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.

I don't know whether it has so much to do with being timid or daring in some cases. I think sometimes the OP is problem-focused and regardless of the big picture they may not *want to address the big picture. Whether the big picture needs to be addressed is sometimes a matter of conjecture or opinion. I think that it can often be interpreted from the OP whether they actually need more help than the are asking for, are open to it or if they aren't interested. Not necessarily in their first post, but by their responses to posts. I will sometimes post regarding a specific question I have about one specific thing, and will get a laundry list of suggestions about unrelated (to my mind) things. Whether somebody else likes the overall aesthetic I am working in is pretty immaterial to me, if I am asking a specific question. So, I may not be overly grateful for the other advice. What I try to do is interpret the question and answer that question primarily. If there is something *really glaringly wrong--which is something more common to kitchen or house plans-- I will say something like "there are other issues that need to be addressed, you need to look at the big picture". If I don't like someone's wall color or their sofa fabric but that's not what they are asking about, I mind my own business or, sometimes ask "How open would be be to____" without offering any suggestions. I would imagine it is very frustrating for someone who is already a bit unsure about something to be told that the rest, (which they may have just done) is wrong, wrong, wrong.

where are you .. sun varies ... lack of sun reduces vigor ... and it doesnt help ... that a blue plant is a green plant covered in wax [a green plant being the most efficient in processing sunlight to energy] ... low sun rarely kills anything ... unless its a dark cave ... it just slows annual growth rate ... one might argue ... that a dormant plant doesnt need sun ... [i have often kept them in a barn over my MI winter] ..... how it all works in the micro climate you call your garden ... how do i know.. lol .. go for it.... ken ps: all that doesnt even get close to addressing what you want to plant this close to a wooden fence... they are trees... and they NEVER stop growing ....

Forgive someone who has never been here before, but I have joined. My Bernina sewing machine died and I replaced it with a Janome -- it was a little like learning a new language. I spent more time than I care to admit looking at youtube videos and such trying to figure out the nitty gritty points to simple things like winding a bobbin and threading the machine. You can get 75-90% of the way there on your own and then find the diagrams in the book are not helpful where you need them. Well, I think Blueprint was having a free weekend or week and I watched a couple of sewing classes that showed simple things like that and taught me about presser feet I'd never had, etc. And because I watched those -- I started seeing suggestions for quilting. I said I would never, ever do quilting. Well, I'm here, so I must be considering trying it. At least on a small scale. LOL So yes, when you subscribe, you can watch any classes you want, download patterns and ask the instructor questions, post photos of your projects -- as little or as much as you like. Craftsy has kind of evolved into Bluprint Shop if I have it right. They sell kits for projects in the classes (and others I believe) as well as fabric yardage, precut squares and strips, fat quarter bundles, thread to match the fabrics, patterns (some are free), notions and supplies for other crafts as well. And yes, the 15% discount applies automatically when you are logged in and they go into your cart (or they are on your cart and you log in). Not only that, they have special deals where you can get kits of fabric at pretty deep discounts. I got notice of a 60% off as a one day sale today and earlier they had half off a certain group of fabrics. I got a kit with all the fabric for a quilt top and pattern for $33. Annual subscribers get free shipping - and it is Fedex 2-day shipping! They also added a perk for annual subscribers . -- you get codes to purchase classes you get to keep -- 3 each quarter, 12 for the year. If you subscribe monthly, you only get one the first month. I think that's the essentials, but yes -- it really works that way. I was on the fence when I first subscribed, but I thought that it was worth checking out rather than driving 45 min and paying $80 for a class on my new machine (I got one free but was feeling a little overwhelmed). The subscriptions were $99 when I signed up, but I got a supply box -- now you can subscribe for $99 and get a box of find a year for $79. It got me over the learning curve on my new machine (or at least to where I think I can pull out the book and figure things out) and I've had fun watching classes I never would have without the subscription. And it looks like I might try something I thought I never would. For you experienced quilters, it might be something else. There's a lot of stuff there. You can try it for yourself -- I just looked and you can get the free trial on their site (7 days). If a member refers you, you get a free month (I am willing to refer you -- in full disclosure, if you pay to continue, I get a free month too and I don't want you to think I made my first post for that reason. If you want a month trial, I think you can email me through Houzz and I don't mind -- just full disclosure and no pushing one way or the other. Membership discounts on purchases don't apply during a free trial -- you might want to switch to paid before you shop if the discount would be worth more than the $7.99 for a month. As for what they pay for instructors, I have no idea -- but there are links on their sight where you can make an inquiry. The 7 day trial link is near the bottom -- scroll down to find it. https://www.mybluprint.com/ Hope that helps.