Opening your Pool for the Summer

I am not sure how things are where you live but here we have had amazing weather.  As I was on the back porch looking out across the yard I was thinking about prepping a pool for summer.  There are many things you want to do to get your pool ready for use after sitting all winter long.

1. Make sure all the filters are cleaned and replaced

2. Skim the any debris or lose objects from the water

3. Use your scrubber to remove as much of the grim, algae and build-up from the underwater surfaces of the pool

4. Check your water level to be sure it is where it should be

5. Then you need to shock the water.  If you are not familiar with a shock treatment to the water in your pool you may want to do a little reading up on it to know how best to do this for the size and shape of your pool.  Basically shocking the water is putting a large dose of chlorine into the water to turn the water extremely acidic and kill off all the germs and other contaminants that may be present in the water.  Many places sell specific water shock chemicals specifically for doing this.

6. After you have shocked the water and allowed it to sit for the recommended amount of time you will then need to do a reading on the water to determine what chemicals need to be added to bring your pool to the correct levels for use

Once you have gone through this process your pool is ready to be enjoyed all summer long.  For a great resource online for your pool supplies and information you should check on http://www.doheny.com/ .  They have all the supply and other things you need to make your summer pool experience the best it can be.

Good luck and happy swimming

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It is unfortunate that people tend to consider artificial grass a
stain on their property as opposed to the better alternative of actual grass.
Those who overlook these benefits of having an artificial lawn installed are
missing out on the great amount of time, energy, and money one could save when
switching over.  Instead of seeing all the things that they could be saving they
instead choose to see their artificial lawn as nothing more than fake grass with
that same unwelcomingly artificial look complimenting their house.  This is what
drives many consumers away.  However, there have been great strides in recent
artificial turf technologies making them look much less artificial then once
thought.

No longer is artificial grass bound to the football field
alone; only there to provide an even playing field with that fake plastic look.
Artificial grass has now been developed with the house hold consumer in mind
with their focus on reducing artificial grass cost while making it still visibly appealing to household consumers.

Internet shops and solutions online provide both suggestions and products to
help give an artificial lawn a more real and natural look.  Not only is there a
variety in the look and feel of most online artificial grass for personal
customization, but also services for the installation of soils to give that fake
grass a real feel.

Artificial grass suppliers are easy enough to find online, and often provide free quotes to
consumers.  Many of their same products can be sampled visually online as well.
This allows those who disbelieve in the visual aesthetic of artificial lawns to
truly see just how real looking these fake lawns can get.

Guest  Posting by Bobby Quill

Artificial grass turf is being used in more and more backyards, parks, and sports arenas than ever before. 

The days of ! ugly, ne on green, carpet-looking artificial turf are over.  Thanks to major advances, synthetic lawns look just as real as real grass.

But that’s not all they can do.  In fact, they offer some great perks that you may never have thought of:

• Fake grass lasts longer than real grass.  It is better equipped to handle droughts, snow, sun, and even heavy foot traffic.
• Artificial grass is flat, so you’re less likely to trip on it.  Real grass has natural peaks and valleys that make it uneven to run around and play on.
• Fake grass makes for more interesting sporting events. ! Balls travel farther and athletes run faster on it.
• Artificial grass even comes with a manufacturer’s warranty.  You can’t say that about the real stuff!
• Wholesale artificial turf can actually be much cheaper than real grass.  By not having to mow, water, or fertilize it, you can save valuable money and time!

Guest Posting by Bobby Quill

Garden tools have been used throughout history and, although today’s gardeners use more sophisticated equipment, tools used now perform the same functions as they have for centuries.

A rake is used to remove garden debris and leaves from lawns and flower beds. When selecting a rake remember wooden handles are likely to last longer than plastic.

A lawn rake is a vital piece of equipment. These tools have large more flexible heads than normal rakes and are used to scarify a lawn – in other words to get rid of moss and dead grass in order to “green up” a lawn to create a good appearance.

A spade is for digging large holes when planting trees or building walls. Solid steel will not bend and a good grip on a handle is necessary too. There needs to be a large area on the shovel head to assist deep digging.

There are various types of pruning shears, some with long handles to reach high branches. Rose bushes can be trimmed as can be branches of trees. It is advisable to invest in high quality shears as they will be in frequent use.

A trowel is really a small shovel used to dig earth in order to plant flowers for different occasions such as birthday flowers.

A hand fork is often purchased at the same time as the trowel. When planting flower or vegetable seeds the ground needs to be free of weeds and stones in order to create a good environment for the seeds to germinate. Seeds are a great way to fill the garden with colour and to provide flowers for all occasions. The blooms can make wonderful birthday flowers and are a charming gift. Even mothers day flowers can be grown in a garden and will cost a fraction of those bought in a shop as the price will include flower delivery.

Every garden needs a wheelbarrow to transport garden materials from one part of the garden to another. Investment in a wheelbarrow means a lot of time and effort will be saved when gardening, particularly when going to the compost heap.

A watering can is a must as plants need to be well watered particularly just after they have been put into the ground. A separate head (called a “rose”) is used for fine watering. Plants will die if left without water for any length of time and when it comes to flower delivery UK shop owners will tell you how vital watering is to their stock.

A kneeling mat is a must for any gardener as it prevents discomfort when planting in low beds. These are normally made of foam rubber but a gardener can improvise and make his own out of an old cushion or even newspaper. A kneeling mat is an excellent gift for a gardener alongside birthday flowers or mothers day flowers.

Rubbish can be put into a garden bag which is normally made of green plastic and has two handles. These can be used time and time again and are invaluable when weeding.

Posting by Bobby Quill

Nearly every sport — from soccer to football — is making the change to artificial turf playing surfaces over natural grass, and baseball is no exception. The Tampa Rays announced in January that they have started installation of new, artificial turf at the Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.

There are many features that set the Tropicana Field apart from other Major League parks. The 1.1 million square foot field is the only Major League park to feature an artificial surface and all-dirt base paths; according to the team’s official website, all other parks with artificial surfaces have only dirt cutouts around the bases and at the pitcher’s mound. And although the Rays have played baseball on artificial grass lawn since 1998, the new turf will feature the most advanced artificial turf surface available on the market. 

“Installation is expected to be completed by the time the Rays open the regular season against the Orioles on April 1, 2011,” according to the press release. The pieces of the old synthetic lawn turf are going on sale for interested fans on February 19th.

It’s close to the end of May and time to plan your Memorial Day weekend. Memorial Day is a time of remembrance and observance of the brave men who have served (and continue to serve) our country today and throughout the years. It is also a time for gathering. Even though it is not officially summer, it is the start of the summer season. Many people will be planning a gathering for at least one day of the Memorial Day weekend. If you are, make it easy and enjoyable. It will leave you time to reflect on what the day really represents.

Decorating can be simple. Use small American flags, which you can find anywhere, and place them around the back yard. You can also purchase red, white and blue, silk carnation bouquets at just about any discount outlet. Just having these two things around the backyard will make you and your guests remember what this day is all about.

One Dozen (12) Independence Day U.S.A. Flags 4-in x 6-in

Once you know how many guests are coming, you can begin to prepare. Most of the time, a Memorial Day gathering is a barbecue. But depending on the heat, you may not want to be standing around a grill all day. I usually do something simple on the grill, like hamburgers or hot dogs, and have the rest of the food already made and heated. By doing this, I spend less time at the grill and less time in the kitchen.

Patriotic Red White Blue String Light Set – 100 Lights

Most of the time I will make a pork or beef roast in advance. If you have a smoker, you can even do this outside the morning of the gathering. Because it needs to cook a long time, I will do it on a smoker or in a table top oven or slow cooker that I bring outside (to keep the house cool you can read ). Spice the roast the way you like or according to your favorite recipe, place in a pan or cooker with a little water and just let it cook for about three hours. That’s how you will end up with pulled pork or pulled beef. When it is done and cool enough to handle, I just start cutting and pulling apart. This goes a long way and people tend to really like it. I usually put out hamburger rolls for them to make sandwiches. You’d be surprised to see how many people it can feed.

I usually opt to make macaroni salad instead of potato salad since it is quicker and easier to make. It is also another dish that goes a long way. A pound of elbow macaroni can feed a pretty good crowd.

So that’s what is on my menu for Memorial Day with probably a few extras like chips and pickles. I learned the hard way to take the easy route. There are times when I do heavy duty cooking for gatherings, but in the summer as the weather gets hotter, people tend to eat less and this avoids having too many leftovers. And remember to take time out to reflect upon the real meaning of the day.

Memorial Day (Rookie Read-About Holidays)

What are you planning for Memorial Day? Are you having small or large gathering at your home? Tell us what makes it easy for you.

Have you ever purchased flowers for your garden only to have them wilt and die? On many occasions I have given up planting anything for this reason. That is, until I learned a few tips for buying healthy flowers. Now I look forward to checking out all of the new plants that are available at the home and garden stores.

Tall or Short

When looking at flowers that you want to purchase, read the label to see how tall they are going to grow. This will help you determine what stage of growth they are in at the time you are shopping. If a plant grows to 15 inches and it is already 10 inches tall, it has almost reached it height potential. You want to choose a younger plant. Keep away from tall plants that are also thin. Pick a plant that is compact, short and bushy. These will give you the best growth.

Blooms or No Blooms

We all want the instant garden so we tend to pick a plant that is already blooming. This is almost like asking for guaranteed failure. If you want your flowers to survive, pick a plant that does not have flowers. These plants are still young and have a way to go before blooming which is what you want for your garden so that they will last throughout the season.

Final Inspection

So you’ve picked a short, bushy plant that is not yet blooming. Wait. You must do a final inspection to make sure that it is actually healthy.

1. The first thing you need to do is check the label and make sure that the plant is right for the zone you live in. Just because the store sells it doesn’t mean it will thrive in your area. I found this out when I bought hostas. I had them up north and loved how they thrived and spread around the yard. I went and purchased them in Florida and not one of them ever grew.

2. Feel the soil to see if it is moist. If it feels dried out, put it down and move on.

3. Look at the leaves. Is their color vibrant? Do they look healthy? If the leaves are droopy, dried out or have leaf burn, walk away and find another one.

4. Check the bark or stems. If they are cracked, start looking again.

5. Look underneath the container and check the roots. If the roots are coming out of the flower pot, then the plant is too big. Remember, you are looking for a young plant.

6. Check for bugs. You definitely don’t want to buy a plant that has bugs. You need to check the leaves and the soil for bugs.

It is a lot of fun to plant in the garden and see how everything grows as the season progresses. Now that you know how to buy healthy flowers, it’s time to go out and start search for them.

Do you have a favorite flower that blooms year and year with no problems? Let us know what it is.