In my post from last Wednesday, I mentioned that we maintained a consistent watering routine here during this very hot summer in order to keep the gardens in good shape. For me, keeping the gardens maintained is two-fold. First, I do not like to lose any plant. I take care to choose just the right plant that I think will work well in our landscape; one that will look nice in the garden but will also survive in this hot climate. I do not like losing any plant and I will only throw them out if I am completely sure there is no way of bringing them back. If a plant is stressed but shows even the faintest sign that it will revive itself, I keep it and try to help it along. Secondly, as we all know, plants, like everything else these days, are expensive. So, it is very important to me that we take good care of everything we plant. Of course, part of that care is a regular watering routine. During the hot summer months, I found myself in the gardens early in the morning testing the soil in the pots to see whether that day would be a watering day or not. Most days were watering days during the hottest months, so I would grab the hose and water away and then get on with the rest of my day.
After several weeks I noticed that the plants in the Garden of Mismatched Pots were "sustaining", but they were not "thriving." "What is wrong", I asked myself. So, I did a little research. I had a sneaking suspicion that it was the water from the hose that was affecting them, but I wanted to know that for sure rather than just speculating. And, indeed, I found out that that was the issue. The question then became, what do we do about this and, with a little more research, I discovered that a Boogie-Blue Plus+ water filter would fix the problem. The Boogie-Blue Plus+ water filter gives the garden cleaner, more consistent water. Tap water often carries chlorine and chloramine, both of which can stress the soil and make watering unpredictable. But using the Boogie-Blue Plus+ helps your plants get the same gentle, steady water every time. So, I bought once and installed it and we now have a garden with happier soil and healthier roots - and one that is considerably more robust.
I thought it was interesting that they advertise on the label that this filter can be used both for "Home & Garden." I installed a whole-house water filtration system in the basement at the house on Crest Avenue. But that was designed specifically as a whole house filter with a dedicated cut-off valve and replacement filters that were easily changed every couple months. I'm not sure what they mean here by adding the word "Home", but in my opinion, this is a garden hose filter. Only.
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A Boogie Blue filter typically lasts around 40,000 gallons, which for most home gardens means about 6–12 months of steady, reliable use. |
Remove both of these before proceeding, but do this just as you are getting ready to install the filter on the outdoor spigot.
Unscrew the existing garden hose from the spigot.
Screw the filter onto the spigot, then screw the garden hose that was originally attached to the spigot to the other end of the filter. I am going to suggest hand tightening, then turn on the water. If there are leaks, try tightening with your hands again until the problem is fixed. Honestly, you should not have to resort to using any type of wrench to install this filter. It is a high-quality item and the threads on the filter should not give you any problem.
Finally, attach the sprayer to the hose and you are now all set to water the garden with several chemicals removed that are keeping your plants from flourishing like they should.
Now, ... to the price. These filters are not cheap, but we'll break it down. I bought my filter from eBay. It was $59.99 and with tax and shipping it came to $63.13. When I was originally searching, they were on Amazon for about the same price, but I cannot find any Boogie Blue water filters on Amazon today at any price. If you would like to order from them directly, you can get to their website by clicking here. At their website, the Boogie-Blue Plus+ is $56.99. They also have a Boogie-Blue Basic for $28.99. You will have to decide which is going to work best for you. Of course, they sell the Boogie-Blue Basic as a "prefilter" for the Boogie-Blue Plus+. I think that's a little overkill, but you do what is best for you.
I can tell you I have seen marked improvement in the garden since I started using this filter. The begonias, even though they are getting a little "leggy" right now, took off like crazy once I started watering with the filter in place.
When I went outside to check the garden this morning, we had a bumble bee making his early morning rounds, collecting pollen from these begonia blooms. He was completely unconcerned with me. He was on a mission. He collected a little from this pot, then moved to the larger pot. A great way to start the day; in the garden, with a cup of coffee, watching the bumble bee make his rounds. I think we should all start our days like that, although I realize that is not always possible in the world we live in today.
I hope you will consider a Boogie-Blue Basic or Boogie-Blue Plus+ filter for your garden watering. I think you will love the results, just like me!!
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