruit, vegetables and left over food onto your compost pile.

These are the steps you can take to help reduce the amount of waste being sent to landfills, by creating useful nutrients with garden compost.

If you do not have the time and patience to create your own garden compost, you can buy organic garden compost from many nurseries. I have found the price of the organic compost much lower than the chemical fertilizers, so you can save on the cost of fertilizer by buying garden compost from your nursery.

Growing your vegetable plants in your own garden, allows you to pick garden fresh fruit and vegetables to use in your meals on the same day. If you do not use chemical fertilizers and other chemicals in your garden, then you may have an organic garden. Many people are keeping themselves busy with an organic garden in their backyard and enjoy the more natural flavors of freshly picked fruit and vegetables.

With an organic garden, you can grow tomatoes, peppers, herbs and many other fruit and vegetables. You can even grow organic lemons and oranges on miniature trees, which do not take much space in your yard, as the trees are rather small, but have plenty of fruit.

These days, there are many areas of your yard, you can use to make garden compost.

To read more Creating Your Natural Fertilizer With Garden Compost

The Escalating Problem Of Bee Colony Collapse Disorder

You may not know this, but the honey bee is disappearing all over the world; at an alarming rate. If the current rate of loss of the honey bee population continues, it is estimated that there may be only a decade span of time to find a cause and cure this problem.

The problem causing the disappearance of the honey bee is called Bee Colony Collapse Disorder, or BCCD. It causes the worker bees that are responsible for pollination to simple disappear; leaving their queen honey bee, a few hatchlings and lots of food behind.

With the current complexity of research into the problem of Bee Colony Collapse Disorder, lack of governmental response and the rate at which bees are dying, it is time for everyone to take a hard look at the world of agriculture, without the honey bees to pollinate. There is an area in China where pear and apple trees must be pollinated by hand, due to over-harvesting honey and through the use of pesticides.

It is possible that in the future other types of bees could be trained as pollinators. So far though, that experiment has not shown a great deal of promise. It could be that the result of Bee Colony Collapse Disorder may mean the honey bee will be replaced by human hand-pollination.

Human pollinators is an expensive alternative and doesn't provide a viable solution to the environmental problems associated with the disappearing honey bees.

To read more The Escalating Problem Of Bee Colony Collapse Disorder

Knowing The Time For Bee Removal

One of the reasons why many people don't like honey bees, bumble bees, wasps etc., and why they contact bee removal services, is because these insects can sting. Otherwise they are just pretty little bugs going about their business. When a bee stings, it releases pheromones.

Typically, a honey bee that is away from the hive foraging will rarely sting. The only exceptions would be if it is roughly handled. Although it is generally believed that a honey bee can only sting once, this is a misconception. It all depends on what the bee stings as to whether it can live to sting again.

The main reason why people dislike bees is because of their ability to sting. The stinger injects a toxin into the victim, followed by the release of alarm pheromones. This process if accelerated if the bee has been fatally injured.

The release of alarm pheromones around a hive or swarm will attract other bees to the location and they will likewise show defensive behaviors until there is no longer a threat. This is typically because the victim has either flown away or been killed.

These types of pheromones do not dissipate or wash away quickly. It is obviously a wise choice to call a bee removal service if you are plagued with wild bees in or around your home.

Sometimes people will attempt bee removal on their own, without any professional help. They may choose to use chemical sprays to kill the bees or smokers to calm the bees, thus making the removal of the insects and their hive easier. You can typically find sprays and smokers in hardware stores and home-improvement centers.

If you plan on doing the removal yourself, then it's best to use whichever method at night, when all the bees are most likely to be inside the hive.

To read more Knowing The Time For Bee Removal

Knowing About Different Types Of Bees

Though it may seem difficult, starting your own beekeeping business really isn't hard. It doesn't require a large investment or any special skills. All you need to do is gain some knowledge of the different types of bees and what types of equipment are required to get your business off the ground. It really is pretty simple to start your own honey bee hive business.

Now you need to buy your equipment. It is a good idea to go to different suppliers and compare prices. You probably won't need an extractor in the first year, because your harvest will most likely be small.

You will generally want cut comb honey instead of extracted honey during that first year. You may need a smoker, depending on the type of hive you get. Smokers help calm the bees while you are completing your inspections. You will also need a suit, hat and gloves, if you are going to be a keeper of bees.

The American Bee Journal can provide you with insight on the different types of bees as well as the latest technology and equipment available to beekeepers.

With a small initial investment and a little knowledge, you could have a successful beekeeping business up in no time at all. You can soon realize both the monetary and health benefits associated with bees and beekeeping.

To read more Knowing About Different Types Of Bees

The Wonders Of The Honey Bee

The honey bee is an interesting little creature that provides a bounty of health and healing benefits to humans. It is the job of the worker bees to provide a nutritional source for the queen honey bee so that she may lay her eggs.

The bi-product of all this activity is wonderful products that contain nutritional and healing properties for humans.

Each honey bee colony has a unique scent for its members' identification. Only worker bees sting, and will only do so if they feel threatened. They die once they sting. Queen bees have a stinger, but never leave their respective hive to help defend it. Their focus is on laying eggs.

Since ancient times, products produced by the honey bee have been used in traditional medicines and as a nutritional food source. The bee is an amazing insect that is capable of creating a substance with antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Honey is the perfect, naturally made food.

To read more The Wonders Of The Honey Bee

Tips For Beekeepers

The practice of keeping bees goes back as far as the 13th century B.C., when it was developed by the ancient Egyptians. It wasn't until John Harbison came along and introduced beekeeping using modern techniques and products in the United States that the practice really took off.

He demonstrated the many nutritional benefits from different bee products. Beekeepers know the history of bees, the history of beekeeping and modern procedures, which have improved the practice.

Talk to other beekeepers in your area, not only to get an idea of their experiences on smaller and larger scales, but to also understand what kind time and monetary investment you will be committing to. Being a beekeeper may or may not be for you, so doing research and speaking to those who do it can help you make the right decision.

As a business, beekeeping is competitive. Small business beekeepers have a hard time competing with larger, commercial beekeeping businesses. It takes a large effort to produce a small quantity of honey.

Keeping up with the latest equipment and technology can help your small business keep its edge. Hard work and dedication are also required. Those two things are very important to remember when starting any company.

To read more Tips For Beekeepers