Trying to keep your garden growing healthy but can’t water it manually every day? Then it’s time to get a soaker hose.
Getting one soaker hoses for your house won’t be too hard. But the moment the hose arrives at home and the moment to install it starts, that’s the hard part.
This may feel a bit overwhelming for people who’ve never installed a soaker hose (or any type of hose) before. Luckily, we’re here to help them out.
Below, we’re going to teach people how to install and use a soaker hose. If you want to learn more – then take a peek!
What Is A Soaker Hose?
First and foremost, what is a soaker hose exactly?
It looks and works almost like a regular hose. But instead of having a solid body, soaker hoses boast a corrugated material (usually rubber or nylon) that drips water through small holes.
Because they don’t produce a stream of water, they’re usually slower at watering your garden. But this has many benefits, like watering directly at the base of the plants. Below, we explain these benefits further.
Why Use a Soaker Hose?
So why should you get a soaker hose? Here are some reasons to consider:
1. High Efficiency
In contrast with typical hoses and sprinklers, soaker hoses keep watering your plants throughout the day by consuming as little water as possible. They will prevent your plants from getting overwatered.
2. Keeps Weeds Out
With proper installation, a soaker hose can deliver water to the right points. So you won’t have to worry about weed growing in the wrong places later on.
3. Improves Growth
The consistency and precision of a soaker hose make it easy to grow plants quick and safely. Forget about foliage diseases and rotting. With one of these, you won’t experience any of that.
4. Saves Work & Time
There’s nothing better than setting up the hose and forgetting about it for a few hours. Then come back to close it and find out that your plants have been adequately watered. This has no price.
Step-by-Step Soaker Hose Installation Process
Now that you have a better idea of what a soaker hose is and what it offers, let’s explain how to install one.
Item You’ll Need
Even though soaker hoses are sort of straightforward to set up, you will still need some things to get it to happen. Here are some of them:
- A soaker hose
- A shut-off valve
- A spigot (or several ones)
- A pressure regulator
- A hose splitter (optional)
- PVC pipes (as many as you need for the place)
- PVC corners
Once you’ve gathered all these items, then you can start the setup process.
1. Dig the Trenches
First and foremost, you will need to dig channels on the ground for the PVC pipes to go in. We usually recommend hiring an irrigation expert for this, unless you only need to dig a few feet. Make sure the main channel starts at the water source.
2. Install the PVC Lines
Place the main supply line of PVC pipes exactly where you trenched the floor. Then proceed to install and connect the rest of the pipe to the main one. Use the PVC corners if necessary.
3. Connect the Shut-Off Valve
This valve goes close to the water source. Be sure it connects directly to the PVC pipe as well. It should go above the ground, of course.
4. Set the Spigot & Regulators
Now, you should have a small portion of the PVC pipes out of the dirt. This is where you’re going to install the soaker hose. But first, set the spigot and regulator. They usually go together, so you can decide how much water goes into the soaker hose more precisely.
5. Attach the Soaker Hose
With the spigot and regulator ready, you should proceed to install the soaker hose. Depending on the size of the hose, you’ll have to move it around and set it properly around the plant base. Remember to install the hose splitter if you’re installing two hoses.
6. Test the System
You can now start testing and see how the system works. If you see any leak or drip in any place that’s not the soaker hose, then this is the perfect time to fix it.
7. Finish the Installation
Experience no issues? Then cover the PVC plumbing all around and secure the whole system (make sure the area ends up as flat as possible). You now have a soaker hose system ready to water your garden conveniently.
How to Use a Soaker Hose?
Even though using a soaker hose is as easy as just opening the valve and regulating the flow of water, you may still need to learn a thing or two about how to get the most out of it.
Below, we’ll give you some tips to follow:
- First, consider the proper time to open the hose. You’ll have to consider the amount of water the hose delivers, the type of plants you’re watering, and the temperature of the place. Typically, you need about 200 minutes (over 3 hours) to soak a garden with 1 inch of water.
- If necessary, use a timer. This system will require an extra installation from your end, but it’s completely worth it if you want to automate the process. You may need to monitor the performance of the soaker hose for the first two or three weeks. Make sure to adjust the system as necessary.
- Use the soaker hose in a flat area for the best results. Places with slopes, bumps, and trenches will not get consistent results from a soaker hose.
- Always secure the end cap of the hose properly, so the pressure stays consistent inside, and the soaking happens correctly.
- Try to always regulate the water pressure coming to the hose. Even though soaker hoses can usually withstand tons of pressure, it is better if you can keep it at 10 PSI (or close to the hose operating level).
- Limit the soaker hose length to less than 150 feet. And if you can, avoid deep turns or curves that may limit the water pressure.
Follow these tips if you want your soaker hose to perform exactly how you need it. Otherwise, great results won’t be guaranteed.
Bottom Line
So, did you learn how to install and use a soaker hose? We hope so.
Try to follow our advice and steps to the letter, and we’re sure installing and setting up that soaker hose won’t be much of a problem.
Once you’re ready with the installation, your plants will grow like never before and with little effort from your part. So don’t hesitate and start setting your soaking system now!