Last year, I tried an experiment.
Around the top rails in my deck, I installed plastic rain gutters on
the outside, filled them with potting soil and grew herbs, small
veggies -- lettuce, mini-maters, etc -- and little clumps of colorful
annuals. It worked out nicely and was decorative, convenient and
productive. The downside was it needed to be watered almost
continuously, as the "bed" had.......well, the cross-section of a rain
gutter. If I was away for more than two or three dry days, the beds
got really DRY.
This year, I plan to do two things: 1)Expand the deck, itself, and 2)
Expand the gutter-beds onto the lower rails and (maybe) the outer
edges of the deck itself (it is raised from three to five ft. off the
ground).

It all hinges on whether I can figger out some auto watering scheme.
I am looking at drip, with lines installed at the bottom of the
gutters, rather than resting on the surface, working off a timer.

Some questions:
1. Anybody done anything similar?
2. Any forums / newsgroups focused on this idea? (Info places are
nice, but I need to "communicate")
3. Is there such a thing as a itty-bitty soaker hose -- that will
interact with the small drip lines.

My first thought was small PVC pipe at the bottom of the gutters,
connected to multiple outlet manifold, in turn connected to timer; but
then had a forehead-slapping moment that said: "They already do that
-- drip".

Thanx in advance for any help you can give.

cheers

oz, glorying in new double cataract removal and implants, resulting in
"uncorrected" 20/20 vision

In article
,
MajorOz wrote:

Last year, I tried an experiment.
Around the top rails in my deck, I installed plastic rain gutters on
the outside, filled them with potting soil and grew herbs, small
veggies -- lettuce, mini-maters, etc -- and little clumps of colorful
annuals. It worked out nicely and was decorative, convenient and
productive. The downside was it needed to be watered almost
continuously, as the "bed" had.......well, the cross-section of a rain
gutter. If I was away for more than two or three dry days, the beds
got really DRY.
This year, I plan to do two things: 1)Expand the deck, itself, and 2)
Expand the gutter-beds onto the lower rails and (maybe) the outer
edges of the deck itself (it is raised from three to five ft. off the
ground).

It all hinges on whether I can figger out some auto watering scheme.
I am looking at drip, with lines installed at the bottom of the
gutters, rather than resting on the surface, working off a timer.

Some questions:
1. Anybody done anything similar?
2. Any forums / newsgroups focused on this idea? (Info places are
nice, but I need to "communicate")
3. Is there such a thing as a itty-bitty soaker hose -- that will
interact with the small drip lines.

My first thought was small PVC pipe at the bottom of the gutters,
connected to multiple outlet manifold, in turn connected to timer; but
then had a forehead-slapping moment that said: "They already do that
-- drip".

Thanx in advance for any help you can give.

cheers

oz, glorying in new double cataract removal and implants, resulting in
"uncorrected" 20/20 vision

Pretty slick isn't it? You had both done at once? So you must have been
blind for two or three days. White is such a trippy color and I thought
it was a off yellow.

The only thing I notice is that the floaters are bigger and darker and
in the dark, a light sets off these golden crescents from the implanted
lenses. Takes a little getting used to.

Other than that, I'm going crazy from changing a life time of habits.
Before I had to take off my glasses to read, now I need to put them on.
Before I needed to put my glasses on to see, and now I need to take them
off.

Then there is the fiddling with the glasses, which I don't have any more,
but I still have the need to fiddle :O) Oh well.
--

Billy
Republican and Democratic "Leadership" Behind Bars
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1Zunx_goz4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KVTf...ef=patrick.net

On Jan 22, 11:53*pm, Billy wrote:
In article
,



*MajorOz wrote:
Last year, I tried an experiment.
Around the top rails in my deck, I installed plastic rain gutters on
the outside, filled them with potting soil and grew herbs, small
veggies -- lettuce, mini-maters, etc -- and little clumps of colorful
annuals. *It worked out nicely and was decorative, convenient and
productive. *The downside was it needed to be watered almost
continuously, as the "bed" had.......well, the cross-section of a rain
gutter. *If I was away for more than two or three dry days, the beds
got really DRY.
This year, I plan to do two things: 1)Expand the deck, itself, and 2)
Expand the gutter-beds onto the lower rails and (maybe) the outer
edges of the deck itself (it is raised from three to five ft. off the
ground).

It all hinges on whether I can figger out some auto watering scheme.
I am looking at drip, with lines installed at the bottom of the
gutters, rather than resting on the surface, working off a timer.

Some questions:
1. *Anybody done anything similar?
2. *Any forums / newsgroups focused on this idea? *(Info places are
nice, but I need to "communicate")
3. *Is there such a thing as a itty-bitty soaker hose -- that will
interact with the small drip lines.

My first thought was small PVC pipe at the bottom of the gutters,
connected to multiple outlet manifold, in turn connected to timer; but
then had a forehead-slapping moment that said: "They already do that
-- drip".

Thanx in advance for any help you can give.

cheers

oz, glorying in new double cataract removal and implants, resulting in
"uncorrected" 20/20 vision

Pretty slick isn't it? You had both done at once? So you must have been
blind for two or three days.

Had them done a week apart, but started a week late, as they
rescheduled me when they found out I had a 3 cheese, chili breakfast
burrito on the way to the hospital

White is such a trippy color and I thought
it was a off yellow.

Exactly ! ....or tan or grey. I was so surprised how colors had
faded without my noticing. The implants have a slight blue filter
which enhances the effect.

The only thing I notice is that the floaters are bigger and darker and
in the dark, a light sets off these golden crescents from the implanted
lenses. Takes a little getting used to.

Don't have that, but do have a slight "swipe" from a point light
source. It has faded in the first eye, so expect it to do so in the
second.

Other than that, I'm going crazy from changing a life time of habits.
Before I had to take off my glasses to read, now I need to put them on.
Before I needed to put my glasses on to see, and now I need to take them
off.

Yeah. Confusing. I have +2 for general reading, +1.25 for the feet-
on-the-desk-keyboard-on-lap computer work, and +3.25 for tying flies.

Then there is the fiddling with the glasses, which I don't have any more,
but I still have the need to fiddle :O) Oh well.

Agreed. I just keep the +2 up on the (almost) bald area and am
getting to where I remember where they are so I don't stomp around the
house grousing.

Thanx for charing. It helps adjust.

cheers

oz, who is now getting his money's worth from the new LCD HD TV

"MajorOz" wrote in message
...
Last year, I tried an experiment.
Around the top rails in my deck, I installed plastic rain gutters on
the outside, filled them with potting soil and grew herbs, small
veggies -- lettuce, mini-maters, etc -- and little clumps of colorful
annuals. It worked out nicely and was decorative, convenient and
productive. The downside was it needed to be watered almost
continuously, as the "bed" had.......well, the cross-section of a rain
gutter. If I was away for more than two or three dry days, the beds
got really DRY.
This year, I plan to do two things: 1)Expand the deck, itself, and 2)
Expand the gutter-beds onto the lower rails and (maybe) the outer
edges of the deck itself (it is raised from three to five ft. off the
ground).

It all hinges on whether I can figger out some auto watering scheme.
I am looking at drip, with lines installed at the bottom of the
gutters, rather than resting on the surface, working off a timer.


There is a laser-drilled 1/4" hose -- same size as feeds the microjets, that
you can lay in the trough, then just set up a timer for the amount you need.
I find it in the same place as the other microjet supplies at big box
stores --

On Feb 26, 9:26*pm, "JimR" wrote:
"MajorOz" wrote in message

...



Last year, I tried an experiment.
Around the top rails in my deck, I installed plastic rain gutters on
the outside, filled them with potting soil and grew herbs, small
veggies -- lettuce, mini-maters, etc -- and little clumps of colorful
annuals. *It worked out nicely and was decorative, convenient and
productive. *The downside was it needed to be watered almost
continuously, as the "bed" had.......well, the cross-section of a rain
gutter. *If I was away for more than two or three dry days, the beds
got really DRY.
This year, I plan to do two things: 1)Expand the deck, itself, and 2)
Expand the gutter-beds onto the lower rails and (maybe) the outer
edges of the deck itself (it is raised from three to five ft. off the
ground).

It all hinges on whether I can figger out some auto watering scheme.
I am looking at drip, with lines installed at the bottom of the
gutters, rather than resting on the surface, working off a timer.

There is a laser-drilled 1/4" hose -- same size as feeds the microjets, that
you can lay in the trough, then just set up a timer for the amount you need.
I find it in the same place as the other microjet supplies at big box
stores --

Thank you

oz