|
A soaker hose is a specially designed hose that has many holes spread out throughout its entire length. Having a soaker hose irrigation system in your garden will ensure that your plants are efficiently watered since water is directly fed into their roots. In soaker hose irrigation there is less wastage due to evaporation and runoff. In the long run, this translates to cost savings for you since you would have lower water bills every month. A soaker irrigation system is also very convenient since all you need to do to water your plants is to just turn on the tap.
Soaker hoses are environmentally friendly since they are generally made using recycled materials. The best ones are usually less than 50 feet long. Those that are longer are known to suffer from uneven water distribution, especially at the end part of the hose.
Soaker hose irrigation also helps prevent the spread of disease by minimizing water contact with stems, leaves and fruits of plants. Another benefit that you can derive from using soaker hose irrigation is that the rows between plants remain dry. Apart from improving access, this also helps in reducing weed growth. One other advantage of this type of irrigation is that it reduces the incidence of water and nutrients leaching below the root zone.
One good practice in soaker hose irrigation is removing the hose from your garden during winter. This will help add life to your soaker hose. Before storing your soaker hose, make sure to remove excess soil clinging onto it. Also flush its insides. When storing, do not coil it too tightly as this might put undue pressure on the hose.
If your tap or faucet is located far from your garden, connect a solid hose onto it first. Afterwards, connect the solid hose to the soaker hose.
One sign that indicates that your soaker hose is not functioning well is the presence of dry spots in your garden bed. When you have such cases, it may mean that your soaker hose is clogged. To resolve this, remove the end cap then run water through the hose to flush out any debris. If necessary, replace the end cap.
For a soaker hose irrigation set-up to become really efficient, it is recommended that you install a pressure regulator on your faucet. Make sure that pressure level is properly maintained. The recommended range is 10 to 15 psi.
|
Author Bio Box: Patricia Wainwright
Get all the facts about soil and fertilizer management and organic gardening at GreenThumbArticles.com!
Didn't really find what you were looking for?
|
|
|
| |
|
|
![[Valid RSS feed]](images/rss.gif "Subscribe to our XML Feed for RSS")
(Read 500+ times)
