By installing a soaker hose system around your garden, you can help minimize the work & effort involved, and maximize watering efficiency. This low-level watering system (hoses or pipes laid along the ground) delivers the water very close to the plants' roots, and requires only a low-pressure water supply. Ideally when a timer is attached between the faucet and hose, the garden can be watered even when no one is home. Watering at dawn is recommended as night time watering provides ideal conditions for slugs & snails. Soaker systems work well for shrub, tree, perennial, annual and vegetable gardens, but they are
not for lawns.
Soaker hoses look like black garden hoses and are available in various lengths, which can be connected together to create runs of up to 100 feet. Y-type shutoff valves or hose splitters can be used to create multiple watering zones of less than 100 feet total each. Some garden stores sell kits and parts to connect pieces of soaker hose together, giving you greater flexibility in your design and water efficiency.
Steps to installing a soaker hose system
Tools & Materials
heavy guage plastic-coated wire U-pins
good quality soaker hose (pre-measure the path of the hose where you are going to lay it)
water timer (can be installed later too)
Y connector with shutoff, splitters (can be installed later too)
Lay Out the Hose in Your Garden Beds Position soaker hoses throughout the garden near each plant within 6 to 12 inches of the base. On slopes, run across the slope, not up and down. In perennial beds, keep hoses about 18 inches (sandy soils) to 24 inches (clay soil) apart. For annual plants space the runs closer, 12-18 inches apart, to make sure water reaches their shallow roots. Peg the hose into place with U-pins wherever it needs it to secure the hose's position.
Hide the Hose After testing the soaker hose to see that it waters the area well, cover it with 2 inches (or more) of mulch, such as wood chips, bark, leaves, or compost, or even decorative rocks. The mulch keeps water from evaporating and helps spread the water flow. It also helps protect the hose from the sun. Have you ever felt the temperature of water that was just sitting in a hose out in the sun? It's hot!
Watering times Start out by running your soaker hose for about 40 minutes once a week, or 20 minutes twice a week for sandy soils and annual plants and gardens that have shallower roots. The goal is to wet the soil in the plant’s root zone. You can tell if the plant is getting enough water by digging a hole with a trowel to see if the root zone is wet (wait a while after watering before you check, so the water has time to soak in). Leaves may droop a little on hot days but if they stay droopy after the hottest part of the day, they’re probably too dry. Drooping can also be a sign of overwatering but again, check the soil first! Once you’ve got the timing figured out, attach and set a timer to the system. This will make it possible for the watering system to work even when you are on vacation.
Maintaining Your Soaker Hose System Once or twice a year, unscrew the end caps and flush out any accumulated sediment. Flushing it at the start of the year will help you check for leaks, and ensure that it’s not plugged. Make sure everyone working in the garden knows the soaker is there under the mulch, so they don’t accidentally damage it. Most cuts or nicks can be fixed with connectors and hose clamps, available from garden centers that sell soaker hose.
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