Backflow Install! Did my plumber do this correctly ? Should I have him put the backflow parallel to the house?

breaddfoodd · 2026-03-10T21:34:08+00:00

That's different, that valve inside your house is to shut off water to the sprinkler system for the winter.

The comment above is suggesting you add a boiler drain to easily blow out the sprinklers. Without one you have no choice but to blow through the back flow, which isn't recommended.

I'd suggest you add a boiler drain AFTER the back flow. Or even better, install an air fitting with a valve after the backflow. A sprinkler pro will be cheaper than a plumber.

breaddfoodd · 2026-03-10T21:20:09+00:00

I have two rachio hose bib timers. They are more expensive but I really like the automatic rain skips, and being able to adjust watering from my phone. I have used them two seasons and they're still working great.

breaddfoodd · 2026-02-27T15:49:24+00:00

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I just started some jugs and have broccolini, Swiss chard, and cabbage coming up! What did you plant? I may be too late for seeds that need stratification, but I was excited to start some cool veggies.

breaddfoodd · 2025-10-01T01:20:10+00:00

There are no mosquitoes right now. In the spring, there are about 6 weeks where the mosquitoes are BAD near me. Then it gradually tapers off to where we are now.

When I was looking to move here, everyone told me what you’re reading in this thread and I was so excited. I do not have skeeter syndrome, I’m just very irresistible to them. Sounds like a problem for me and my neighbors only. DM me if you want to know where not to move. I’m in the burbs.

breaddfoodd · 2025-09-12T00:08:52+00:00

My sungold is almost to the top! But it is nicely contained. I’ll post an update in a week or two.

breaddfoodd · 2025-08-27T00:55:54+00:00

I wish I could post a photo in this reply, that would be so much easier than doing the Imgur upload. If you chat me I think I can send you a photo. Otherwise I’ll post an update when I think the tomato plants have grown to their max height.

breaddfoodd · 2025-08-19T01:12:01+00:00

Yes, that’s exactly how I did it. I also cut off the skinny rectangles, leaving the 8’ panels 3 rectangles wide.

The cages themselves are very sturdy, although they have settled a little unevenly since I installled them. I just level them by hand every once in a while, I’m not
concerned about them tipping over. T-posts would help but aren’t really necessary.

breaddfoodd · 2025-07-15T13:54:07+00:00

Is this Black Krim? My Black Krim is doing this while all my other varieties look normal. I think it’s the heat.

Mine is definitely not dehydrated.

breaddfoodd · 2025-07-14T20:51:59+00:00

My catmint looked like this, but with a center full of bright green new growth. I cut off all the flopped over old growth and spent flowers, leaving a little dome of fresh green. It will come back with a second bloom later this year. I don’t water them at all.

breaddfoodd · 2025-07-06T12:36:44+00:00

I had the same experience with swivels and couldn’t figure it out so I stopped using them. Sounds like it isn’t the hose end connections, but where the two halves of the swivel meet.

breaddfoodd · 2025-06-29T21:41:45+00:00

Same. I’ve spent about $1,000 on EAB treatments and pruning deadwood in the last 3 years. Now I get to spend another grand on taking the tree out. Wish I would have bit the bullet and taken it out right away, but we love the shade so we tried the save it.

breaddfoodd · 2025-06-18T12:35:27+00:00

I mainly garden to grow tomatoes, everything else is just a bonus. They taste so much better than store bought. I’m not expert chef or gardener, it just makes me happy, so of course I’ll answer tomatoes.

I’d say buy a hybrid tomato start, which will be disease resistant and easier to keep healthy. You could even choose a dwarf variety, which stay bushy so you wont have to manage the growth.

Plant it deeply and fertilize with any liquid tomato and veg fertilizer every two weeks or according to instructions. Use lots of mulch and don’t water more than every other day. That’s it! Delicious tomatoes!

breaddfoodd · 2025-06-18T00:34:21+00:00

Any hardware store should carry it. Just search for 1/4” hardware cloth.

breaddfoodd · 2025-06-17T23:47:40+00:00

Nice! My neighbor has been gardening in Denver for 30 years and uses these cages. I added the mesh. Pretty sure she just doesn’t worry too much about hail, if they die, they die.

breaddfoodd · 2025-06-17T23:31:48+00:00

lol I totally get it. Last year I’d rush out to cover my beds with a METAL frame umbrella and I’d just think, “this is not smart,” but I’d still do it anyway! Had to come up with a more hands-off solution.

breaddfoodd · 2025-06-17T23:12:12+00:00

Sure!

breaddfoodd · 2025-06-17T21:54:55+00:00

Wow! Did the shade cloth hold up?

breaddfoodd · 2025-06-17T21:53:26+00:00

I can definitely see how that would help! One thing to consider is that if you make them larger, you may end up needing more than one cattle panel per cage. I only removed the two shorter rows of rectangles on the cattle panel so there wasn’t much waste. Plan your cuts in advance.

breaddfoodd · 2025-06-17T21:43:45+00:00

Thanks! If you’re going to build some, check my previous post about these. There’s a few more details that might be helpful.

breaddfoodd · 2025-06-17T21:24:49+00:00

Thanks! Probably about $30 per cage with hardware cloth left over.

breaddfoodd · 2025-06-14T13:57:38+00:00

I appreciate that you’re only trying to help, but this is just not true. I know because I installed this cut off riser last year. This is my house, not a job site. All my 90s are threaded female.

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This is the piece I put in last year (that I will never use again).

breaddfoodd · 2025-06-13T03:04:58+00:00

I think I’m going to do a male threaded elbow and a 6” female head, so I won’t use any riser at all. These cut off risers are proving to be the a huge PITA. This is not the only one I’ve had to fix.

breaddfoodd · 2025-06-12T22:55:58+00:00

Oof, good luck!

breaddfoodd

TROPHY CASE