Birds, pool & outdoor living
Birds, pool & outdoor living
Feeders and seed for our species, plus pool chemistry through the rainy season.
Birds, pool & outdoor living
The rest of the yard: what to feed the birds that actually show up here, and how to keep the pool and deck ahead of our heat and afternoon storms.
Bird feeding here
Cardinals, blue jays, doves and painted buntings in winter. Safflower and black-oil sunflower keep grackles down. Store seed sealed — humidity molds it fast.
Hummingbirds
Ruby-throats pass through fall and spring. Four parts water to one part plain sugar, no dye, and change it every two days in our heat.
Bird baths
Dump and scrub weekly. Standing water breeds mosquitoes in under a week here, and algae builds even faster in the sun.
Pool chemistry in summer
Rain dilutes chlorine and drops pH. Test twice a week June through October, keep free chlorine 1–3 ppm and pH 7.4–7.6, and shock after a heavy storm.
Algae after a storm
Green water needs shock, brush and a run of the filter — not just more tabs. Yellow/mustard algae on the shady wall needs a product labeled for it.
Screen cages & pool decks
Mildew on screens and pavers cleans with an outdoor cleaner and low pressure. We repair screens in-house, so bring the frame in.
Outdoor lighting & pests
Warm-toned LEDs pull far fewer bugs than cool white. Pair with a yard granule before an evening outside.