Auto Shop Safety

In today's auto shop there are many potential hazards to the fragile human body. In order to have a safe and productive work environment, there are simple steps that need to be taken in order to insure the physical safety of everyone in your automotive service shop. There are many tools and pieces of equipment in use that can potentially seriously injure someone. The first step is to take census of your auto or mechanical shop and locate machinery and tools that can be potentially hazardous. Any machine or tool that can cause a serious injury must be safeguarded. For example, a band saw is common tool in a mechanical shop and has the ability to cut off fingers and limbs. This piece of equipment needs to be safeguarded and all applicable safety features should be correctly installed. It is all too common to the plastic safety guards removed on a table saw because they are in the way of the operator. Safety cannot be sacrificed for convenience.

But remember machinery is not the only hazard, you need to be aware of in the shop. The power cords and air hoses that power equipment also presents a tripping hazard. Many auto shops have several air hoses and power cords stretched all over the place and most of them are not even being used at the moment. To combat this problem and help keep your shop floor clutter free we recommend using an air hose reel. Air hose reels are mounted on the shop walls and are usually self retracting. When a mechanic finishes working with his air tools, the air hose can be retracted and stored with a quick tug on the hose. There are similar devices for extension cords as well. Lets face it, a mechanic is much more inclined to keep his air hoses and power cords retracted if its easy and an air hose reel makes it easy. Also, spilled grease oil and oil can collect on a shop floor and produce a slipping hazard. It is inevitable that motor oil and grease will end up on the concrete floor. Most auto shops have containment spill kits that can contain the oil spill and aid in cleaning it up the minute it happens.

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The next level of safety is the person. Once the auto shop is a safe and secure environment, you will need to consider the mechanics and other workers in the area. Eye protection should be worn at all times. There is almost always some type of work going on that is a potential hazard your fragile eyes. For example, grinders and needle scalers are capable of throwing debris a long way from the point of contact. People working in the same area are in just as much danger is the operator using the tool. Also, chemicals and gasoline can be splashed onto unprotected eyes causing anything from mild discomfort to blindness.

Auto Shop Safety

Hand and feet protection is usually fairly obvious. Most mechanics wear gloves to prevent burns and cutting while working on automobile. But gloves are also needed for a variety of other tasks as well. Do not handle chemicals and solvents with out wearing gloves and remember to remove watches and other jewelry as well. Always be aware of where you fingers are especially when lifting heavy objects. It may seem obvious but it is all too common to crush your fingers by letting a heavy object down on them. Mechanics gloves are a great choice when you need to work with small parts and tools. Mechanics gloves are light and tight fitting on your hand. This allows you to feel the parts and tools and still maintain protection. For your feet, there are advanced mechanic shoes that help you gain traction on oily floors and boots with steel toes to protect you from heavy objects.

Safety in the auto shop requires some basic common sense and attention to detail. A safe work environment is a combination of both the work area and the workers themselves. It is everyone's responsibility to make sure the proper safety gear is worn and the rules are followed.

Auto Shop Safety

Lower Your High Blood Pressure With ion eXtra: A Review on the New Approach of Hypertension Cure

Statistic on American Heart Association said about one in three person have hypertension or high blood pressure. In 2006 alone, 74.5 million people in the United States age 20 and older have high blood pressure. This condition will kill a lot of them yet 33 percent of the sufferers didn't know that they even have high blood pressure.

Normal Hypertension Medicine Just Don't Cut It

Garden Hose

Even if you're one of the two-thirds that know you have hypertension and are dealing with it with medicines, there are more bad news. Conventional hypertension medicine or treatment doesn't solve the problem, they just keep it under control. Let me tell you why.

Lower Your High Blood Pressure With ion eXtra: A Review on the New Approach of Hypertension Cure

Here is a simple way of describing what is happening. Imagine that you have a hose in your garden connected to a water tap. If you stand on the hose, the pressure in it will build up and the hose may burst or the tap explodes. The traditional way of dealing with this problem was to turn the tap down (beta-blockers), to make a small hole in the hose to let some of the water out (diuretics) or apply a chemical treatment to make the hose spongier (ACE inhibitors). None of these remedies got the foot off the hose! Now imagine that the hose is connected to millions of garden sprinklers and, instead of having your foot on the hose you start to block up some of the holes in the sprinklers; one or two at first and then hundreds and then thousands; eventually you will get the same effect as the foot on the hose. This is what happens in the human body when millions of capillaries, the very small blood vessels closest to the surface of the skin, get destroyed.

So what destroys the capillaries? All living cells employ a process called osmosis to control their chemical make-up and to thrive. This is the process by which cells balance their liquid content in relation to solids and, if one cell is more solid than its neighbour, they will exchange fluid until they are in equilibrium. In the human body, the principle solid content of the water circulating between our cells is sodium. If the sodium levels get too high then blockages occur that cause leaks from the perspiration system that then squash and kill capillaries. As they die, blood pressure goes up.

Let me give simple example of this process at work - and put an old myth to bed. It is usually thought that there is some magic substance in red wine which lowers blood pressure. In fact, a little alcohol thins the blood which is a good thing because most people have blood which is slightly too thick because of an excess of sugar. So, a little alcohol gets blood back to normal and is helpful in reducing blood pressure. If more and more alcohol is drunk then there is more alcohol in the blood now making it much thinner than normal. To correct this, the body adds lots of salt (a thickener) to the blood. The process is called osmosis and it works to keep the body in balance. This excess salt now raises blood pressure. So little and often alcohol is beneficial, bingeing is not. And why is only red wine beneficial and not white? White wine usually contains plenty of sugar so the sugar in a small amount of white wine cancels out the beneficial effect of the small amount of alcohol. Drinking lots of white wine on the other hand will increase blood pressure faster than red.

Unfortunately, drinking alcohol is not the long-term answer to solving hypertension. The average human being has something like four million sweat glands. In a hypertensive person, a million or more of these are blocked and the surrounding capillaries are under stress and this is what causes the problem.

Benefits of ion eXtra

This is where ion eXtra comes along. ion eXtra is a capsule containing specially formulated natural electrolytes that are sealed in so that they cannot dissolve while passing through the body but which the body can detect and react to. ion eXtra acts on the metabolism to restore natural innate immunity. Basically it opens up the sweat glands hence lowering pressure. It's a new and exciting approach on hypertension treatment.

Lower Your High Blood Pressure With ion eXtra: A Review on the New Approach of Hypertension Cure

How To Get Rid Of Stink Bugs - 10 Simple Ways To Protect Your Garden

Protecting your garden against uninvited guests can be a challenge. Stink bugs are no doubt unwelcome visitors in anyone's garden. They subsist on fruit and foliage, both of which you no doubt are most likely harvesting in your garden. Ever since these critters first made landfall on US soil, having been brought over here as stowaways from southeast Asia aboard a cargo vessel sometime in the late 1990s, they have proven to be a nuisance for American households and have proven to be a huge economic threat to American farmers, whose crops are increasingly coming under attack from these bugs.

Stink bugs are harmless to humans but are wreaking havoc on the American agricultural industry. So if you are growing a garden in your backyard, it would be wise for you to acknowledge that the threat to any fruits that you grow is very real. These bugs will flock to wherever they can find fruit. They will pierce the skin of the fruit and start sucking the juice out of it from the inside, thus destroying it, rendering it inedible by humans. You can tell if a stink bug has partaken of a particular piece of fruit by examining the surface of the skin for any piercings and any discoloration around those piercings.

Garden Hose

So what can you do to protect your garden against an infestation of stink bugs (or to get rid of those bugs who have already managed to invade your garden)?

How To Get Rid Of Stink Bugs - 10 Simple Ways To Protect Your Garden

Here are 10 tips:

Tip #1. Use row covers to protect your fruit-bearing plants. They are essentially a type of blanket or net that you encase your plants in. These nets are impermeable to stink bugs yet still allow rain and sunlight to get through. They also offer benefits to your plants, in that they help to trap heat, similar to the manner in which a typical greenhouse might. This is a relatively inexpensive and is no doubt the least toxic form of pest control. You can always pull the row covers back as needed, when you need to get to your plants, whether to harvest their fruits, to extricate them, or to plant new ones in the same area.

Tip #2: Identify, locate, and kill any stink bug eggs that you can find in your garden. Stink bugs lay their eggs and attach them to the underside of plant or tree leaves, where they are considered to be safe and camouflaged from view. If you have seen one too many stink bugs in the vicinity of your garden, you may want to do a thorough inspection of your planets to ensure that there aren't any eggs there, waiting to hatch. Now, turning leaves upside down, one by one, in order to find their eggs can be extremely tedious, time consuming, and impractical, as would be getting down on the ground and trying to look up at the leaves. What you can do, however, is attach a large mirror to the end of a broom stick and hold it underneath the leaves, and look at the mirror to see if you can find any of their eggs anywhere. They are usually in clusters of about 20 green or white eggs. If you do find them, then you can proceed to dispose of them, by carefully discarding the leaves on which they were found.

Tip #3: Prevent weeds from growing in your garden. It has been observed that stink bugs will oftentimes use weeds and other forms of wild foliage as a means of cover when they wish to remain hidden. So it is important, not only for the aesthetics of your garden and for the health of your other plants, but it is also an easy way to "smoke them out" of their hiding places. Buy removing weeds from your lawn, they will have fewer places to hide, and will be more likely to move on to another yard in search of shelter or cover. Be sure to mow weeds with a lawn mower or pull them out by hand on a regular basis. Don't wait until the weeds get too big before you do so, as stink bugs could very well take advantage of even smaller, less mature weeds.

Tip #4: Lay a trap for stink bugs by growing flowering herbs in your garden. Herbs such as dill and fennel generally tend to attract assassin bugs, big-eyed bugs, damsel bugs, and tachnid flies, each of which are known to prey upon their larvae. So if there are stink bugs in your garden that are laying eggs, you can sic these predator bugs on them by luring them into your garden with the presence of flowering herbs. (Of course, this then begs the question as to whether you are merely trading in one problem for another: you get rid of stink bugs in your garden but now you are stuck with other types of bugs. But the reality is that these other bugs are harmless to your garden. They are a "lesser evil", if you will.)

Tip #5: You can purchase (or attract) parasitic wasps into your garden to achieve the same purpose as tip #4 above. Wasps are known to feed on stink bug eggs. Again, the same caveat exists, with respect to the speculative "lesser evil" outcome that might ensue. You want to release these bugs in a controlled fashion, so you minimize their spread.

Tip #6: If you encounter any stink bugs perched on any plants in your garden, you can spray them with various non-toxic soaps and cooking oils. (Canola oil works quite efficiently.) It has been observed that something as seemingly innocuous as dish soap can be extremely lethal to these bugs. Therefore light usage of these soaps by spraying them directly at the bellies of these bugs can be an extremely effective way how to kill stink bugs. The good thing about this method is that you are using completely non-toxic, harmless liquids, as opposed to potentially harmful pesticides. You need only give your plants and fruits a good rinse with the garden hose to wash off any soap or oil that they may have come in contact. One important tip: When spraying the stink bugs, be sure to aim for their bellies. This will literally cause the bugs to fall off the leaves onto the ground and become paralyzed within seconds. Spraying them on the exoskeleton on the upper side of their body seems to have no effect and is impervious to these chemicals.

Tip #7: Light traps are a tried and tested, and extremely reliable means of how to kill stink bugs. Like most bugs, stink bugs are attracted to bright sources of light. Once they make contact with the light trap, they will get zapped and will die instantly on contact. Place one or more of these at various locations within your garden, depending on the size of the area, and you should be able to draw most stink bugs out of their hiding places and kill them. Plus, it can be used as a trap to ensnare any new stink bugs that happen to be flying in the vicinity of your garden. This is a clean way to kill them. No squashing. No coming into contact with the foul stench that they emit.

Tip #8: Pheromone traps also work very well with stink bugs. You can buy a special type of candle that releases aggregation pheromones into the air. This candle sits inside a box with an open lid. When stink bugs detect the pheromones, they will attempt to hone in on the source where it is coming from. When they approach and enter the box, you simply close the lid. This trap can also be covered wall-to-wall with fly paper that will immobilize the bug on contact.

Tip #9: Another variation of stink bug traps is to lure them into the trap using fruits as bait. The objective is to divert these bugs away from your flowers, plants, and fruits and into a trap that can either kill them on contact or simply entrap them so that you can dispose of them into an appropriate trash receptacle from whence they cannot escape.

Tip #10: Keep your portable hand vacuum charged and ready. If you see any of these bugs that you think you can easily manage to reach, you can always vacuum them up. That is the simplest way to trap them and avoid having them release that foul stench into the air. You can then either choose to let it die of starvation / dehydration in the vacuum over the next several days or you can empty out the vacuum into an appropriate trash bag at a later time.

Keeping your garden safe from pest infestations should be a priority, especially if you are living in a part of the United States where there is a higher concentration of stink bugs, particularly in the northeast.

Now that you know a few tips on how to get rid of stink bugs and prevent them from wreaking havoc on your garden, it also pays to understand that there is a right way and there is also a wrong way how to kill stink bugs.

How To Get Rid Of Stink Bugs - 10 Simple Ways To Protect Your Garden

Picking The Ideal Excellent Pressure Washer Hose

Choosing the best high pressure washer hose can be extremely difficult since these come in big selection of selections when it comes to size, length and materials used to ensure they are. Each hose is generally designed to be employed in a particular environment enchanting different varieties of pressures. When finding the right therefore, there are numerous items that you should think of to find it. However, in case you are not trained with pressure hoses, then it is best to inquire about a professional engineer for help.

Picking The Proper Quality Pressure Washer Hose
Entry level usually are made black, one that can easily be left on the floor or around the walls when working. They may be made using cheap materials including cheap connectors which frequently snap when high pressure washer hose is utilized. These consumer grade hoses are usually created using plastic materials and not metallic fibres and as a result have a reduced lifespan. You most likely will find that after utilizing it for about just one single year, the horse could have cracks with its connectors turned brittle. Before long, you'll realize that you need a replacement pressure.

Garden Hose

Cleaning with a power washer will help you get the job done faster

Picking The Ideal Excellent Pressure Washer Hose

Outstanding process for washing or cleaning different types of surfaces that might be very difficult to get clean the conventional way Exterior siding on homes and mobile homes Take off flaking paint from houses when preparing or new for brand spanking new paint Taking out the dirt and mud from driveways

If you wish to receive the best deal, go for the oil resistant synthetic pressure hose which are created for commercial purposes, even though they may cost more than the consumer grades, they are ideal for numerous applications including garage, gardens, shops, auto shops and so on. If you plan to apply your pressure for warm water machines, then select the questionable washer hose that is ideal for high temperatures. Your hose should have the ability to withstand more than 325 degrees. Avoid the use of the standard form pressure hose as it are only able to withstand up to 180 degrees. Always make sure that you browse the manufacturer's instructions and in addition temperature limits before choosing the hose.

Pressure washers can come in three types, in terms of their weight and portability, namely the portable type, Skid mounted type and the Trailer Rig. The lower PSI range machines are for light cleaning of more fragile surfaces like wood works, furniture, decks, blinds, windows, nets and cars. Compared with the a typical garden hose which is capable of spraying 40 PSI or pounds per square inch of water pressure, the power pressure washers with 1,200 to 2,000 PSI is 30 to 50 times more powerful. They are also more affordable and are used to clean a considerably lesser area than the other types. The Skid mounted or truck mounted type of washers are completely business-oriented. One of the negative aspects of this type is that the truck could break down quite frequently, resulting in being repaired for about a week. Trailer Rig is impressive to look at and also is aimed to serve for commercial purpose. Also pulling a trailer is easier and better. A trailer rig also has facilities to store tools, wands, hoses, chemicals etc, if designed properly.

In case your hose needs replacing, you can purchase a replacement pressure hose available. There are many things that you ought to think about including the diameter, the length as well as the size. The length medicine same as the old hose; when possible, reduce your replacement hose to match the length of the old one. Small hoses usually are created for consumer grade hoses while large hoses are made specifically for professional use. Large horses can withstand pressure as high as five thousand psi. If you'd like your hose to last for quite some time, go for metallic horses. Plastic horses are extremely typical especially with consumer grade pressure hose; sadly, there is a shorter lifespan when compared with metallic hoses.

Picking The Ideal Excellent Pressure Washer Hose

How To Prepare Your Hot Tub For Winter

Many hot tub enthusiasts like to use their tub year round. In fact, many people enjoy the relaxing warmth of a hot tub the most with snow drifts piled around them in the dead of winter. However, if you're not one of those types and want to shut your hot tub down during the coldest months, you will need to take special precautions to make sure that freezing weather does not damage your spa.

Even if you choose not to use your hot tub, you can still keep it running during the winter so freezing weather does not damage the equipment and plumbing. If you prefer to completely shut it down, then you should follow these steps when winterizing it. A shop vac that can vacuum water, a few large towels, and a garden hose are helpful items to have on hand.

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Turn off all electricity by switching off the circuit breaker. If it's a portable model that is not hard wired, just unplug it. Removed the hot tub cover completely, and also remove or open all the access doors to the areas housing the plumbing, pump, and heater. Locate the hot tub drain and connect the hose. When the drain valve is opened the water should start to flow out if the hose is stretched out and is below the water level in the tub. When the flow of water stops, disconnect the hose but leave the valve opened. Some hot tubs have an air channel under the seats to provide bubbling action. You will need to switch off or disconnect the spa heater and water pump individually and then turn the power to the tub back on. It's important to make sure that there is no electricity to the pump and heater because both could be damaged if run without water.
Turn on your hot tub blower and let it blow the water out of the air channel for 30 seconds or so. When finished be sure and turn off the electricity at the circuit breaker again. Remove the cartridge filter and store it in your garage or basement. Look carefully around the pump and heating filter for any fittings that you might be able to take apart. Sometimes these have tabs on them that stick out slightly to make it easier to grab and turn by hand. Remove any of these you can find along with any drain plugs and let the water drain out. A shop vac really comes in handy at this point. You need to close the air control inlets usually located on the top edge of your hot tub, and the set the hose on the shop vac so it will blow. Get into your spa and put the hose against the jets, one by one. As you do this water will be forced out of the remaining jets and also out of the fittings you removed around the pump and heater. Continue from one jet to the other until no more water is coming out. Reset the hose on the shop vac and suck out all the water in the bottoom well of the tub and that might be on the seats. A quick rub inside with a soft towel should finish the job. Put the hot tub cover back on the spa. Because most hot tub covers will leak some water back into the tub, it's good to cover the entire spa with a tarp or specially designed winter cover.

How To Prepare Your Hot Tub For Winter

There you have it. You've invested thousands of dollars in your hot tub and with a few hours work you can make sure it will hold water when you fill it back up in the spring, without leaking due to freeze damage.

How To Prepare Your Hot Tub For Winter

White Rose Garden - Planting and Maintenance of Your White Rose Garden

White roses are loved for their beauty and fragrance. They are cultivated for a variety of landscape effects or for cutting. Following are tips on planting and maintenance of your white rose garden whether you're a novice or an experienced rose gardener.

Planting Your White Rose Garden

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After purchasing the bushes for your white rose garden, remove any packing material around the root, and allow the roots to soak overnight in a bucket of water. Make sure the hole you dig is large enough for your rose bush to spread out its roots. Roses will grow best in protected spots with full sun. The plants require at least 8 to 10 hours of sunlight per day for optimum growth. The soil should be rich with nutrients from compost, or other organic material, as nitrogen is a necessity for beautiful blooms.

White Rose Garden - Planting and Maintenance of Your White Rose Garden

Create a small cone of soil in the center of the hole and place the bush on top of it. Spread the roots out around it. Once your rose bush is properly seated, add a mixture of half water and half soil. This allows for any air trapped in the soil to escape. Finish filling the hole with soil and water the bush again. To prevent disease, water your rose bushes at the roots only.

White Rose Garden Maintenance

Now that your white rose garden has been properly planted, it will require regular maintenance. Water your roses no more than two times per week with only an inch of water each time (unless you live in a hot climate). Never use any plant or flower food not specifically labeled for roses. Roses require a nitrogen- and iron-rich food base.

Adding a 2 to 4 inch layer of organic mulch will help deter weeds, improve the garden's appearance and prevent moisture loss. Leave several inches around the stem of each plant un-mulched. As the mulch decomposes, it will use up the soil nitrogen. Apply a fertilizer mix around the base of the plants, dibble it into the soil and water well.

Prune your white roses when they are dormant to improve the health of the plant and control the shape. First, remove any leaves that remain on the plant. Next, remove any dead, diseased or injured wood (look for branches with a different color). One way to tell if you should trim a branch is to cut off a bit from the tip of the stem. If it's green inside then it's alive. If the stem is brown inside, trim it.

Remove any branches which cross through the center of the plant to improve air circulation. Place the blade of a pruning shear flat against the stem to remove the branch. This will prevent new growth from forming and inhibiting air circulation once again.

After pruning, rake up any fallen leaves from under the plant and spray with a copper and lime mixture or a lime and sulfur spray to kill insect eggs.

Use these planting and maintenance tips to enjoy your white rose garden for years.

White Rose Garden - Planting and Maintenance of Your White Rose Garden

Hose Pipes - Types and Uses

Hose Pipes find enormous use in every walk of our life. The Hose Pipes are manufactured in different types, shapes and sizes. Hose pipes are made of different types of materials to suit the applications they are put to. In olden days the Hose Pipes were made of Rubber and its Compounds, which were very bulky, and could not be easily moved from one place to another. They also got damaged easily and it was difficult to repair.

Now the Hose pipes are made of Poly Vinyl Chloride the wonder chemical of the last Century that has got enormous applications throughout the World. The PVC tubing is made of Virgin Grade P.V.C. and range of Hose piping materials include: Flexible Tubing, PVC Flexible Pipes, PVC Garden Pipes & Hoses, PVC Sleevings, Sanitary Waste Connection Pipes & Tubes, Nylon Thread Reinforced Braided Hoses, Double Layer of Triple Garden Hoses, Solid Doris, PVC Strips, Belts and Profiles.

Garden Hose

A Vast range of Products are being manufactured in different sizes. Many different types of Hose Pipes are manufactured each for a different type of use like Pneumatic Hoses, Water Hoses, Welding Hoses, Chemical Hoses, Car Washing Hoses, Sanitary Connection Hoses and a range of other Hose pipes.

Hose Pipes - Types and Uses

The Hose pipes for Pneumatic uses are usually Nylon Reinforced Hoses in which the Nylon yarn is fused in between the inner and outer layers of the Hose pipe that gives higher resistance to withstand high pressure without the problem of splitting. They are resistant to various chemicals, Oils and other corrosive materials.

The Water Hose Pipes as the name itself suggests are made for use in transporting Water and they are co-extruded flexible ones most useful for Gardening, Construction, and Irrigation purposes. They manufactured in sizes from 1/2", 3/4" & 1".

Yet another type of Hose pipes is Welding Hoses that connect the Welding Machine with the Welding electrodes carrying Gas for the Oxy-Acetylene welding purposes and cutting equipments. Chemical & Pesticides Hoses pipes are Nylon braided Hoses being used for conveying Chemicals and spraying Pesticides, Insecticides, Fungicides Weeding etc.
The Car washing Hoses are the abrasion and Chemical resistant three layer double reinforced high pressure Hose Pipes that are mostly used in Garages as well as Service stations for car washing purposes.

Another type of Hose pipes is the Sanitary Connection Hoses. These are the Nylon braided Hoses finding wide application in Bathroom fittings and connections. These are corrosion resistant and flexible the connections/ shower Tubes made out of colorful Hoses giving aesthetic looks and adds elegance to the bathroom decor.

Hose Pipes - Types and Uses

How Much Water Do Tomatoes Need?

When growing tomatoes, getting the watering right is crucial for healthy plants.

Water thoroughly to encourage the tomato roots to seek water and nutrients deep in the soil. With an extensive, deep root system, the plants will hold up better during dry spells. When watering, soak the soil to a depth of at least 15-20 cm (6-8 inches).

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Full details on calculating exact watering requirements (how much, how often for size of plot) plus how to set up a simple irrigation system are provided in How to Grow Juicy Tasty Tomatoes.

How Much Water Do Tomatoes Need?

How Much Water Do Tomatoes Need?

Cat Repellent or How to Keep Cats Out of Your Garden

Do cat repellents work? How to stop a cat from using garden as litterbox? Tell me how to keep cats out of my garden. These are common questions of concern to all gardeners but is there a real answer?

The first line of defence is to ensure that your yard boundaries are secure. Any gaps in your fence should be blocked to deny low level access. But cats can jump so fix a taut wire or string some six inches above the top of your fence to deter this approach.

Garden Hose

Once inside your garden many people say that the best cat repellent is a dog who will soon see off any feline invader. If you are not a dog lover then you will have to resort to more passive methods. Since cats like to lie on freshly dug soil you should lay mulch on your borders so that no bare soil is left exposed. Seed beds should be covered with wire netting or twigs arranged as a barrier.

Cat Repellent or How to Keep Cats Out of Your Garden

Young trees should have plastic guards fitted around their trunks to protect them against use as a scratching pole.
Your garden pond should be covered with netting to keep your fish safe.

Cats are generally known to dislike water so a well aimed bucketful or a squirt with the hose will certainly make an intruder run. After one or two dousings it may learn the lesson and stay away.

To protect plants and borders both mothballs and citrus are said to be effective deterrents. Place the mothballs, orange peel or lemon rind in the borders. Alternatively spray cloths with orange scented air freshener and place the cloths around the plants you wish to protect. Other known cat repellents are cayenne pepper, coffee grounds, pipe tobacco, lavender oil, lemon grass oil, citronella oil, eucalyptus oil and mustard oil.

Certain herbs are said to deter cats. In particular rue but not catmint which has the opposite effect. Coleus canina is another plant which is marketed by one merchant as a cat repellent.

The broadcaster Jerry Baker has suggested treating your yard with a tonic made from chewing tobacco, urine, birth control pills, mouthwash, molasses, detergent and beer. A smallholder has reported success using dried rabbit blood but you may feel that the ingredients listed in the previous paragraph should be tried first.

If you visit your local garden center or hardware store you will find several cat repellent products on sale. These range from electric water sprinklers and ultrasonic devices to sprays and granules.

Motion activated sprinklers act in the same way as a burglar alarm using an infra red detector. When the cat enters the area covered by the detector the sprinkler shoots out a jet of water to scare the animal away. It is claimed that, after one or two encounters with the jet, the cat will learn to avoid the area.

Ultrasonic devices emit a high frequency sound which is annoying to cats (and dogs) but is not audible to humans. There are various different models some of which operate continuously and others which have an infra red detector and only emit a pulse of sound when the cat triggers the device. To be successful you need to ensure that the model is powerful enough to cover the area you wish to protect. In addition make sure that the sound frequency is designed for larger animals since some models are intended to deter insects and so would be no use for cats.

There are also commercial scent cat repellents. Those that use chemicals should be kept away from any food crops but the essential oil based granule varieties act in the same way as orange and lemon peel mentioned above. Another way to keep a cat out if the garden is a repellent evaporator which consists of a container holding puffed rice which has been impregnated with essential oils. These are effective for three to four weeks and can then be refilled for a further period. Another natural product which many people claim really keeps a cat out of the garden is lion's dung. You may need to visit your local zoo to obtain this although some stores do stock zoo poo.

In Ontario, Canada the local township provides a cat trap service. Once the animal enters the cage it cannot escape but is completely unharmed. The owner has to pay to recover his pet and so should be encouraged not to let the cat stray in future. Apparently few owners bother to reclaim their cats but just obtain another kitten. However this sounds like a good way of dealing with a cat that cannot be deterred by any other method. If there is no such scheme in your area, just buy your own trap.

So, to recap, the first priority is to secure your boundary fences. Then you have the whole selection of suggested cat repellents ranging from homemade recipes to expensive commercial gadgets. I would suggest that you try the orange peel and prickly twigs for a start. If you are around when the intruder appears, try the bucket of water or hose. Even if you miss, the shock may be a sufficient deterrent. If these do not do the trick, then you may have to consider the commercial alternatives.

Cat Repellent or How to Keep Cats Out of Your Garden

Yard Vacuum - A Serious Machine For Leaf And Debris Removal

There are many styles and types of machines including the yard vacuum, both hand held and wheeled, that have been developed over the years to help the home owner tackle the yearly chore of cleaning up fallen leaves. Just as with any chore the size of the job and the budget usually determines the chosen tool.

For small yards with few trees a hand held or backpack mounted leaf blower or vacuum may serve well. Some homeowners prefer to use hand held or wheel mounted blowers that do not actually pick up the leaves but blow them into piles which can then be bagged. In many cases this saves lots of back ache producing raking. However the job is not finished till the leaves are contained or bagged for removal by the community trash collectors or taken to a land fill.

Garden Hose

Another solution is the mulching lawn mower which will reduce the leaves to tiny pieces that can be left to nourish the lawn. Some riding mowers can pick up the leaves in an attached bag or in a wheel mounted trailer pulled behind the mower.

Yard Vacuum - A Serious Machine For Leaf And Debris Removal

The homeowner who has an exceptionally large lot with many trees that drop large leaves may discover that the right machine for the job is a wheel mounted, self propelled yard vacuum. As the name implies these are a super large and robust vacuum cleaner similar to its much smaller and weaker distant cousin the carpet vacuum. The similarities are noticeable.

These are serious machines and as such command a larger investment than many of the smaller and less powerful devices mentioned above. The true yard vacuum usually weighs over 150 pounds and is equipped with motors in the 6 hp range. They have adjustable vacuum nozzles that make it an easy task to adjust for various amounts of debris.

These machines are capable of picking up not only fallen leaves but also pine needles and small branches. Any homeowner with pine trees realizes the effort that is necessary to rake those pesky needles especially if they are laying in tall grass.

Some yard vacuums are equipped with a hose which makes removing leaf and other debris from flower beds and vegetable gardens an easy chore. The chipper chute included with many models allows small and medium sized branches up to 2 inches in diameter to be quickly reduced to chips.

There are a number of models and designs available which are priced from about 0 to 0. Because of the higher cost of these machines you would do well to spend a little time on the internet comparing features and reviews of these machines. A well built machine should produce years of trouble free service and pay for itself many times over by reducing wear and tear on the homeowner.

Yard Vacuum - A Serious Machine For Leaf And Debris Removal

Craigslist's Farm and Garden For Sale Section - What You May Find

If you want to use Craigslist.org, you will find a for sale section. There are many different categories listed under this heading, including one for farm and garden. In that particular section, what are you likely to find?

Farm animals for sale - Common farm animals listed for sale or even for free on Craigslist include horses, cows, goats, chicken, ducks, rabbits, and more. Many times, a current farmer wants to make room for new animals or eliminate them altogether. Buying farm animals on Craigslist.org is a great alternative to attending local auctions. You may also find pet listings for household pets, such as cats, dogs, birds, and fish.

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Farm services extended to the public - It is common for farmers to offer services to the general public. These may include ground tours, summer camps for kids at horse stables, horse boarding, or animal renting. Animal renting is generally reserved for kids. They get an animal to care for on site. They can then use that animal to participate in local 4-H programs and to attend shows. Most services offered to the general public require the payment of a small fee. Ask if a fee is not listed on Craigslist.org.

Craigslist's Farm and Garden For Sale Section - What You May Find

For sale farm equipment - Unfortunately, many farmers across America are closing down their businesses or decreasing in size. Others regularly update their farm equipment, like John Deere tractors and John Deere lawn mowers. To help offset the cost of a new purchase, they resell the older models. Whether you are a current farm owner or just need equipment, you can find quality equipment and good prices.

For rent farm and garden equipment - Not only can you find equipment for sale, but for rent too. Gardeners regularly need tillers to treat the ground, but only once a year. It isn't worth it to buy the gardening equipment, but it is to rent it for a day or two. Many equipment owners know this, so they list their equipment for rent or even free borrowing on Craigslist.

Whether you are looking to buy or rent farm or garden equipment, buy farm animals, or use services open to the public, you can find what you need on Craigslist.org. To search more than just your local page, but the surrounding area too, download and use a Craigslist search tool to save time and find what you need. Perform multi-city searches with ease.

Craigslist's Farm and Garden For Sale Section - What You May Find

How to Install a Stone, Paver Or Brick Garden Path Or Patio

Pavers, brick, and stone can be dry-laid over a bed of sand by a homeowner without difficulty. The installation process is fairly simple and is forgiving. In areas where no frost heave occurs, you can lay large stones directly over compact soil if need be. Then sweep sand between the stone to help keep them from shifting.

Here we offer a basic step-by-step way to install stones, pavers, and bricks to make a walkway, patio, or garden path. I will refer to all concrete pavers, bricks or stone as simply- stone, to save space.

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The simplest form of stone paving is laying flat stones directly on the ground. Loosen the dirt so each stone sits firmly and is supported evenly underneath. Grass or ground cover grows between the stones and you mow right over them. This method is appropriate for rustic, natural settings. To help drainage, spread a half-inch layer of sand over the compacted dirt before laying the stone.

How to Install a Stone, Paver Or Brick Garden Path Or Patio

For a formal look or design and to get better drainage, lay stone in compacted sand over crushed stone. This requires more work, but you'll get a flatter, more even paving with joints of sand between the stones instead of vegetation. The sand compensates for irregularities in the ground. Once the bed is in place, laying the stones is a lot like doing a puzzle. Try different stone combinations until you get the smallest gap between joints. If using pavers or bricks, the pattern will have been pre-determined.

TOOLS AND MATERIALS YOU MAY REQUIRE - Stones, pavers, or bricks, tamper, gloves, landscape fabric, safety goggles, tape measure, rubber mallet, string, plywood, wood stakes, 48-inch level, small sledgehammer, pencil, framing square, brick hammer, garden hose, pitching chisel, spade, broom, sand, gravel, and kneepads.

BASIC INSTRUCTIONS: The most difficult step in laying stone is preparing the bed. Normally a two-inch bed of sand is enough if your stones are the same thickness. If the thickness varies, you may need a deeper sand bed. To keep weeds down, use landscape fabric. If your soil does not drain well, consider a four-inch bed of gravel under the sand. Use landscape fabric between gravel and sand when using this method. If your soil drains poorly and you are in a cold climate, consider an even thicker gravel base.

When ordering materials, have your measurements with you so the dealer can help figure your needs. If you are NOT making your own stone, brick or pavers with concrete molds, purchase 5-10 percent over what you need to allow for breakage, cutting mistakes, and future repairs.

LAYING STONE IN PACKED SAND:

1. Lay out Your Area- Set stakes to mark the proposed edge of the patio or walk. Mark the outside corners a bit beyond the proposed edge. Use a framing square to confirm that the corners form right angles. For free-form shapes, lay out the curves using garden hose. Now go around the outline, sinking a spade into the earth to score the perimeter. Once you've scored the ground, remove the stakes, string, or hose.

2. Excavate Soil- Set your stones about 1 inch above the ground. To do this, excavate to a depth that equals: the thickness of your stone minus 1 inch. Then figure 2 inches for the sand bed, plus 4 inches for a gravel base if one is needed. Remove all grass, roots and large rocks from the area to be finished. Now place the gravel if using any. Tamp it down with a hand or mechanical tamper.

3. Install a Weed Barrier- Install a layer of landscape fabric on the excavation or on top of the gravel if used. Overlap by 4 to 6 inches. Landscape fabric is designed to prevent weeds while still allowing water to drain through.

4. Spread and Screed the Sand- Top the landscape fabric with about 2 inches of regular construction sand. Tamp it down, and use a straight length of 2x4 to screed the sand level.

5. Install the Stones- Starting in one corner, place the stones on the sand and tamp them into place using a rubber mallet. Make sure that they are solidly bedded, level, and do not wobble. If necessary, dig out sand to make the bedding more stable. Arrange the straight edges toward the outside perimeter and fit any irregular edges together. Leave a half-inch space between the stones. If using pavers or bricks, butt them against each other, with a quarter to a half-inch space between them. If you made your own pavers or bricks with concrete molds to save money, the angle of the sides needed to enable demolding will automatically give you the spacing when butted tightly against each other.

TIP: If you have to kneel on the sand to lay stone, use a piece of plywood to keep from creating depressions. After you have laid a few stones, kneel on the stone instead. Use a 4-foot-long level to maintain the paving level.

6. Cut and Shape the Stones- Some stones may need to be trimmed for a better fit. First, hold the stone to be cut over those in place and mark the cutting line with a pencil or crayon. For small cuts, trim using a brick hammer. For large cuts, score the marked line with a pitching chisel and hammer. Gently tap off the unwanted piece using the hammer. With pavers or brick you may not need to trim anything if you've pre-planned the dimensions of your project.

7. Fill the Joints with Sand- When all stones are in place, sweep the joints full of sand. Wet the surface with a fine mist from your hose to compact the sand, then sweep more sand into the joints until they are full. Fill the joints again in a few days when the sand settles.

Now stand back and admire your work!

How to Install a Stone, Paver Or Brick Garden Path Or Patio

What Causes Prostate Problems

The prostate isn't really a bad gland; it's a good gland in a bad place. Think of a doughnut around a water hose and you'll have a good model for the prostate (doughnut) and the male urethra (the hose), through which urine must flow to exit the body.

The prostate contributes nutrients and most of the liquid to the male ejaculation, so it plays an important role in reproduction. Unfortunately, the prostate tends to continue growing through adulthood, especially after the age of about forty. This enlargement is not life threatening, but it can diminish your lifestyle.

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Imagine closing down the nozzle on your garden hose so that there is a trickle instead of a gush. It will take a lot longer to wash the car with such a small stream. Same thing is true when emptying your bladder if there is substantial constriction at the doughnut hole.

What Causes Prostate Problems

Why does the prostate get unruly? 

As a man ages, he produces less testosterone in general, but because his levels of several other hormones increase, he actually winds up with an increased level of testosterone in the prostate gland. There it is converted, via an enzyme called 5-alpha-reductase, to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), an even more potent form of testosterone. 

Because of elevated levels of estrogen with advancing age (yes, men have estrogen, though in far smaller amounts than women), DHT elimination is slowed. The accumulating DHT is what stimulates prostate growth.

Some men try to treat the problem the way men often treat medical problems: by ignoring it.

Not all big prostates cause problems; not all small prostates are trouble free. Some of it is just luck of the draw. Think of that doughnut again. It can get bigger in a couple of ways. This inside of the doughnut could grow inward, pinching the hose. Or the outside could grow outward, affecting nothing. So it is with the prostate. If you're unlucky enough to be an "inny," you'll be in a pinch.

What Causes Prostate Problems

Do Plants Grow Better in Water or Soil: The Benefits of Water Gardening

A common question popping up among gardeners lately has been, "do plants grow better in water or soil?" In this article, the benefits of water gardening will be detailed to help you make the decision about whether or not to grow and maintain your flowers and plants using this method.

There are a number of advantages that make water gardens better than their soil counterparts. The first, and perhaps most obvious of these, is that no soil is actually required to grow your plants! When you consider the inconvenience of acquiring and transporting large quantities of soil, you will find yourself appreciating this aspect of a water garden very quickly.

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Two very important factors should also be considered: firstly, a water garden's lack of soil means that diseases normally contained within the soil itself are theoretically eliminated; secondly, and on a larger scale, there will be no weeds and less insects present to inhibit the growth of your plants. These two things will lead to better results and, in turn, a better overall garden.

Do Plants Grow Better in Water or Soil: The Benefits of Water Gardening

Given both of these truths, you'll require fewer pesticides and herbicides to grow healthy plants. Should you intend to grow flowers or propagate your plants, the lack of chemicals and soil contaminants will keep you and your family feeling safe and happy about the beauty and longevity of the flowers and plants that you grow.

Despite the fact that it's a water garden, the actual consumption of water will be less than with a soil garden. You'll have no need to keep a sprinkler or hose trained on your plants, which will save you money in the long run - not to mention that you'll also be less reliant on rain to keep your water bill low at the end of the month.

A water garden allows you to better monitor the growth of plant roots as well, which is virtually impossible in a soil environment. Should you desire to transport your plants from one location to another, those you grow using hydroponics will stay alive so long as they are kept in that condition. Plants you grow in a soil garden are effectively killed as soon as you pull them up.

In addition, you have the advantage of better space usage. Should you desire to grow a large quantity of plants for any reason, you will be better able to do so with a water garden - you can easily stack trays and containers on shelves or hang them in the air, thus freeing up area to grow more.

All of these advantages are enough to make a water garden a better choice than a traditional soil garden. To grow better plants with fewer resources is a worthy goal, as is having beautiful flowers and plants for you and your family to enjoy.

Do Plants Grow Better in Water or Soil: The Benefits of Water Gardening

Rabbits and Mice and Birds, Oh My! How to Keep Critters Out of Your Garden Safely and Naturally

It's not just those pesky snails and adorable deer that threaten all your hard work in the garden. Lots of other animals want to get in on the feast too. Here are easy, and tried and true ways to keep them from harvesting all your veggies before you do.

MICE, MOLES and VOLES

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Moles eat mainly earthworms and grubs. Voles eat plants, especially perennial roots, seeds and bulbs. Here are some ideas to convince them to go eat elsewhere.
• Boards: Mice and moles love melons. Place a board under the fruit to deter moles from digging directly underneath your fruit.
• Urine: Human urine poured into a mole hole will encourage them to move elsewhere.
• Trench: Dig a trench around either your garden or around individual plants that gophers and moles are targeting. In the trench, bury mesh metal wire fencing or metal window screen at least 18" inches deep, and fill the trench in again. Make sure the mesh is small enough that the moles can't get through it. When the gophers and moles are digging, they won't be able to get to your plants or the surrounding area because they will run into the fencing and not be able to chew or dig through.
• Castor bean plants: These are poisonous to gophers and moles. If you plant these in your yard or garden, rodents should no longer be a problem. However, castor bean plants are poisonous so be careful with children and pets. You can also try putting castor oil down the mole hole.
• High frequency emitting device: The noises are undetectable to the human ear, and also do not seem to bother household pets. Pests do not like the sound and move elsewhere.
• Put used kitty litter down the hole
• Buy lava rocks and soak them in an onion and garlic solution.

Rabbits and Mice and Birds, Oh My! How to Keep Critters Out of Your Garden Safely and Naturally

SQUIRRELS

• Petroleum jelly: Place bird feeders away from the garden and at least 6 feet off the ground. If the bird feeder is on top of a pole, place a baffle on the pole so that it cannot be climbed, or lubricate the pole with petroleum jelly to keep the squirrel (or chipmunk) from getting a good foothold.
• Plastic pipe: Place plastic pipe over the wire of your suspended bird feeder, so squirrels cannot get a good footing.
• Wire mesh: Protect newly planted bulbs with one inch mesh poultry wire over the plantings. Cover them with mulch. The plants will grow through the mesh, but squirrels will be prevented from digging.
• Motion detection sprinklers: Sudden bursts of water will frighten squirrels (and other critters), at least temporarily.

RABBITS

• White vinegar: Same as deer, raccoons, dogs and cats -- rabbits don't like the scent of vinegar either. Rags soaked in white vinegar once a week should keep them away.
• Wire mesh: Surround your garden with 1/2" inch wire mesh. Fence should be 2 to 3 feet high above ground and at least 1 foot deep to stop rabbits from burrowing beneath the fencing. Bend the top 6" inches of mesh outward to stop rabbits from getting over the top of the fence.
• Kitty litter: Spread used kitty litter along the edge of the garden once a week to scare rabbits away.
• Human hair: Sprinkle human hair clippings from your local beauty shop around the plants. It's best if you can get hair that hasn't been washed.

CROWS

• Soaker hose: Place several soaker hoses around in the garden, and curve them so they look like snakes.
• Owl decoys: Place an owl decoy near the site where crows flock, and leave it there for a day or two. Some crows do get used to the immobile owl figure, and recognize that it is not a real owl after some time, so remove it for several days and replace in a different location.
• Clean up: Keep your surroundings clean. Crows sometimes flock to areas that aren't clean... areas where there are poor garbage disposal practices, and where there's plenty of food for them.
• Shiny things: Hang shiny things from nearby trees, stakes, or from the plants themselves. Try CDs, aluminum foil or reflective streamers.

Happy Gardening!

Rabbits and Mice and Birds, Oh My! How to Keep Critters Out of Your Garden Safely and Naturally

Garden Art Ideas -- How to Make Your Planters Into Beautiful Garden Art

Garden stores have so many different types of garden art for your to choose from - there are beautiful water features like ponds and fountains, as well as statues, wind chimes, birdhouses, and so much more. But why not go ahead and make your own garden art? Why not make sure that your garden fully reflects your own personality, and nobody else's?

When it comes to making your own garden art, there are so many different possibilities as to what you can do that it can almost be overwhelming. That is why I am going to focus on just one type of garden art in this article: planters. Check out these fun and unique ideas for your garden pots and planters:

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The Spilt Planter

Garden Art Ideas -- How to Make Your Planters Into Beautiful Garden Art

Add a little humor to your garden with a "spilt planter." Find an ordinary pot or barrel and tip it on its side in your garden. Fill the planter part way with soil, and then spread the rest out in front of it as though it has spilled out. Choose a few of your favorite flowers and plant them in the spilled-out soil. Warning: this fun and whimsical idea is one that may have do-gooders coming up and trying to fix the spill... until they see that the plants are actually planted in the ground.

Bathtub Planter

Find a bathtub (a clawfoot tub, preferably) at a thrift store, garage store, or even from your remodeled bathroom. Fill her up with good soil and then plant a small garden! It can also be fun to use a bathtub as a pond. It is even possible to find a way to hook your garden hose up so that you can have water coming out of the bathtub waterspout.

Thrift Stores Gems

There are many other things that plants can be planted into (besides planters and pots... and bathtubs). Why not go to an antique shop or a thrift store and see what you can find! You can plant a pair of cacti in a pair of cowboy boots. Why not plat a snapdragon in a tea cup? You can use vases, pots and pans, tires, helmets, and so many other things as planters. You may not know what item can double as a perfect garden planter until you go out and find it.

Pottery By Your Own Hand

Why not sign up for a pottery class and make your very own planter! Granted, you may make a pot that is only large enough for one petunia, but it is so much fun to create your own shapes and to glaze your pot in whatever color you want. Homemade pots with a flower in each make excellent gifts, as well.

Pot makeovers

If you already have a pot that you like, why not just dress it up a bit? Go ahead and glue a ribbon around the rim or even add sequins, buttons, scrabble letters, or other items! You can also completely makeover a pot - you just need some Mod Podge (a wonderful, glue-like substance) and some magazines. Cut or rip out some favorite pictures from magazines (or use photographs, newspaper, brown paper bags, tissue paper, etc.) and Mod Podge them all over your pot. Use a weather-proofing finishing spray to top it off. (If you are using a terra cotta pot or another pot that breathes and is not glazed, be sure that you heavily coat the pot with Mod Podge before you add your pictures, and consider placing another planter inside the pot to keep the magazine pictures from puckering when you water your plant.

Garden Art Ideas -- How to Make Your Planters Into Beautiful Garden Art

Basic Yard and Garden Tools List

This is a list of commonly used yard and garden tools. For those that maintain their own yard, you will probably say that all the tools listed are already in your garage or backyard shed. The list was developed for first time home owners wanting to care for their own lawn and garden. This should provide them with the basics- enough to begin normal lawn maintenance. On the other hand, it may be enough of a warning to help them decide that they do not want to tackle what seems to be never ending task of lawn care.

To prevent this article from sounding like an advertisement, I will not list any lawn and garden maintenance companies for those that prefer not to purchase all the necessary yard and garden tools. After factoring in the time, manual labor plus the cost of the tools, there will no doubt be some drop outs for the do it yourself lawn maintenance program.

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For those of you that want to go join the club and go forward with caring for your lawn, you may notice none of the tools have related prices. There are several reasons. Mainly the prices can change at anytime and I simply cannot keep up with them all. You can get pricing while shopping for the tools. I recommend that you do that anyway.

Basic Yard and Garden Tools List

Basic Yard and Garden Tools List

Gloves Rake Hoe Shovel Spade Trowel Pruner Pruning Saw Sprinkler Garden Hose Lawn Mower Edger Weedeater - gas or electric Blower - gas or electric Fertilizer Spreader Wheelbarrow Hedge Shears Tank Sprayer Hammer Heavy Duty Extension Cord

Again, this is not an all inclusive list of yard and garden tools. It does cover most of the basic tools necessary for regular lawn maintenance. While many home owners have acquired a large number of other gardening tools over the years, the basic list here should be enough for the average startup home gardening and lawn care maintenance project.

The benefit of shopping for the tools yourself is that you can find the best prices. An additional benefit is that you will learn more about each tool and its respective manufacturer. So, review them all. Whether searching locally or on the internet, you will learn about quality and prices. Both will help you determine the right yard and garden tools for your lawn care needs.

Basic Yard and Garden Tools List

How to Build a Waterfall For Your Garden Pond

Building a waterfall is easier than you think and will add a new dimension to your pool.

When building a waterfall, as with any garden project, you must first consider the design and make a plan. The biggest mistake that people make when planning a pond waterfall is to err on the large side. For a pond measuring 12 ft x 14 ft you should think in terms of a fall of 18-24 inches. The width of the waterfall should be in proportion to the size of your pond. The important point is to make sure that the scale of your construction fits in with the surrounding features and does not spoil the balance of your overall garden design.

Garden Hose

The next question that has to be answered is the type of construction you wish to use. There are two basic choices. You can either use a liner and place rocks to form the fall or you can save yourself the trouble and buy a fibreglass unit. Either way you will still have to use your shovel to form the site of the waterfall.

How to Build a Waterfall For Your Garden Pond

The other requirement is a pump which will be sited in the pool to transport the water to the top of your waterfall. The size of pump that you will need depends on the height and width of the waterfall and also the length of pipe from the pump to the top of the fall. Once you have finalised your plans, consult your
dealer and he will be able to supply you with the correct pump.

To maintain a healthy pond environment with crystal clear water usually involves installing a biological filter. Again your dealer will be able to advise you as to the correct type and size. The filter should be placed at the top of the waterfall so that the water is cleaned before issuing out on to the fall.

Once you have assembled all the equipment it is time to get out your shovel. If your site is level and the soil from excavation of your pond is nearby this can be used as the mound on which to place the waterfall. If you are using a liner you first dig out the channel and then fit the liner. Next place the rocks so that the water can flow over them. It is helpful if you observe a natural waterfall to give you some ideas as to how the rocks can be placed for the greatest effect. Once you are satisfied with the arrangement, use black waterfall foam to seal the rocks to ensure that the water flows over and around them and not underneath. If you have chosen to use a fibreglass preformed model, you will avoid the problem of placing the rocks and will just have to dig out sufficient soil to allow you to fit the unit.

To complete the installation fit the pump, filter and hose and connect to the electricity supply. Providing all is working to your satisfaction, now is the time to relax and enjoy your handiwork.

If you have read this far and are wondering whether it would be just too much like hard work, then consider this. Water soothes and relaxes, inspires reflection, and is a source of beauty. A cascading, bubbling stream adds interest and serenity to the garden, while a waterfall can create a dramatic centerpiece. Building a pond waterfall really is worth the effort.

How to Build a Waterfall For Your Garden Pond

Why Drip Irrigation Is The Best Way Of Watering Your Garden Plants

While automatic sprinkler systems are the most effective way of watering a lawn, drip irrigation, some drawbacks notwithstanding, is the preferred method for the rest of the garden plants. The essential difference between the two is that sprinklers throw water indiscriminately over the area they cover, as opposed to drippers that emit water in designated spots. Judging by the fact that sprinklers are still widely used for watering flowerbeds, trees and shrubs, it seems that the advantages of drip irrigation are not sufficiently clear to many gardeners. Before dealing with these, let's outline first the disadvantages involved with drippers.

*Installing a drip irrigation system is more expensive than a sprinkler system in terms of materials and labor. Furthermore, the life span of the dripper lines is limited to about 10 - 15 years - sometimes a lot less if periodic flushing is not carried out. While it's necessary to replace the actual sprinkler heads now and again, the underground piping ought to last well beyond a lifetime.

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*The sight of irrigation pipes strewn on the ground is neither pleasing nor aesthetic. In addition, dripper lines are often damaged by birds or rodents, and periodic maintenance of the system is more demanding than for sprinklers. These last problems can be overcome however, by spreading an organic mulch over the pipes.

Why Drip Irrigation Is The Best Way Of Watering Your Garden Plants

Despite the drawbacks, the overall advantages gained by using drippers are overwhelming, especially in the matter of water conservation. In fact the use of drip irrigation is vital if the term "water conservation" is to be upgraded from a slogan to a reality. Assuming that the system is installed and operated correctly, how can it save water in comparison to watering with sprinklers?

*Sprinkling water on the bare earth between the shrubs and trees causes a good deal of run-off, meaning that a considerable proportion of the water emitted cannot be taken up by the plants. This problem is particularly acute on slopes and gradients. Drip irrigation on the other hand, emits water at a rate at which it can be absorbed by the soil.

When it comes to trees and shrubs, there is no need in any case for water to cover the entire area. Drippers spaced at constant intervals, say 0.5 m × 1.0 m (1.5 ft × 3 ft) that is 0.5 m between the drippers, and 1.0 m between the lines, will supply water evenly and sufficiently for the roots to take up. Furthermore, shrubs and bushes prevent some of the water from reaching the ground, while drippers ensure that all the water applied, percolates down to the root zone.

*Sprinkling on bare earth, rather like heavy rainfall, causes mechanical damage to the structure of the topsoil. Organic mulch solves this problem of course, but at the expense of wasting water, because the mulch layer itself absorbs much of the water that is emitted. With drippers however, all the benefits of mulch are attained without a similar waste of water.

Although water conservation is the primary reason for adopting drip irrigation, the method has other important benefits.

*The rate of weed germination is significantly reduced as dry areas are interspersed between the moist ones.

*The majority of pest and disease organisms thrive in humid, warm conditions. Sprinkling on warm evenings for example, means that the air around the plants' foliage is saturated with moisture until the early morning sun, reduces the humidity somewhat. This is great for fungi such as powdery mildew, but disastrous for many garden plants, especially for rose bushes. Watering by means of drippers does not seriously raise the humidity in the crucial vicinity of the plants' foliage.

Conversely, it is sometimes argued that a splash of water on the leaves is beneficial for washing off dust, and for reducing infestations of organisms like spider mites, that prefer dry conditions. All this is true but does not justify the use of sprinklers, as the occasional use of the garden hose, (carried out in the early morning!) is usually enough for these purposes.

Why Drip Irrigation Is The Best Way Of Watering Your Garden Plants

Amflo 510HR-RET Automatic Open Hose Reel With 250 PSI 3/8" x 25' Red Rubber Air Hose

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Brand: Amflo    Model : 510HR-RET

Cheap Amflo 510HR-RET Automatic Open Hose Reel With 250 PSI 3/8" x 25' Red Rubber Air Hose Feature

• Features a spring-wound auto-rewind mechanism and a locking ratchet brake
• Mounts on wall floor or ceiling
• Guide arm is adjustable to dispense hose at various angles
• 3/8 inch x 25 foot 250 PSI red rubber air hose
• 1/4 inch MNPT x 1/4 inch FNPT fittings
• Hose reel with 25-foot Hose
• Features heavy-duty, solid steel construction and spring-powered auto-rewind
• Can be mounted on walls or ceilings
• Includes valve assembly handles up to 250 psi and 25 cfm
• Measures 15 by 6.5 by 15.5 inches (H x D x W); weighs 24 pounds

Amflo 510HR-RET Automatic Open Hose Reel With 250 PSI 3/8" x 25' Red Rubber Air Hose Review

Amflo automatic open hose reels feature a spring-wound auto-rewind mechanism and a locking ratchet brake. Mounts on wall, floor or ceiling. Guide arm is adjustable to dispense hose at various angles. Includes 3/8 inch x 25 foot 250 PSI red rubber air hose with 1/4 inch MNPT and 1/4 inch FNPT fittings.

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Amflo 510HR-RET Automatic Open Hose Reel With 250 PSI 3/8" x 25' Red Rubber Air Hose Best Price

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GoodYear 047 1/2-Inch x 50-Foot Rubber Industrial Hose - Red

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Brand: Goodyear    Model : 47

Cheap GoodYear 047 1/2-Inch x 50-Foot Rubber Industrial Hose - Red Specifications

• 1/2 inch x 50 feet, 200PSI
• Oil-resistant
• Can be used in all temperatures
• Includes male brass ferrules and barbed fittings
• Made in USA

GoodYear 047 1/2-Inch x 50-Foot Rubber Industrial Hose - Red Lowest Price

For top performance in all temperatures. GoodYear air hoses stand alone! These air hoses deliver long- lasting and oil-resistant dependability. Can be used for all lines, air tools, and accessories. Includes male brass ferrules and barbed fittings. Made in the USA.1/2 inch x 50 feet, 200PSIOil-resistantCan be used in all temperaturesIncludes male brass ferrules and barbed fittingsMade in USA

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GoodYear 047 1/2-Inch x 50-Foot Rubber Industrial Hose - Red Cheapest Price

		Brand:	Goodyear
		Model:	47
		List Price:	$44.99
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5.0

$43.38 (New)

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