To answer the replies to my original post so far: I am thinking self-watering containers to reduce potential problems with insects and other pests (which I can't see) -- a potential problem with in-ground planting, because these containers seem easier to maintain (ie. fertilizer strips), and to lessen the likelihood of me over or under watering. Thank you for telling me about the Florida forum. I will definitely check it out. I also love the cork/wire suggestion for monitoring the water level as well as the suggestion to use bamboo poles to rig up sun shades. My husband, who is also blind, is quite handy with his hands, so he will be able to fashion all these things for me. There is a little bit of an overhang, but it won't offer much shade. Regarding the proper potting mix, I am confused. the earthbox website seems to suggest all you need is their potting mix, dolimite, and fertilizer strip and you are ready to go. Yet on this forum, I keep reading about all kinds of "recipes" for creating the best growing environment and drainage. Mixing up my own stuff is pretty much out of the question, so is there anything that is ready-made that you recommend for the earthbox? And finally, what about mosquitoes? Are they able to breed in the water reservoirs of the earthbox for instance? Linda

alpiner makes a good point. I hadn't thought about the permitting bit, as we are rural and have no need for a permit to install underground lines on our own property. However, the one line that would be the most messy and difficult in the future is water, as even in Z-6, a frost line needs to be considered, whereas nat. gas and electric can be laid just enough below the surface to be safe from a rototiller. So I would still encourage you to get your water line in now, and cap it with a freeze-proof faucet. As alpiner correctly notes, if you have your contractor install a tap for nat. gas and an outside electrical outlet; tapping into them and running a shallow trench later would be pretty simple. Come to think on it; I recall an earlier post from a GH owner who only had LP gas and no place near their GH to keep another tank, or get a delivery truck to it, to fill one, so had to devise a means to tap into their main tank at the house and run a line out. If you are going to heat with LP, you might want to think about heating your shed now. If you will want gas to it, plan for an additional connection on your main tank. So many details to think about when construction a new house! Giving thought to a future potting shed is very proactive on your part, and smart.

I didn't think it would be a good idea, like you said, to run it under or over the sidewalk, bad enough to run a hose across it for the soaker hose my neighbor loaned me last year and this. But it's so long, it has 3 turns and having to lift it in and out to hoe (I will mulch when I get to it), is almost more than I can bear. It's heavy and drags across plants to move so last year I never weeded except a few by hand, but with tomatoes in cages, it wasn't too bad. The soaker worked great for tomatoes in neat rows but is not going to work well for tiny plants and roses scattered more randomly. My roses are one long row but the companion plants are scattered. Do you know what I really wish? I wish I had an old-fashioned pump and a cistern to collect all this water. That is not feasible but it would sure bring back memories, and I would love doing it. My grandmother couldn't have watered much of anything except her African violets inside, and things grew ok for her. She didn't mulch either, just probably did a little hoeing and had boards to walk on to get down the rows of what she had planted. She had a long perennial bed with shrubs and spring bulbs but no roses that I can remember. If I get fed up enough this summer and depending on my health, I can have a guy come and install a faucet on the other side of the back sidewalk (front is a 'nuther animal but could have another one in the basement going through another outside wall on the other side of the sidewalk). Then I could irrigate all of it. I will remember Drip Works, usually think long and hard before making such a change especially in light of expensive repairs I need done, can afford some of it but not all at once and hard to prioritize. Irrigation would not be that expensive if I do it myself but takes thinking, planning and time. I really really want my arbor put back up, right this time, heard a jackhammer going at the neighbor's, was hoping they could come here when done and blast out four concrete footings so we can start over. No such luck. Of course I would have paid a reasonable amount. It was a fence company and I saw they had augurs of different sizes in the truck. That would be so nice, that arbor was a dream come true, and it's all come to nothing for now, my son and the neighbor down the street think vandals knocked it over but it wasn't installed right, I knew it, and was frantically trying to find out how I could anchor it better, didn't make it in time, actually paid another guy to try to screw it in the footings using a masonry drill. That failed, too. My son is good at things but so busy. It is thundering and raining again . . .so far just a shower. The beds that aren't mulched yet dried out already after that record downpour, probably damp deeper down. I will mulch but want all my seedlings in and big enough so I can see where to put it all without ruining some plus I want to hoe first. I can neaten up the edges later.

fluffy, This is what I suggest. 300 ft is a long length to run a rough surfaced 3/4" line. The problem is that the garden house that long will have a high friction loss. Run a schedule 40 pvc 1" line which has a smooth interior surface and will provide a much greater flow rate because the friction loss is way less. Since you will have a filter for well water and a backflow preventer to keep water in the line between pump starts you would have plenty of friction loss just from those fittings. You can lay the pipe on the ground since it is temporary fix for a year. PVC pipe would be comparable with the cost of garden hose. Run one line to see if that provides enough water to your garden. Since you haven't told us what the flow rate and pressure the well pump produces, if one 1" pvc pipe isn't enough then just add a second pipe in parallel with the first. I don't think this will be necessary though. GL Aloha