Soaker Hose: What Are They, How To Use Drip Hoses In The Garden

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Here’s the deal on a soaker hose. They are a very efficient way to irrigate plants without wasting water.

What is a garden soaker hose exactly? The garden hose allows water to slowly seep out through tiny pores along the entire length of the rubber hose at a flow rate the ground and plants can absorb, providing the right moisture content. 

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The water goes right to the root zone with very low water pressure.

There is no runoff and compared to the overhead sprinkler method, and less water usage (aka saving water) is lost through evaporation.

What makes drip hoses an excellent watering solution in landscape and garden beds?



The water is delivered low to the ground, close to the plant roots. This keeps the foliage dry, reducing the chances of fungal infection in the plants.

Drip irrigation systems are different from soaker hoses. A drip system uses flexible plastic drip hose tubing with tiny holes or emitters which drip or spray water slowly on the soil.

On the other hand, porous soaker hose watering irrigation allows water to seep or leak water all along the length of the hose.

In this article, we’ll delve into the different styles of drip hoses, so you can know which best soaker hoses you can use in your garden.

Top Garden Hose Styles

Gilmour Flat Soaker Hose – The lightweight Gilmour hose is covered in an ultraviolet protective fabric, providing durable, long-lasting performance and waste-free watering. 

The one downside is the high water pressure recommended – Gilmour recommends 60 psi for best operation. Easy to move throughout the garden during the growing season. Removing the end cap makes it easy to drain before freezing weather.

Related: More on Flat Garden Hoses

Water droplets on a pipe above grass.Pin
Photo Credit: Instagram @flexonhose

Melnor Flat Soaker Hoses – Slowly soak the area for strong plant growth and minimum run-off. The flat roll design makes them easy to store in small spaces, and is available in 25, 50, and 75 feet lengths.

Dramm Soaker Hose – Unique design and construction in 25- and 50 ft lengths provide thorough, deep watering using 90% less water. Constructed of high-grade rubber, crush-proof, nickel-plated couplings with leak-proof connections.

Apex Soil Soaker Hose – Advanced vinyl construction, delivering flexibility, no kinks or crimps, tangles, clog-resistant even under mulch for consistent soaking action. Available in various lengths of 25′, 50′, 75′, and 100′ feet.

Quote: Gardening requires lots of water...Pin
Image: source

What Are The Hoses Made From?

Soakers are made from 100% recycled materials, 70% from recycled rubber, 30% recycled polyethylene products, and flexible polyvinyl chloride vinyl material (PVC).

They ensure that water is not wasted by helping deliver a steady, slow release of water right at the soil line allowing plant roots to absorb the water gradually.

If buried under mulch, the hoses should last several seasons.

Garden soil with drip hose and sprouting plants.Pin
Photo Credit: Instagram @gardenonthegulf

Farmers employ top soaker hoses as well, using what they call “drip tape.” The “drip tape” farmers use is thinner. This bulk soaker hose is only used for one growing season.

How To Use A Soaker Hose System In The Garden

So, how does a soaker hose work?

“Soakers” save time and save water by the gallon. Some of the items below are not necessary but help to make the irrigation process more efficient.

  • Soaker Hose
  • Pressure regulator
  • Mechanical Soaker Hose Timer
  • In-line water filter
soaker hose in action dripping and weeping around a palm tree at outdoor mall.Pin
Soaker drip hose weeping around a palm tree.

Once you have this garden hose drip system equipment, the following steps should be followed for the best results:

Lay out the drip garden hose in your vegetable garden bed to reach as many plants as possible. This may require making spirals around plants and trees. Hoses can be attached together but don’t exceed 100 feet in length in any part of the garden.

Attach the pressure regulator where the hose connects to the water source. This helps keep water at a constant pressure [around 10 psi] consistently through the entire length of the hose.

Attach the soaker/drip hose to the pressure regulator and turn on the water. Check whether everything works as required so it won’t have leaks due to high-pressure and the soaker hose is thoroughly wet.

Water should be seeping out through the small holes and not squirting in the air from too much water pressure.

Turn off the water and place the soaker hoses “more permanently” in the selected location. They work efficiently when buried under mulch. DO NOT BURY under the soil.

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Photo Credit: Instagram @amybarnes0007

Turn on the water. Around 2 inches of water in a week will work for most plants unless it is extremely hot or the soil is very sandy.

How much water does a soaker house per hour?

Once you’ve figured out your delivery rate, use a timer at the outdoor faucet to turn the water off. Otherwise, you’ll need to manually turn the drip hose off and on.

Place a container under a section of the soaker hose and turn on the hose to measure the amount of time it will take to fill two inches of water.

Remove the end of the hose from the spigot and attach the mechanical timer. Set the timer for the amount of time that was calculated to fill two inches.

Things To Consider When Using Drip Hoses

Use Them In The Right Location – Soaker hoses work best in vegetable garden beds. For lawn watering, sprinklers work best, while for steep slopes, drip tubing is the way to go.

Start At The Faucet – A back-flow preventer should be attached to the faucet first unless you have one that has a built-in prevention device.

Connect the timer to the water source to deliver just the right amount of water every time. Add a pressure regulator which to keep water pressure at 10 psi before attaching the hose. Another option is to connect an elevated rain barrel with a soaker hose attached and allow everything to be gravity feed.

Too Long Is Wrong – For soaker hoses to perform optimally, they should have a maximum length of 100 feet. Make sure to purchase the length that fits your garden. Use a garden hose to connect the soaker hose to the faucet.

Keep The Hose At The Right Level – Soaker hoses deliver water most uniformly on level ground. Water does not seep out effectively on vertical positions such as rockeries or slopes.

Burnt log amid green leaves and straw.Pin
Photo Credit: Instagram @downiehomestead

If the level beds are at different heights, snake the hose through the beds. Use solid garden hoses to connect soaker lengths together to form a continuous line that is no longer than 100 feet long.

Use Correct Spacing – In sandy soil, the hose lines should be 12-18 inches apart, and 18-24 inches apart for loam or clay soil.

Hoses should be set at 1-2 inches from the base of established plants. New plants or annuals should be placed closer.

Slow Down The Water Flow – Turn the faucet on to allow just enough water to run through the hose to ensure the water seeps and does not spray. Amounts may vary from one faucet to another. Try turning a quarter turn and adjust up or down as needed. This will ensure even water distribution.

Ensure Perfect Timing – Try running the soaker for 30 minutes twice a week in landscape beds. For vegetables and annuals, they may need watering daily.

After watering, check whether the moisture has penetrated several inches (about 2”) and adjust accordingly.

Keep in mind that too much water can cause plant health issues just as too little water can.

More Soaker Hose Tips For Perfect Water Delivery

Kink-Free Hose – Always ensure the hose is kink free as this will block water flow. Uncoil the soaker hose and allow it to “layout” before installing it in the garden bed. 

Mesh Water Filters – Use 150-200 mesh filters to keep particles from clogging hose lines. There are two types of filters, the T and the Y filter.

The T filter is used for small systems, and they feed water in a 90-degree turn. Y filters are larger are large with water traveling straight through them. NOTE: Well water has more particles in suspension.

Watering hose in garden soil near plants.Pin
Photo Credit: Instagram @quinlangardenservices

Flush Lines – Flush hose lines when first installed and several times throughout the season. Remove the end cap and allow water to flow through to remove debris.

Cover Hose – Cover soaker hoses with 2″-3″ inches of mulch. It helps retain moisture and protects the hose from sun damage.

Do not bury it in the soil, and always move it before digging the garden. (Some experts recommend burying with soil – you choose!)

Outdoor Faucets Are Temporary Connections – Turn the water off and disconnect hoses between uses for water quality protection. Make sure to cap the open end!

Made With A Variety Of Materials – Soaker hoses are flexible to use and arrange to fit any garden layout, and they are available in several different grades:

Plastic or vinyl hoses – An affordable option, lower quality and price. Easily affected by exposure to heat and split easily.

Fibrous Hoses – Made of sturdy porous rubber and long-lasting. Tolerates are being buried under mulch.

Dew on drip irrigation hose with plantsPin
Photo Credit: Instagram @pvfgs_groworganic

Using A Soaker Hose For Drip Irrigation Hoses On Patio Container Garden

Anytime is a good time to look for ways to make your plant watering and your irrigation system more efficient. Drip puts the water right where plants need it… at the roots.

As we shared above, drip can be used in the garden. Still, there are many other applications, landscape beds, container gardens (dry out quickly, especially up on a roof), decks and patios, hanging baskets, and commercial nurseries and groves.

Think drip isn’t for you? Think again! In this video, the people at GardenFork.TV in New York shows how they set up a drip irrigation system using a heavy-duty soaker hose on their rooftop patio garden.

GardenFork.TV shares this drip irrigation automatic watering system is great for a green roof, deck, balcony container gardens. Container gardens dry out quickly, especially up on a roof, so you will need to use an automatic watering timer with this soaker hose drip irrigation system.

Summary

If you have garden beds or garden beds that grow in raised beds, soaker hoses are a great, efficient solution to water plants and not waste water. They are known for durability and long-term use.

No runoff, less water lost through evaporation. And plants get the water supply delivered to them right at the roots with a soaker system instead of a regular garden hose.

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