If you’ve begun researching the types of garden equipment for your property, you might have discovered there are mixed theories about what is the best way to automate the process of watering your garden. Some love to water by hand, others swear by drip irrigation, and some love soaker hoses.
With so much information out there, you may have asked yourself at one point, “Are soaker hoses good for gardens?”
With a highly functional design, these hoses can help to make maintaining lush gardens simpler instead of having to water them daily by hand.
However, there are also specific applications where soaker hoses might not be a preferable option for your flowerbeds.
To help you find the perfect type of hose for your needs, we’ll go over the best and worst features of soaker hoses so you can find the ideal hose type.
What Is a Soaker Hose?
Soaker hoses may look like any other type that you would expect to find in a garden, except they have one significant difference.
These models will have an assortment of holes in the material that allows water to gush into the ground, filling gardens with the moisture they need.
You might find these types of hoses in flowerbeds with a lot of mulch or under trees, where a lot of water will need to penetrate several layers of soil to reach the root systems.
Just by knowing what they are, you can tell why soaker hoses are as popular as they are since they help you to save a lot of time and effort when maintaining your gardens.
The Advantages of Soaker Hoses
You’ll be glad to know that soaker hoses are great for the majority of gardens, especially if you have a lot of trees in a particular area of your property.
They offer numerous benefits, including:
1. Easy Installation
When you decide to water your gardens by hand, either with a watering can or a standard hose, it can take a lot of time and effort.
Fortunately, soaker hoses stay in your gardens, so all you have to do is turn on the water, and it will do the work for you.
Some homeowners are lucky enough to have their soaker hoses on timers, so the entire system is automated for the lushest gardens imaginable.
If you want to keep your soaker hose in the ground instead of coiling it up after every use, you’ll need an assortment of accessories such as connectors, wire pins, and end caps.
To make the project more straightforward, you can invest in soaker hose kits that come with almost everything you need, although you may have to get a few extra wire pins to keep the hose in place.
Overall, they’re easy to install, and once they’re put in the correct position, you won’t have to worry about them for a long time.
2. Incredible Moisture
This type of system is referred to as a “soaker system” because it drenches a specific area for a set period.
Other systems, in comparison, will sprinkle water into specific places.
Your gardens will experience an incredible amount of moisture, which can help them to grow more effortlessly in less time than if you were to try to water them by hand.
If you have a garden with mulch or hay, for example, using a soaker hose is your best bet, as the water penetrates more in-depth than a standard hose and spray nozzle would.
Aside from the amount of moisture, you’ll also love how evenly your property will be watered, helping to improve your consistency.
Most soaker hoses have holes placed at designated intervals, and each hole will provide the same amount of water to its respective area.
You’ll no longer have to time how long you hold a hose over every plant, as you can rest assured everything will be watered evenly.
3. Lower Water Consumption
It can be an incredible opportunity to have gardens, but to keep them healthy, you can bet you’ll have to expect an increase in your water bills.
This point is particularly true for properties that are prone to hot weather with limited bouts of rain.
Instead of allocating a budget for keeping your gardens alive, you’ll appreciate how soaker hoses can help to lessen your home’s water consumption.
Although these hoses put out an incredible amount of water, all of the water will be pushed into the garden bed, which means you’ll use far less than you would by relying on a sprinkler or a standard hose.
Every single drop will be consumed by your plants, allowing you to make the most out of the resources you’re using and limiting the amount of time your outdoor spigot has to be turned on.
Not only is this beneficial for your household expenses, but it is also a more eco-friendly way to maintain your gardens.
4. Less Leaf Damage
One of the most frustrating parts of using a handheld spray nozzle or sprinkler is that a lot of the water will rest on the leaves of your plants, which can cause rotting and damage over time.
As soaker hoses direct their spray straight into the ground, the leaves of your plants won’t be exposed to overwatering, helping to keep them healthier and fresher.
The less leaf damage you have, the more you can control pests and keep your gardens as pristine as possible during the season.
The Disadvantages of Soaker Hoses
Even though there are numerous advantages to using a soaker hose in comparison to a standard one, there are a couple of disadvantages to think about, as well.
1. Less Spatial Freedom
When you’re planning your gardens and intend on using soaker hoses, you’ll have to take the time to plant everything based on where the irrigation system is embedded.
For example, you won’t want to put flowers directly on top of the rubber hose, as it will prevent its ability to grow.
Unfortunately, gardeners are faced with less spatial freedom when planting their gardens, which can look strange until your flowers and plants overgrow the hoses.
2. Sun Damage
Unless you can invest in high-quality soaker hoses, which can be quite costly, you’ll be disappointed to know the less expensive versions are prone to UV damage.
As you will likely have them embedded in your gardens, there are ways to counteract this issue, as keeping them covered by mulch or earth deters most of the sun.
However, if you keep your soaker hoses on the surface of your gardens, you will experience a lot of leaks.
Unfortunately, over time, the leaks can turn into spurting water in all directions.
You’ll find that the more often your hoses spring leaks, the more often you will have to replace the equipment for a fully functioning irrigation system.
With that said, you can find rubber soaker hoses that are ideal for withstanding the effects of the sun and will last numerous seasons with minimal signs of wear and tear.
3. Loss of Water Pressure
Soaker hoses are typically longer than standard garden hoses, and their versatility encourages homeowners to connect more than two or three for all-over watering.
With the average pressure water rating that most households have, though, your soaker hose may have less pressure than needed for precision watering.
The more you link together, the harder it will be for the water to exit the holes in the hose further down your gardens.
Unless you have a small number of areas that you want to have drenched, you may be better off opting for another irrigation alternative, such as drip irrigation.
Another alternative is to work with a professional plumber who can adjust the water pressure your house receives so that your irrigation system will work more efficiently.
4. Bulky Design
Although setting up your irrigation system is quite simple with the help of a kit, if you have to rewind the hose up at the end of the season, it can be quite a challenging project, especially since the tubes are so heavy.
The large and bulky design of the hose can be complicated for one person to manage, especially if you have multiple ones connected.
Compared to standard garden hoses, which are far more lightweight and easy to store, soaker hoses are more complicated.
A Useful Video on The Benefits of Using a Soaker Hose
Are Soaker Hoses Good for Gardens: Final Thoughts
If you’re wondering, are soaker hoses good for gardens, they can be quite useful.
When installed correctly, soaker hoses can be a life-saver for both you and your gardens to promote healthier growth of your favorite plants.
With an evenly distributed level of water compared to hand watering, these devices will quickly become your favorite items in your yard.
Also, by investing in higher quality hoses, they are bound to last longer with limited damage if you keep them outdoors.
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