My first thought was-- "The Grass is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank"--why would you need to water? Then I realized that the systems have come a long/changed way since my childhood. Have you asked the company that did the install/spec'd the the field? They may have some specific suggestions. melanie

You really need to find out what your soil needs by testing it or at least do some basic stuff to find out the organic matter of the soil. Is it clay or sand etc... from there you can find out what actually needs to be added. What I found was that if your not sure peat moss always seems to help if you don't have any compost. But as far as what to plant, not knowing your location, but anything you plant now at the end of July is going to take a lot of watering even on top a leach field. What kind of septic system do you have? I have an areation system with a drip system connected. I'm actually looking at possibly running a sprinkler system of it instead of it going into a small area of yard that I have to cut every few days. According to the manufacture and EPA the water that comes out of the system is "drinkable" but neiter one recommeds it. So I figured it can't hurt to use it to water the rest of my lawn and flowers.

Sorry for the long delay - and THANK YOU for the replies!!! I hadn't thought about the Miracid solution. So simple, I will definitely try!! It's been a few weeks and the loropetalum are definitely still alive and even trying to bloom in their spots. I haven't given up on them, thanks to lots of support from garden web! Two are still pretty scraggly and don't have great color in their leaves, (these are the ones in the retaining wall crook) but two others (I either couldn't count, didn't remember, or didn't fess up to having 4 the first time around) are doing pretty well where they are less exposed - they probably get a little bit of afternoon shade. Don't know if that makes a difference or not. I've learned so much just by asking my question and reading all the suggestions. Thanks so much again!

Fence costs are catch-as-catch-can. If the landlord neighbor didn't want to pay for the fence when it was built, nothing you can do about that. You either pay for the fence and make it yours, or don't put it up. If you want a fence that bad, you pay for it. It's certainly not fair to demand payment later when someone else moves in. It's very common to set back fences 6" in my city. I don't know if it's a requirement. I do know it's common for adverse possession to only apply if someone is squatting without permission. IF the fence regulations already require a setback, I can't imagine an adverse possession case getting any traction based on the fact that the fence was built to code. Even if there's no setback requirement, you may still be protected if you specifically allow someone to use YOUR land, as in giving a neighbor permission to use the 6" strip. Or, if you specifically prohibit it. "Squatter's rights" to land usually apply when the neighbor used it and the owner knew about it and did nothing. Our neighbors accidentally put a block wall raised bed a few inches past the line. They moved. The new neighbors brought it to my attention and I said they didn't have to remove the entire wall on my account (it's only 4 feet long anyway). I gave them permission to encroach on my property with their wall. It's still my property and will remain so. Of course, it should really be in writing because if it ever goes to court, there's no documentation, but in my case it's a de minimus condition, and we get along fine with the neighbors.