Returned from 11 days in Arizona (GREAT vacation!) to find that
the pump on my well had burned out about 4 days into the
vacation.

Had enough rain so my bigger (10 inches) trees came though,
damaged but alive. The tiny ones, however, were toast. About 30
trees.

I think I need a windmill as a backup. Dunno if a windmill would
pump from 237 feet, though.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - 30 trees and
$1400 poorer.

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Jim;

Sorry to hear of your disaster.
I'd be extremely unhappy if this had happened to me.

For $1400 you might want to consider a backup solar powered pump to water
your trees.
I installed thousands of solar sites in central Florida approximately 10
years ago, and to my knowledge, they're all still working as designed.

All you'll need is a good regulated solar panel, a car battery, a cheap
timer and a DC powered pump.
Bilge pumps (for boats) work well.


Mark Hill - Harrisburg PA - Florida North - where it's expected to be 85+
for the next week


-----Original Message-----
From: Internet Bonsai Club ] On Behalf Of
Jim Lewis
Sent: Monday, May 10, 2004 5:50 PM
To:
Subject: [IBC] Disaster strikes :-(

Returned from 11 days in Arizona (GREAT vacation!) to find that
the pump on my well had burned out about 4 days into the
vacation.

Had enough rain so my bigger (10 inches) trees came though,
damaged but alive. The tiny ones, however, were toast. About 30
trees.

I think I need a windmill as a backup. Dunno if a windmill would
pump from 237 feet, though.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - 30 trees and
$1400 poorer.

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****
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****
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EESiFlo - Mark Hill wrote:

Jim;

Sorry to hear of your disaster.
I'd be extremely unhappy if this had happened to me.

For $1400 you might want to consider a backup solar powered pump to water
your trees.
I installed thousands of solar sites in central Florida approximately 10
years ago, and to my knowledge, they're all still working as designed.

All you'll need is a good regulated solar panel, a car battery, a cheap
timer and a DC powered pump.
Bilge pumps (for boats) work well.

Mark Hill - Harrisburg PA - Florida North - where it's expected to be 85+
for the next week


I averted a disaster last night. We had a severe thunderstorm with high winds.
Anita Hawkins called to warn me in advance (thanks Anita!!) so I got the trees in
pots on the ground and took the boards off the cinder blocks (my benches). Then I
went inside, got a good book and watched the show. Things blew around a bit,
surveying the scene this morning, but nothing serious. One honeysuckle in a
plastic pot was blown over and knocked out of the pot, but it is so rootbound that
it didn't lose any soil.

It helps to have vigilant friends!

Craig Cowing
NY
Zone 5b/6a Sunset 37
Living in exile from New England on the West Bank (of the Hudson)

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----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Lewis"
Subject: [IBC] Disaster strikes :-(


Returned from 11 days in Arizona (GREAT vacation!) to find that
the pump on my well had burned out about 4 days into the
vacation.

Had enough rain so my bigger (10 inches) trees came though,
damaged but alive. The tiny ones, however, were toast. About 30
trees.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - 30 trees and
$1400 poorer.

That's a real shame Jim.
I don't know how many times I've heard similar stories from people relying
on watering systems.
When I worked putting in annual gardens in Akron Ohio we had sprinkler
system on all of them.They were under CONSTANT repair, especially the auto
controlled ones over the manual turn on-shut off type. They have as many
problems as you can imagine scenarios for!

I'd never trust one, sooner or later, something like this always seems to
happen. ( now we'll hear from everyone who has one and never had a problem!
:)
but, I'll bet a month ago YOU would have said that.!!

If you can't find a neighbor friend to check on/water plants then it's
better to pay someone. ( right now I use my eldest son to stay at the house.
Money talks and boosts concern :) If they have questions, you are a cell
phone away.
Dale

P.S. I guess you'll be doing some hefty shopping at BSF this year :)
P.P.S. I'll bet none of those pots died!

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Returned from 11 days in Arizona (GREAT vacation!) to find
that
the pump on my well had burned out about 4 days into the
vacation.

Had enough rain so my bigger (10 inches) trees came though,
damaged but alive. The tiny ones, however, were toast.
About 30
trees.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - 30 trees
and
$1400 poorer.

That's a real shame Jim.
I don't know how many times I've heard similar stories from
people relying
on watering systems.
When I worked putting in annual gardens in Akron Ohio we had
sprinkler
system on all of them.They were under CONSTANT repair,
especially the auto
controlled ones over the manual turn on-shut off type. They
have as many
problems as you can imagine scenarios for!

I'd never trust one, sooner or later, something like this
always seems to
happen. ( now we'll hear from everyone who has one and never
had a problem!

It wasn't a watering system, Dale. It was my well. The thing
that gives me and my horses and my wife's aunt and our garden the
water we need to drink and otherwise survive. If it had been
something as simple as a defunct watering system, our
house-horse-cat-dog sitter could have coped

However, I've used an automatic waterer for years and years and
years with no problems. The "secret" is to install new batteries
when you leave -- whether the unit "needs" them or not.



P.S. I guess you'll be doing some hefty shopping at BSF this
year :)
P.P.S. I'll bet none of those pots died!

Pots are fine, but empty -- which is a damned poor state for pots
to find themselves in. :-(

As far as shopping goes, after paying for a new pump and the
labor required to pull the old one up from 230 feet below the
surface then put the new one down to 230 feet below the surface,
probably not. Sorry.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Only where
people have learned to appreciate and cherish the landscape and
its living cover will they treat it with the care and respect it
should have - Paul Bigelow Sears.

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----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Lewis"
Subject: [IBC] Disaster strikes :-(


Returned from 11 days in Arizona (GREAT vacation!) to find
that
the pump on my well had burned out about 4 days into the
vacation.

It wasn't a watering system, Dale. It was my well. The thing
that gives me and my horses and my wife's aunt and our garden the
water we need to drink and otherwise survive. If it had been
something as simple as a defunct watering system, our
house-horse-cat-dog sitter could have coped

Ok, didn't realize you were using a house sitter ( as I do) you didn't
mention that. I assumed ( wrongfuly I guess) that you were using a watering
system which couldn't water when pump went out.
I know all about water pumps, tanks, softeners, etc. I've had one since 1979
when I moved to Menonite country.....


However, I've used an automatic waterer for years and years and
years with no problems. The "secret" is to install new batteries
when you leave -- whether the unit "needs" them or not.

What I think the secret to watering systems is....
is to stand there and watch them water!....
cause when you leave....
that's when they screw up.


labor required to pull the old one up from 230 feet below the
surface then put the new one down to 230 feet below the surface,
probably not. Sorry.

I'm kind of suprised you need to go that deep in Florida for water ( deepest
I've had was 170 ft, one now is only 75) or do you need that deep to get
quality water? Without salt :)
Dale

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I'm kind of suprised you need to go that deep in Florida for
water ( deepest
I've had was 170 ft, one now is only 75) or do you need that
deep to get
quality water? Without salt :)

The Floridan Aquifer -- the largest fresh-water aquifer in the
world (area+thickness) -- is deep in North Florida. As you move
south, it comes closer to the surface.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Only where
people have learned to appreciate and cherish the landscape and
its living cover will they treat it with the care and respect it
should have - Paul Bigelow Sears.

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In a message dated 5/12/2004 11:46:34 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
writes:

I'm kind of surprised you need to go that deep in Florida for water
(deepest
I've had was 170 ft, one now is only 75) or do you need that deep to get
quality water? Without salt :)
Dale


Keep in mind three things.
1. Jim is in the Panhandle on much higher ground than the peninsula
and therefore higher above the water table.
2. Water near the surface in Florida can be rich in minerals, mostly
iron sulfides which cause a discoloration to porous surfaces and can have a
distinctive odor and taste.
3. With our increase in population the water table is dropping at an
alarming rate.
I am at 150 feet on the peninsula and have iron sulfides in my water.
It doesn't stink too much, at least after 15 years I don't smell it. But it
does discolor.

Billy on the Florida Space Coast
BSF Annual Convention May 28 - 31, 2004 Radisson Hotel, Cape Canaveral,
Florida
Sponsored by The Bonsai Society of Brevard and the Treasure Coast Bonsai
Society
http://www.bonsaisocietyofbrevard.org/2004/2004.html

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