We’ve had an unusually fair amount of sun and hot weather this summer in the Pacific Northwest, and my vegetables have survived solely because they’ve been on a drip irrigation system. Drip irrigation systems are a must for the lazy gardener, which I clearly am. I set the automated timer and forget about it; the plants get watered in the early morning every few days like clockwork. It’s made a huge difference in how the vegetables in my garden have fared. The tomatoes and pumpkins (pictured to the right) that are in the part of the garden where I have established a drip system are doing great; the potatoes that aren’t on the drip system, however, are struggling this season because of my neglect.

A drip system applies water slowly and directly to a plant’s roots. It not only saves time, but reduces soil erosion, water use, fertilizer and pesticide runoff and water loss due to evaporation. It also decreases diseases such as powdery mildew.

I’m not going to lie and say setting up a system is easy breezy. It takes a fair amount of planning and design (and at least one or two trips back to the hardware store). But once you get it installed, you’ll find that you can’t live without it. Start with a small system if you’re unsure of how to proceed, or buy a ready-to-go kit (like this Raindrip kit sold at Lowe’s) that has all the components you’ll need. One brand, Rainbird, has a helpful Web site with instruction booklets to help you decide what parts you need, how much hose you need and so on. The folks at our TruValue Hardware in West Seattle were helpful with answering questions; so check with your local hardware store for advice.

If you’re looking for some ideas on how to transform your yard into a spectacular garden, mark July 19 on your calendar. This is the date of the 15th West Seattle Garden Tour. Eight residential homes will be open to the public for viewing. Tickets are on sale for $15.

You can preview some of the homes online, including “Chez Hugh the Yew” which makes fabulous use of low-maintenance, drough-tolerant plants for year-round interest.

Ciscoe Morris will be lecturing from noon to 1 p.m. at the Kenney Retirement Home. Cost is $10, though children 12 and under are free.