Soaker hoses one of the keys to easy, consistent, and deep watering making them great way to water both vegetable gardens and flower beds. Extend the life of your hose when they spring a leak with this short video tutorial about how to repair a garden soaker hose - a quick fix for under $4!
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If you've read any of my gardening tips about creating an easy care garden throughout the years of AOC, you know that soaker hoses are a key component to making gardening easier, whether you grow vegetables, plant flower beds, or both. (Unsure what a soaker hose is? Here's a link to what I'm talking about.)
Watering at the base of the plants - and not paths - is also best for your plants, providing a deep watering that can't be replicated with hand watering and without the loss of water that comes with overhead watering. Of course these benefits (and more) can be had with any type of ground watering system, whether it's drip systems, automatic in-ground, or soaker hoses.
How to Use a Soaker Hose
I love soakers the most, though, because they are cheaper than the other two options and they are SO easy to use. In my first years of gardening I bought a garden drip kit - holy cow, that was beyond me: connectors, different hoses, and the dreaded flow regulator...yikes, I got rid of that quickly!
To use a soaker hose simply:
- Buy it.
- Uncoil and let it sit in the sun a few days (key if you don't want to fight it to go where you want in your beds).
- Remove the ridiculous "flow regulator" plastic disc they all come with now (they didn't when I started using them- it's usually a blue disc) - it will take days to water with those in place! I find it much easier to regulate the flow myself with the spigot.
- Lay it where you want, snaking it around or near your plants.
- Hook it to your hose - make it super easy with these quick-connect hose ends.
- Turn the water on and let it run for 2-6 hours, depending on the flow and how dry your beds are (check to see how they water with your flow).
That's it, which is why they've worked for us for years.
Update: In fact, we created a super simple DIY automatic watering system for our new raised bed vegetable garden using soakers and inexpensive PCV piping! It's been a game-changer for us, so check it out here if you need a hands-off, inexpensive option.
The One Issue with Soaker Hoses
The one drawback with soakers is that after a few seasons, especially if you leave them out all year like we do, they will spring leaks.
Occasionally we've even gotten one or two bad brands of soaker hoses that start leaking within a few weeks. That is not the norm, though, and we always try to stay away from that brand going forward.
The good news is, repairing a garden soaker hose is an easy fix - one that Brian has done many times to repair our soakers.
Since we sing the praises of soakers, we thought it would be a good idea to provide a quick tutorial to show just how easy it is to fix them. In just a few minutes and for less than a few dollars, your soaker can be working again to make your gardening life easier!
Watch how to repair a garden soaker hose:
Soaker Hose & Repair Supplies List:
- Soaker hose (1/2")
- Quick-connect hose ends
- Hose mender set (1/2")
- Hose mender set (3/8" OR 1/2") Note: Reviews say you have to stretch it, but that it does work for 3/8 inch.
- Screwdriver
Do you use soakers like me? Why or why not?
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Janet Tucker says
I have 1 1/2 acres in the desert and have buried lots of soaker hoses. They have transformed our garden. Everyone who tries conventional irrigation systems here eventually gives up in disgust, as they always break and need too much maintenance. Also, they tend to separate the gardener from the garden. With the soakers, I have to actually connect the hoses by hand, and so I stay in touch with all the plants and get to see how they are doing. Soaker are the perfect compromise between hand watering and irrigation.
I have laboriously wrapped all hoses in strands of chicken wire because of the rabbits. They love the moistness and chewiness. Can't blame them. I would too if I were a rabbit.
Fixing 3/8 inch hoses that have holes is a problem. The conventional repair kits are too expensive. What I've done so far is wrap a split section of soaker hose around the repaired hose, so that it will fit into a 1/2" compression connecter. It works, sort of. I wish the manufacturers made a 3/8 " compression connector.
I didn't know that the little blue plastic disc is not necessary. It causes much spurting of water around the female end, which kind of goes against controlling the amount of water being used. However, I don't know how to regulate the flow without it. How do you figure how much water to release?
Thanks for your time.
Jami says
I'm so glad to read how soakers are working for you in the desert, Janet! Brilliant idea for the rabbits, too.
Yes, it's harder to find the 3/8 - your work around is a good tip.
As for the discs, the hoses didn't have them when I first started buying soakers which is why I've always taken them out - I've never used them.
I regulate with on/off valves on the ends of hoses - I walk around and adjust each as needed for flow. (You can see them here in this watering system tutorial.) Hope that makes sense!
Kathie says
Can you tell me where I can purchase some of the soaker hose mending kits? I live in the NW and haven't been able to find
them anywhere, not even on Amazon.
Jami says
Well, they aren't very cheap anymore, but I did find this on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2W3qKSH You need to look for "hose mender."