 Now that winter will soon be over, it is a good time to start thinking about getting your pond fish ready for spring. Whether you have closed up your pondor have kept a pond de-icer in the water during the winter, you will want to inspect your pond equipment, including the pond liner, pump, filter, tubing and fittings, before you reopen your pond for the spring. Maintaining and updating your pond equipment is important for healthy pond fish all spring and summer long, so repair or replace any parts that have been damaged or have worn out.
If you have let your pond fish go dormant for the winter, it is a good time to check on your pond de-icer and water temperature to see if it is still needed. If you live in a warmer climate, now may be the time to remove the pond de-icer. You may be able to remove the pond de-icer if the temperature in the pond is staying in the 40’s and there is no chance that it will freeze over in the spring. If your pond is deep, the fish will be living at the bottom and may not require the use of a pond de-icer because the soil will insulate the water temperature in the pond. If your pond is shallow, you may want to consider leaving your pond de-icer in the pond longer for the fish to make sure that the pond water is warm enough. Many pond de-icers are thermostatically controlled and will shut off when the water maintains a certain temperature. Typically this occurs when the water temperature is in the mid 40’s.
When the temperature reaches the 50’s, start thinking about feeding your pond fish. Pond fish will require fish food, such as the Tetra Spring and Fall Diet, when the water temperature is in the 50’s. This diet is made for colder temperature and perfectly balanced to keep your pond fish healthy. After the temperature gets above 60 degrees, you can switch your pond fish to a regular diet.
February 25, 2010 – 2:17 pm
 Take full advantage of the growing season, but starting your garden as soon as the snow melts in colder climates and right now, if you live in a warmer, southern climate. If you love to garden or are new to gardening, now is a great time to get your gardening tools ready for your upcoming spring garden. Some new garden tools can really inspire you to get a jump start on your garden and can make gardening easier for you throughout the growing season. Here are some gardening essentials must-haves for any gardener that you won’t be able to live without! Before you purchase some new gardening tools for your yard, it is a good idea to determine if you will need long-handled or shor-handled gardening tools.
Long-handled gardening tools are essential for any gardener who is starting a new garden in their yard. When the soil is hard and rocky, a long-handled garden tool will make your job so much easier and it makes creating your garden much quicker. Fiskars has a line of comfortable, long-handled gardening tools that are easy and comfortable to use. The Fiskars Extended Reach Cultivator is ideal for use in a new or old garden and will make breaking up hard soil, grass and weeds much easier, while reducing the strain on your back. Once you have tilled the soil in your garden, the NRG STX Spade makes digging a hole for larger plantings much easier and works great when you don’t want to bend down to dig a hole.
Short-handled gardening tools are also essential gardening tools for planting flowers and small plants in your flower beds. By using a short-handled gardening tool, you will be able to reach into tight spaces between bushes, trees and other perennials. One of my favorite short-handled gardening tools is the Ergonomic Garden Trowel for digging holes and planting flowers or perennials. Use the NRG Ergonomic Garden Cultivator to reach in between your shrubs or underneath evergreen trees to cultivate the soil in smaller spaces. Both of these short-handled gardening tools will help inspire you to garden this spring!
February 22, 2010 – 8:16 pm
 Having a multi-tool on hand is an easy way to be prepared for a variety of situations where a having a tool comes in handy. If you enjoy biking, boating, camping, hunting, gardening or another type of outdoor activity, you will find that having a multi-tool ready and available for use at any time improves the quality of your time spent outdoors. When choosing a multi-tool, choose one that is made especially for your specific activity and needs. Here are some great multi-tools for a variety of outdoor activities:
- A multi-tool that is great for any gardener is the Genus Landscape Multi Toolby Leatherman. This high quality multi-tool consists of a variety of tools that are ideal for gardening, including: a pruner for trimming bushes, flowers and more; a sharp knife for opening gardening bags; a screwdriver for tightening screw; and a variety of other useful gardening tools. Made of stainless steel and aluminum to be rust resistant and lightweight.
- If you enjoy activities like fishing, boating or biking, the Leatherman Skeletool Multi Tool is very useful and contains a variety of essential tools in the handle. This multi-tool is very lightweight and made to withstand lots of use. The tools tuck neatly inside the handle and lock in place for safety when being used or when not in use. The main tool is a pair of pliers that come in handy for tightening any bolt in place. The tools stored in the handle include: wire cutters, bottle opener, knife, and a driver.
- A smaller multi-tool that is ideal for anyone is the Leatherman Squirt S4 Multi Tool. This handy multi-tool includes a variety of everyday tools including: a knife, scissors, screwdrivers, nail file, tweezers, bottle opener, and a ruler. The size of this multi-tool is small and it nicely stores in a pocket or can be attached to a key chain for easy access.
February 16, 2010 – 11:55 am
 February is National Heart Month and a good time to remember that women’s heart issues are the leading cause of death for women. To make this month more memorable, give a gift of nature to your loved one that comes from the heart. A special gift of nature is sure to last throughout the year and will be a great reminder of how important women’s heart health is for everyone.
If your loved one enjoys bird feeding, a heart shaped bird feeder like the Heart HummingBird Feederby Artline is a great way to show your loved one some love, while promoting heart health month. This charming heart shaped hummingbird feeder is designed to hold 12 oz. of hummingbird feeder and has two feeder ports that allow you to watch more then one hummingbird at a time. Give this to anyone who heart conscious to remind them of the importance of heart health, while they enjoy watching the hummingbirds feed from the feeder.
Another charming heart item that makes a great reminder for heart health month is the three pack of Ornamental Mini Seed Hearts by Pine Tree Farms. This pack of heart bird seed contains three ready to hang ornaments for your tree. These vibrant red hearts stand out nicely in a fir or evergreen tree to remind your loved of National Heart month.
For those who enjoy potted plants, consider giving your loved one a potted plant in the rose Dolce Round Planter. This beautiful, rose colored planter is perfect for any red flowering plant or fill it will garden tools to help motivate your loved one to enjoy the outdoors by gardening. Your loved one will enjoy this creative and thoughtful gift and it is a great way to help celebrate National Heart month.
February 12, 2010 – 4:17 pm
 During the winter, it is especially important to have flashlights and batteries on hand and easy to locate in case of emergency or the power unexpectedly goes out in your home. If you have an emergency situation or the power goes out, it can be difficult and frustrating to locate a flashlight, especially if you are in a room with very little or no light source. To relieve some of your stress during these types of stressful situations, it is a good idea to store a flashlight and batteries in a few different areas in your home and notify everyone in your home of their location. A good rule of thumb is store a flashlight and batteries on every floor of your house. Here are a few good places for storing a flashlight and batteries are in the basement, in the kitchen, and in the garage. Also, it is important to keep a set of replacement batteries next to the flashlight in case the ones inside the flashlight need to be replaced.
For home use, the Dorcy LED Flashlight is ideal and has a slim design that makes it easy to store anywhere in your home. This flashlight only runs on 6 watts of energy and has a bright LED light that is not only environmentally friendly, but it is also very bright and projects the light up to 100 feet. The exterior of the flashlight is made of high quality aluminum and it is extremely durable. Keep one in the kitchen and one in the basement and you will never be left in the dark.
Another great flashlight for home use is the LED Flashlight with Tail Cap Switchby Dorcy. This flashlight is easy to turn on with its tail cap switch and is also designed to project a ray of light up to 100 feet. It is made to run up to eight hours on only AA batteries and the exterior is also constructed of durable aluminum that will not break if dropped on the ground.
February 12, 2010 – 1:33 pm
BackyardStyle.com was recently honored with an invitation to submit our products to Petazon’s Shopping Comparison Engine. Although Petazon primarily deals with Pet product price comparisons, they recently have added secondary categories like Pond Product Comparisons, which they felt  BackyardStyle would be a perfect candidate to work with.
BackyardStyle has always prided itself in a slim existence. Another words, by minimizing advertising costs and everyone in the company rolling up their sleeves and wearing multiple hats, we have been able to keep our prices low. Petazon serves as a platform to show off our low prices and attract more customers.
Picture to the right is Animate’s Pressurized Pond Filter. In retail stores across the country, this product is listed at close to $900 – but using Petazon’s shopping comparison engine, you can find it as low as $509.
By searching for products or browsing brands, merchants and categories, Petazon’s visitors can find the product they are looking for and compare prices from multiple online retailers including big names like Petco, GregRobert Pet Supplies, Cherrybrook and, of course, BackyardStyle.com!
Remember when you shop that BackyardStyle offers free shipping on orders >$60 with coupon: freeship. Make sure you take this into account when doing your comparison!
Happy Valentine’s Day to all and Happy Presidents Day next Monday!
February 4, 2010 – 2:11 pm
 This year think outside of the box when choosing your Valentine’s Day gifts for your loved ones. Garden gifts are not only unique gifts, but are lots of fun to get and make a great surprise. Your family members will appreciate your thoughtfulness and creativity at choosing a special, unique gift.
A beautiful, unique gift for any person who loves to take care of wild birds is the Hanging Birdbath with Mister by Zoobox International. This hanging birdbath is available in a variety of fun colors including red or bronze. The birdbath has a mister installed to gently hydrate the birds that visit your yard. Your loved one will have hours of enjoyment from this beautiful, hanging bird bath and watching the birds have fun bathing and drinking from the birdbath. It is great for attracting hummingbirds to your yard and the water flow from the mister is adjustable to suit the needs of the bathing birds.
The perfect chair for your loved ones to relax in is the Outback Chair Double Lounger. This air chair is great for relaxing in and enjoying some time spent with your loved one. It is especially made to fit two people comfortably and may be hung from your porch or a sturdy outdoor posts. It is also made of weather-resistant materials that give the chair a long life and it is available in two beautiful, muted colors that blend in well with nature.
Another great gift for anyone who enjoys the outdoors this Valentine’s Day is the Garrison Garden Fountain. This beautiful fountain looks great in any patio or garden area when placed outdoors. It may also be placed indoors to make any indoor room more relaxing and inviting. The fountain has an old world look and consists of three pots that the water flows into. Your loved one is sure to be surprised and delighted by this unique gift!
January 28, 2010 – 1:33 pm
 Everyone can enjoy the warmth and comfort of a fireplace at home by adding an electric fireplace to your home. For those who don’t have a fireplace in your home, an electric fireplace not only adds a character and charm to your home, but it also provides it with extra warmth. Add an electric fireplace to your basement or living room in the winter to make it more cozy and warm and helps to save on your gas bill. When the outside temperatures get warmer, these electric fireplaces still look great and can even be used on a cool spring or fall night. Here are some great electric fireplaces that are sure to warm up any room in your home:
- The Compact Electric Stove by Dimplex North America is a freestanding electric fireplace that is small enough to use in a smaller space and is perfect for heating up a small living room, basement, or den. It is very easy to use and only needs to be plugged in to use. Once plugged in, this electric fireplace instantly warms up and has a the effect of real fire. It is easy to transport into different rooms and runs quietly, so it won’t interfere with your enjoyment of the room. It is economical to run and comes with a remote control for easy use.
- The Traditional Black Free-Standing Electric Stove, which is also by Dimplex North America, is another great electric fireplace for heating your home without raising your gas bill. It has a charming, classic style that looks great in any room and it also comes with a convenient remote control that makes it easy to use. It safe for use in your home and provides with an economical source of heat. It looks great all year long in a variety of rooms in your home.
January 25, 2010 – 1:59 pm
 Watering your indoor houseplants can seem to be a chore, but a fun, colorful watering can can make the chore seem more enjoyable. When choosing an indoor watering can, think about the size of the can that you will need and how much weight you can carry. It is important to choose a watering can that is comfortable to hold and easy to carry around when filled up with water.
A fun, unique indoor watering can to use is the Pink Piglet Watering Can by Novelty Manufacturing Co. This great watering can has a fun, pig shape and is made of 100% recycled plastic material that is lightweight. It holds about 2 gallons of water and makes watering your plants lots of fun. It is easy to fill up and carry around filled with water. You can use this watering can indoors or outdoors all year long.
A beautiful and colorful indoor watering can for any gardening to use is the Colorful 1 gal. Watering Can by Gardman. This stylish indoor watering can is great for watering a variety of indoor houseplants, including plants that are in small containers or plants that are in tight spaces with its long watering spot. It is made of durable galvanized steel and has a powder coated finish in a variety of brightly painted colors. It also includes a rose that attaches to the spout for watering larger house plants.
The Classic Watering Can by Akro-Mils is available in two beautiful, earth-tone colors and is constructed of durable plastic that makes it lightweight for you to carry around, even when filled with water. This watering can is great for use indoors or outdoors. Use this indoor watering can to water large or medium size houseplants. The rose on the spout provides a gentle and thorough rain shower on a variety of your houseplants.
January 22, 2010 – 12:40 am
 Nothing is worse than having an unwanted mouse in your house. Mice will find a way into your home when the temperature are freezing outside and can be very destructive visitors in your home. If you notice small, brown pellets around and some shredded paper or another type of nesting material, then chances are you have a mouse in your house. It is important to take care of the problem as soon as you notice these signs to avoid having multiple mice in your house.
A simple way to get rid of mice in your house is set up mouse traps around the area you suspect the mouse or mice are staying. It is best to set up several mouse traps around your house and use a bait like peanut butter or cheese. It is best not to use a poison to kill the mouse or mice when trapping a mouse in your house because the mouse could die somewhere inside your house making it hard to locate or remove. Here are some great products to use when trapping a mouse:
- The Victor Metal Pedal Rat Trap is a classic and simple way to trap any mouse in your house. Start off by using several traps in the area where the mouse has been spotted. Use peanut butter, cheese, or another type of food that is attractive to mice. Check on the traps on a regular basis to see if the mouse has been caught and dispose of the mouse right away.
- Another easy-to-use mouse trap is the Victor Electronic Mouse Trap. This mouse trap uses no poisons and can kill up to 50 mice. Just put some peanut butter in the back to attract mice and check on the trap periodically. So easy and no mess!
- To prevent mouse from returning to your house, use the Heavy Duty Sonic PestChaser. This device emits a high-pitch frequency that mice hate to hear and will avoid. It is inaudible to humans and has a red light display to let you know that it is working. No messy chemicals and very effective!
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