Creating a Soaker Hose from a Used Garden Hose

Erin Huffstetler is an expert in frugal living with more than a decade of experience in sharing simple strategies for saving money in the household.

Project Summary

• Duration of Work: 5 minutes
• Overall Duration: 5 minutes

• Proficiency Level: Novice
• Projected Expense: $5

Occasionally, the most effective method for irrigating your garden is by utilizing a soaker hose. This type of hose delivers a gentle, steady, and deep watering across a considerable area. To create this practical gardening tool, all you require is an unused garden hose. Making a soaker hose is a straightforward process and is nearly free of cost. After you complete the project, your thirsty garden will reward you with vibrant blooms and delicious produce.

Requirements You’ll Need

Devices / Instruments

• Battery-operated drill featuring a 1/4-inch drill bit.

Materials

• Aged garden tubing
• Hose cover

Instructions

Locate a Vintage Garden Hose

Search through your garage for that unused garden hose you have lying around, such as that broken one you never got around to repairing or simply forgot to discard.

Create Openings in the Hose

Create uniformly spaced openings along the length of the hose by using a 1/4-inch drill bit, making a hole every three inches, and ensuring that you drill through just one side of the hose.

Secure the Hose Cap.

Attach a hose cap to one end of the hose. This will direct the water to flow softly through the holes you’ve created, rather than from the end of the hose.

Place the hose in position.

Position the hose in the section you wish to irrigate, as it can reach an area of 1 to 3 feet, making sure to include all the locations that require water. For larger gardens, you might need to connect two hoses, keeping them approximately 12 to 18 inches apart.

Connect the Hose

Connect the free end of your new soaker hose to a garden hose. Then, turn on the water to provide your plants with the necessary hydration.

Suggestions for Utilizing a Soaker Hose

• Place the soaker hose beneath several inches of mulch to minimize evaporation.
• Adjust the faucet to allow a slow trickle of water to emerge from the soaker hose openings. The water should flow gently, providing a steady moisture to the plants rather than gushing out rapidly.
• To save water and promote thorough irrigation, operate your soaker hose for a maximum of 30 minutes, twice a week. Tailor your watering schedule based on your area’s climate, taking into account whether you are facing a significant drought or, conversely, excessively wet weather.
• If you struggle to remember to shut off the water, consider installing a hose timer to alleviate the reliance on your memory. There are timers available that come equipped with a rain sensor. This useful gadget senses moisture in the soil, allowing your hose to bypass the planned watering when the ground is already wet.
• Periodically take off the end cap of your soaker hose and run water through it to clear any blockages. This is a crucial step, especially if your hose is buried beneath mulch.
• Many individuals tend to discard their worn-out garden hoses at the beginning of spring. If you lack an old hose, keep an eye out for discarded hoses placed on the curb on garbage collection day. You can create your own soaker hose for just the cost of a hose cap.

Are soaker hoses a worthwhile investment?

Soaker hoses offer efficient and thorough irrigation across extensive spaces with little effort required from you. Additionally, they deliver water directly to the base of the plants, keeping the foliage dry and reducing the risk of fungal problems.

What distinguishes a soaker hose from a drip hose?

A soaker hose is essentially a permeable garden hose, whereas drip irrigation consists of a system of tubes that releases water. Both methods deliver moisture near the plants’ bases, but drip irrigation allows for more accurate placement over the root zones, resulting in reduced water waste.

What is the recommended duration for using a soaker hose?

Watering your garden with a soaker hose for 30 minutes two times a week is a solid starting point. Brief watering sessions may not enable sufficient moisture to reach the root zones of your plants. Nevertheless, if you reside in a moist, humid environment or have plants that require minimal watering, you may not need to irrigate as frequently.

Is it better to utilize a soaker hose in the morning or in the evening?

The choice of when to water your plants is influenced by your local climate and specific requirements. Watering in the evening allows plants to absorb more moisture, as there is less evaporation compared to the daytime. On the other hand, watering in the daytime, especially on hot days, can assist plants in coping with the heat.