To enjoy your yard to the fullest, consider adding a decorative water feature. Fountains, ponds, and waterfalls are a wonderful way to add a focal point and dimensionality to your yard.
You can create a pond kit yourself or call a professional landscaping company to assist with the project. You can add lights, decorative stones or yard art as well as waterfalls or tiered pools to create a flowing water effect.
STATE COLLEGE – Penn State’s Agricultural Analytical Services Laboratory has launched a pond water testing service. Free test kits are available at many cooperative extension offices. A fee is charged for lab testing done on water samples.
Two test packages are available – the basic pond/lake water package for $42 and the basic pond/lake water package plus bacteria for $70, which includes testing for E. coli bacteria.
Both packages include tests for pH level, total dissolved solids, nitrate-nitrogen, alkalinity, aluminum, iron, manganese, phosphorus, sulfate and hardness.
To learn more, go online to www.aasl.psu.edu/water-pond.html, call 863-0841 or e-mail aaslab@psu.edu.