Hello all! I've been a bit out of pocket..been sick but I'm back & got a question..

[Ecumenist]

or two. I have a large property that we are actively developing and we F-I-N-A-L-L-Y had our septic system placed. We have a leach field about 1500 square feet and we have at least another 1000 square feet of bare earth in the surrounding area and the region that has the septic tank.

Here's the deal: We want to cover this area with a septic meadow. The soil is light red clay, with areas of light brown loam. There are constant breezes which often evolve into winds which evoke seaside regions. The area is completely denuded because of the septic install and we do not want colonisation with tar or star thistle~~I had neither until the construction began. I'm also looking for non hydrophilic shrubs and small trees that can be used to outline the septic area, both the field and the tank area.

Tank is 3000 gallons, 8X8X11 in diameter. I would like to find something that is colourful and/or fragrant. I love hydrangea, peashrub, plumbago, etc but I'm not sure what's going to work there and what would be resistant to giant Chernobyl type Jack Rabbits. Think "Food of the Gods" from the seveties with Marjoe Gortner and you may have some idea what I'm talking about. BTW, we don't have to worry about pvc pipes because we didn't use them. The leachfield is 42" below grade. The tank is 4 feet below grade. The field full sun exposure and on a south west facing slope.

I'm a bit at a loss so if you feel impelled to comment, feel free!:hi:

[Dover]

1. I'll share something with you that my friend is considering...

I'm not sure what your goal is, but there are excellent ways to reuse water in the landscape through various greywater systems. Some are designed to be installed instead of a septic and then there are some that work in conjunction with an existing septic system that can then be used with sprinklers, drip systems, hoses, etc. to water gardens and other landscape needs. It's like a miniature water treatment plant for the home.
So instead of a problem to be overcome it provides a new resource for use (or rather reuse).

If you want to check it out, here's one site about it:

http://www.greywater.com/

This is one company that installs them in Texas:
http://www.sustainablehomesoftexas.com/sust.htm

Not sure where you live, but if you're interested I'll bet there is someone in your area to do it.

[Ecumenist]

3. Thanks Dover...You'll be happy to know that we are putting in a graywater system

in our home. this is one of the reasons that we decided to build from the ground up. My home will be in far northern California in Tehama county...about 3 hours south of the Oregon border on I-5. Unfortunately, because the home isn't at tha point of construction, we're not going to be able to use it ...YET.

[Dover]

4. Well you're way ahead of me then.

But I'm a little confused. It sounds like the septic system you described is of the traditional sort, with a large leach field. So how does that factor into your planned greywater system?

I'd like to know because if I ever rebuild, I too would like to consider it (providing I get around building codes).

[Ecumenist]

5. Yes, it is. This one is a blackwater septic system and the only thing going

to it will be from the comodes. The rest of the plumbing will be sent to the greywater system and will utlise a system of drywells.

[Gormy Cuss]

2. Don't know how large a shrub you're looking for, but upright rosemary is nearly critter proof and

pretty. I also can't remember how cold your area is in the winter --- prolonged subfreezing temps will kill it but occasional overnight frosts in the 20s (and many nights in the low 30s) haven't damaged mine.
I have them both on drip lines for the hedge in front of the house and off irrigation altogether in a full sun spot in the yard. All were started by rooting branches from my old rosemary plants, so they were the equivalent of 4" pot size when I planted them. The ones on drip are four feet tall after 3 years; the others are 2.5 feet tall (they get supplemental water once every 4-6 weeks in the summer but otherwise grow from winter rain.) I don't know if rosemary qualifies for your need but it's definitely not a water hog.

[Ecumenist]

6. Do you know if Romneya coulteri, (tree poppy) is safe to grow on the

road side of the septic tank? The reason I ask is because I know that they grow via rhizomes but they would be perfect for what I need it to do. I just don't want it to start running into my leach field.

[Gormy Cuss]

7. I don't know about safe, but Matilija grows on waste land in the Mendocino area.

My county's waterwise guide says it's not particular about soil type, requiring only average well drained soil. Grows fast, thrives on dry alluvial slopes, very low water needs.

I think that Matilijas (romneya) can be fairly invasive based on the naturalized patches that I've observed but I've never grown it.

[uppityperson]

8. Lavender also. Sounds like an interesting project.

am doing a fast simple reply to mark and come back and read more later, but lavender and rosemary are both pretty, and critter resistant as well as not needing a lot of care AND being useful.

[hedgehog]

9. Check your regulations before planting anything. We have to keep our

leech field mowed to prevent clogging the pipes with roots.

[Ecumenist]

10. Hello Hedgehog!

:hi: We're not worried about clogging anything because we don't have pipe. We have Infiltrator system and got this to avoid any problems with clogging. Besides, it was alot easier to install and to maintain. If we would have used pipe and rock,my septic field would have been 3X the size it is now. This is why we wanted to plant a septic meadow over the leachfield. Although we're not worried about the roots blocking anything, I just don't want to have to deal with any potential problems.

We wanted to plant nice plants around the septic tank itself to show the location of the tank to prevent damage done by accidental drive overs by the construction equipment.

I would like to plant something that would grow into a hedge or a headge interspersed with taller shrubs on the "road side" of the septic tank.