SEPTIC SYSTEM install

We have decided that as we age we do need the convenience of flushing toilets and a sanitary way to deal with the waste. We are installing a septic system!  

Our neighbor Joe has been doing this for many years and he keeps up with all the new systems. He also knows that you have to have so much flow down hill to make it work. We wanted a no maintenance system that would not stink. When we lived in Dripping Springs our neighbors had the anaerobic system that unless you do constant  maintenance it stinks bad, plus they cost 2X what a  gravity flow septic system cost.All said and done this system cost us $5,000.00.
 

He is using a laser to make sure the ditch is flowing downhill from the bathroom to the septic tank.

A backhoe digs the ditch in no time!

The laser makes the system work so the pipes run downhill the whole way.

This is a new Australian leach line system that creates an underground tunnel 3 feet wide. This system allows a much shorter run and thus  we did not have to clear a wide path from trees.
After the pieces are installed you can drive a backhoe over it.

We decided to get the 1000 gallon tank, it was only about $250.00 more than a 500 gallon tank. Joe only installs the cement tank, he would never put a poly tank in the ground, they tend to collapse ,  they are cheaper, but not a good choice in the long run.

Here is the leach line installed. Joe put chicken wire down as well to keep the gophers out of the tunnel. This is truly a maintenance free system!

SPRING GARDEN FACELIFT

 

To redo my garden I took out all of the T-post that were used to hold the shade cloth. I constructed another set of cattle panels to house my Tomatoes ,peppers and Canalope. 

I found out that our local landscaping supply place (Lonestar Materials ) carries a product called  First Ground Cedar Mulch, It is perfect for garden walkways. Looks great, keeps in the moisture and will take a long time to decompose.
This year I am not shading the plants but instead will heavily mulch the rows with non herbicide hay. The theory is that the roots keep moist and cool from the hot sun, but the plant gets its needed amount of sunlight.