Gardening - Q&A: Using Soaker Hose

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Q&A: Using Soaker Hose

National Gardening Association

Question: I plan to water my raised bed vegetable garden with a soaker hose. I have been unable to find out how long to run the water to deliver enough water to my plants. I would like to know what is a good duration time to start out with and understand that I will have to adjust it to suit my conditions. My soil is loam and the vegetables will be tomatoes, peppers, beans and herbs. I am currently planing on 1hr in the morning and 1hr at night. Please let me know if this is correct. Also should the soaker hose be buried?

Answer: Try burying the hose just an inch or two below the soil surface. Then run the hose for an hour. Then carefully dig a hole, and see how deep the water has gone. It's likely you will need to run the hose for a few hours to get enough saturation--you want the plants' entire root zone moist. I would run the hose for a few hours as necessary in the morning, and forego the evening watering. Generally, it's a good idea to water thoroughly less often, than water a little continuously. Light waterings won't penetrate the soil, so roots will tend to stay too shallow.

I hope this helps! Good luck!

Content provided by the National Gardening Association