Watering System

In March, J started putting together a soaker hose system on a simple timer package I happened to walk by and grab at Costco one day. We never thought we’d be able to afford a real garden-wide sprinkler system for the front, back, lawn, and so on. But since March and success with this initial plan for the raised beds, we’ve slowly been expanding. J has since added the same system to the side of the house, which allows us to use timed soakers in the front garden (where we started improving and working on an eventual mixed hedge), and another on the side for our blueberries and wee pumpkin patch.

Most recently, we tried adding pop-up sprinkler heads for another bed, which I converted from lily field (hated that they all went brown and died at once and that was that) to Dahlia Lounge (then realized I wasn’t getting as many dahlias as hoped because of gnawing-off) to a mixed vegetable and flower garden.We had a few things to learn getting started, of course. A little water hammer to learn about. And backflow valves. And timing issues. It all seems to be working perfectly now!

I love to hear the gentle shush of water out an open window as it turns on, when I am busy doing something else. I’m still not used to it and always a little surprised, but very happy. I think we’ll appreciate it even more when the weather here turns dry in August to September, but even now, it’s keeping things going during the week when we’re too busy.And it’s really helping the front garden get established. All those divided and transplanted stinking iris that hadn’t bloomed in a long time are doing much better now!
I haven’t looked at the water bill yet. That is sure to promote our rain barrel project to the top of the list.