How to Install Your Soaker Hose

The soaker hose is an innovation in gardening, and it is filled with benefits that a sprinkler system could never give. First of all, soaker hoses use less water, unlike sprinklers which tend to waste water on overspray, runoff, and evaporation. Using less water means a smaller water bill which is better for your wallet, and it will also help your plants in that it doesn’t drown them in too much water. Second, the plants in your garden will get the water where they need it: at the root zone. Soaker hoses allow water to seep into the soil of your garden to reach the root zone where plants absorb the maximum amount of water and with the soaker hose, your garden gets the right amount of water, no more, no less.
How to Install Your Soaker Hose
To have an efficient soaker hose, the proper installation must be done. When these steps are followed, you are sure to get your money’s worth.

Installation

1. Soaker hoses are most useful when putting in the right place, and they belong in garden beds; sprinklers on the other hand are best for watering your lawn. You then start at your faucet by making sure you have backflow preventer attached to it unless you have a newer faucet which has that feature already built into it. Next would be to connect a timer. This will ensure that the soaker hose waters just enough each time. Lastly, add a pressure regulator before attaching your garden hose. The pressure regulator reduces the pressure to stop your hoses from spraying or breaking.
2. The length of a soaker hose is proportional to its efficiency and the maximum duration for any soaker hose is around 100 feet. Any longer than this and water distribution might become uneven at the end. You should get the length that is appropriate for your garden and place the soaker hose in the garden are only.
3. A level surface ensures the most uniform delivery of water by a soaker hose. Place the hose on top of the soil and never bury them under the soil. If the soil in your garden is sandy then the lines should be 12-18 inches apart but if the soil is loam or clay they can be 18-24 inches apart. You can lay them in straight lines or snake them across your garden but make sure that the soaker hose is 2 inches away from the base of your plants. Newly bought soaker hoses have a habit of curling up and you can minimize this by using U-shaped metal pins.
4. Turn on the faucet just enough so that the hose is seeping but not spraying. Run your hose 30 minutes, twice a week and check to see how deep the water penetrated the soil. Once you discover the appropriate adjustments, use the timer to water your garden for the same amount of minutes every time. Just keep in mind though that too much water has the same effects as too little water on your plants.

The Proper Way to Coil a Soaker Hose

Written below are some quick and easy instructions that can preserve the lifespan of your soaker hose.

• If you’re going to store the soaker hose for more than a few weeks, you will first have to clean the soaker hose. Using a brush, take out all the dirt that has accumulated around it. Afterwards, immerse the hose in a large tub filled with water. Add three to four tablespoons of dishwashing liquid. Allow it to soak for two to three hours then attach it to a water source and flush the inside for five minutes. Inspect the body for more clogged holes and these should be pushed in with a pin and flushed once more.
• Place the hose on the flat dry surface and allow it to air dry before coiling it.3. Place one hand on either side of the soaker hose then place your other hand a few inches away from it. You should then slowly begin to wind the part of the hose you are holding the end of the hose. As you wind the hose, it will become circular. You may pick up the hose as you do this since soaker hoses aren’t as heavy as regular hoses. Although some people do find it easier to coil the hose while it is on the ground.
• Keep winding the hose until you reach the other end. The whole coil, once finished, should be a rather large circular shape.
• To keep the hose from unwinding, tie a piece of rope around it.
• Store the hose in an area away from sunlight since ultraviolet radiation can cause the rubber to deteriorate.