You’ve heard this story before – you may even have personal experience.  After a cold, gray winter, spring-time seems exceptionally beautiful.  You marvel at the magnificent blooms and lush greenery.  You say to yourself “this year, I’m finally going to plant a vegetable garden and enjoy Mother Nature’s delicious bounty. “  You’re so committed, you decide to make it a family project.  You choose the perfect location on your property, you prepare the bed and purchase organic topsoil, perfect for planting fruits and vegetables.  You even build a fence around the garden so unwelcome critters can’t taste-test your tender plants.

What a fun project – until you have to water your garden on a regular basis.  There’s no water source anywhere near the garden so you have two choices:  carry multiple, heavy watering cans back and forth or hook-up a bunch of unsightly garden hoses in order to reach an outdoor water spigot.  Neither solution works very well.  Half-way through the summer, your spouse becomes frustrated, your kids don’t want to help, and you wind up doing all the heavy lifting because you know if you don’t, your plants will be unduly stressed, and your garden will fail.  (Big sigh…)

Take it from the Coop, I hear this story every summer, and I am saddened because planting a vegetable garden is a great family project, but without basic tools, it’s never going to be successful.  This summer, do yourself a favor and install a water line near your garden. It’s a fairly simple DIY project if you’re handy and have the time.  If you’re not so inclined, call a licensed plumber, such as Cooper Mechanical.  Your local plumber will make sure the water line is installed correctly to minimize possible issues such as leaks or cracks in the pipe, and to withstand seasonal changes in the outdoor temperature.  It’s a simple solution that will help your plants thrive even in the dog days of summer. Then, go-ahead and plant your favorite veggies; they’ll taste even better because you and your family grew them!