Newsletter Archives

Sales & Specials

We've decided to run a special on a handful of products. Act now on the following "Hot Buys" because the special ends on Monday, August 18th.

New at the Nest

Our customers are valuable to us. We continually search for new and better ways to serve our customers. In an effort to better meet your needs as a customer, BestNest aggressively adds new products to the website. Some of the new and exciting products that we've added are shown below. Be sure to check out our New Items department regularly.

Responsible Water Use

Gardening has been a favorite hobby for millions of people, creating beautiful scenery in many settings. This has traditionally used large amounts of water to remain healthy and viable. With water conservation becoming more of a concern, centuries-old concepts of saving rainwater and using your water more efficiently are seeing revived interest. Fresh water accounts for approximately 2% of the earth's surface, with much of it in glaciers and ice caps. This leaves less than 1% of the water supply safe for drinking and human use. With populations expanding, water use has also increased, creating a less abundant resource and increasing its cost. Saving water, and trying to use it responsibly, can not only help the environment, it can also diminish your monthly water bill. Additionally, widespread conservation can reduce the need for dams or other manmade diversions, and help increase wetland areas for wildlife and waterfowl. Designing and revising your yard to minimize water usage are great beginning steps in conserving this resource.

One of the best ways to create a conservative water use yard is by using the principles of xeriscaping. This type of landscaping focuses on using native plants, plants that do not require a large amount of irrigation, and supplementing the design with non-plant elements. The principles of xeriscaping group plants with similar watering needs together, as well as create islands and borders around the plants. Planting succulents or other drought tolerant plants reduces the need for greater water use, and adding efficient drip irrigation keeps the area healthy. These designs also keep the lawns small, to areas of actual use. The lawn additionally uses drought tolerant grass species to further the conservation effort. Adding an inch or two of mulch around all plantings will help the soil retain moisture longer, for less water loss through evaporation. Aerating the soil allows more water to trickle to the roots of the plants, and reduces runoff. Supplement your new plantings with compost for a healthy, water holding organic base.

Harvesting rainwater and revising irrigation systems in your yard or garden can also decrease your use of community water. Place a rain barrel under your downspout to collect water from storms and showers, and use this to water your garden. Placing a soaker hose at the base of your plants, rather than using a sprinkler, allows water to reach the plant's roots and prevents evaporation in hot weather. A water timer enables the water to run for only a set time, and a hose nozzle with an on/off tab will prevent wasting water when using a standard hose. Plants suffer from overwatering more than underwatering, so using a moisture meter or screwdriver to determine the moisture level of the soil is helpful prior to watering. Additionally, automatic plant watering systems eradicate the need for wasting unnecessary water on potted plants, and the vessels can also be filled with harvested water for added conservation.

Making small changes to your yard and garden will aid in reducing your watering needs, for more efficient water usage. This can lead not only to a healthier environment, but also to a cost savings for you. We have several products that can aid in harvesting water and diffusing it evenly. Please visit our site at BestNest.com for a full line of water saving products. For more personal assistance, feel free to call our customer service representatives toll free at 877-562-1818 or internationally at 513-232-4225 from 9 AM to 5 PM Eastern Standard Time Monday through Friday.