On Sun, 10 Jul 2005 04:23:27 GMT, M Osborne wrote:

Is there anything I can buy and put in-line to prevent this from
happening? Ie. some kind of filter or whatever to remove the iron/rust
before it puddles on the rock and concrete?

http://www.ext.nodak.edu/extpubs/h2o...ys/ae1030w.htm

But it would be a whole lot easier and cheaper to go to drip irrigation
and water the plantings instead of the sidewalk.

I see the variety of soaker hoses from Fiskars and Orbit, but I'm afraid
those might not provide enough water since I have so much rock-based mulch.

Rock based mulch has nothing to do with using drip irrigation. I'd use
pressure-compensating drippers and/or the laser-drilled 1/4" tubing rather
than the foamy-looking hoses that sort of "sweat". Examples:
http://www.unce.unr.edu/publications/FS93/FS9382.pdf
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?actio...rrigation.html
or click on "micro watering handbook" in the left column he
http://www.raindrip.com/contact/catalogrequest.asp

Put the drippers in the root zone, under the mulch.

If you've got a sprinkler system in place, the sprinkler heads can be converted
to a drip watering manifold fairly simply -- raindrip is one such manufacturer
of these.

Don't forget a backflow prevention device if you're hooking drip irrigation
to a standard hosebibb.

Raindrip is a product line that I'm most familiar with and have found
satisfactory for smallish scale home use; I'm sure there are other good
manufacturers of similar supplies.

kay