Hi Geoff, In regards to the foot valve and filtration, yes, I would suggest the use of a filter, why? Because small bits of algae, sand and other debris over time will build up in the valve diaphragm. The sprinkler heads can pass a small amount of debris fine (they have filters under the nozzles) it is the valves you should be most worried about. For your application, the use of a disc filter would be most appropriate. Disc filters use a series of screen discs that the water is forced through the amount of filtration is measured in mesh. The recommended mesh for a irrigation system is 100 mesh. Most disc filters need to be cleaned on a annual or bi-annual basis by unscrewing the filter top and hosing it off well. Disc filters are not as easy to come by as their cousin the screen filter. However a trip to a local irrigation supply house, like Ewing, should produce some nice results. Oh, a regular irrigation valve should NOT be used on a system running off lake water. You need a "Scrubber valve" which incorporates a very heavy duty diaphragm and stainless steel hardware (like molded stainless bonnet studs for easy service) The model is suggest using is the 100-PEB from Rain Bird. Once again, not going to find it at home cheapo, go to a irrigation supply house. About the sprinkler heads. I would suggest going with the same brand of sprinkler heads as long as they are not orbit or toro. Hunter makes a wonderful rotor as does Rain Bird. I will assume you have Hunter PGP rotors (they are very common) and they work great, some of the guys have complained they stop rotating as you mentioned, but it's luck of the draw. Because of the rotating issue, many have switched to the Rain Bird 5000. I haven't tried the 5000 but Rain Bird makes excellent products so it couldn't be half bad. Both the 5000 and PGP come with a nozzle tree and adjustment key. You can match the numbers on your old nozzle with the new when changing it out. And again, go to the irrigation supply house. Moneypenny: Any irrigation system running from a lake should incorporate disc filtration and scrubber valves. These will pay for them selves over time and will give you peace of mind. The pop-up rotors are personal taste but I like the PGP's just fine. With a filtration and care you will be good to go. Don't opt for the cheapest stuff out there, you get what you pay for and I can say this from experience. Cheap brands include: Orbit and Toro. Don't go to the big box stores like home depot, they won't carry the products you need, it's the professionals choice and why not support the local business? Links to products mentioned in this tutorial and other helpful links: Arkal-Amiad filtration: Mfrs. of manual disc filters. 322 Rolling Hill Road Mooresville, NC 28117-9920 http://www.arkal-filters.com/pro_manual1.html Rain Bird Corp: Mfrs. of high quality irrigation components. Rain Bird Corporation 1000 West Sierra Madre Ave. Azusa, CA 91702 http://www.rainbird.com/landscape/products/valves/PEB_PESBseries.htm Irrigation tutorials/help: Jess Stryker, professional irrigation system designer with 30+ years of experience. http://www.irrigationtutorials.com/ I do not endorse any of these manufacturers or people. I simply know good products.

Szolt my friend, you live in a fantastic eviroment and your garden looks very beautiful! The weeping Juniperus in your 4th and 5th pic is the Juniperus virginiana 'Pendula'. Juniperus arizonica does have a differend foliage and also differend berries. I realy like your Larix sibirica 'Tharandt', I hope we can swap some scions of it this comming Winter. Can you give us some more info about the weeping Abies nordmanniana broom which is grafted on a standard and why doesn't it have a proper name yet? I hope you'll collect the cones of Picea abies 'Gold Drift', maybe you'll find a new beauty among the seedlings... Pleaae change Abies koreana 'Silberlock' into 'Horstmann's Silberlocke'. Thanks for this tour!

The Solomon's seal looks great. I think I'll try to find some for a few shady spots I have. Hope they are hardy. Their foliage looks attractive. Below is a picture of a rose of sharon I have. It is a medium one--there are a number of them that line the drive. As you can see it is about 10 feet tall by 8 feet wide, and it thrives in the shade of an 80-year-old oak. They are one of my favorite Oklahoma bloomers, because once they start blooming, they continue through the entire season until the fall. Magnificent plants. Thought you might like to see how big they get...and, as you can tell, this is just leafing out right now and still quite bare. Plus, here is an anecdote about Rose of Sharon and Hibiscus plants. When I was a teen I went to Roosevelt Jr. High in San Diego, which is right next to the San Diego Zoo. They had Rose of Sharon and Hibiscus plants around there. As a treat they (the keepers) would give the monkeys the flowers. The monkeys treasured the flowers and would eat them with relish. I have since read that these plants can be toxic to dogs, cats, and horses (not that mine ever eat them). So I don't really know the truth about the toxicity of these plants. They are certainly beautiful, though. --Robert

The first plant doesn't look too bad. Since it has anthocyanin, the stems and leaves are supposed to look purple. It is putting out fruit, so make sure that it has enough water and it should be fine. Number 2 is putting out adventitious roots (bumps on stems). Perhaps it is due to all the rain that you had. 3 looks thirsty, but you say it had a lot of rain water recently. Is there drainage in the pot? Stick your finger in there to determine if it is too wet or too dry. You could add some more medium to that pot. Perhaps the roots are rotting. The final tomatoes look ripe to me. To make absolutely sure, gently squeeze them and if there is some "give" they are ready to eat. I don't know about watermelons. I can't even get them to germinate here! Linda