Setting Up the Irrigation

The water pipes in the pump-house froze and burst this winter, so right now we have no water at the garden, but the folks at Brighton NC Machine are working on it and we should be up and running soon.  In the meantime, I plan on having all the irrigation set up so I can just turn on the water and go.  (I'm optimistic that there will be minimal problems!)

Last year we had so many water leaks where the connectors were inserted into the lay-flat hose that I decided to use new hose this year.  I only needed to purchase one new hose, but when it came in I noticed right away that it was blue, rather than green.  When I asked about the difference I was assured this was a compatible hose, just a different manufacture.  However, it did not take me long to realize that this blue hose was definitely NOT the same size hose!  Not to worry, I can make it work.  It just means a trip to Northwest Pipe Supply in Brighton to purchase some different couplings.

In the meantime, my three volunteers helped me roll out and set up the lay-flat irrigation hoses, and we began inserting the connectors to attach the t-tape/drip irrigation lines. (Which will be cut and attached on Sat. May 31st when a youth group comes out to volunteer.)

And this year I am expanding the garden by 4 rows.  If you look carefully above you will see some darker mulch at the top of the garden; that is my expanded area.  I will have to work around a pine tree in one of these new rows, but it will give me additional space to grow pumpkins for a fundraiser this fall.