From: dadams@cherry.cray.com (David Adams)
Subject: Re: soaker hoses -- etc.
Originator: dadams@cherry
Keywords: raised beds, irrigation, soaker hoses, prices, sources, ussage
Organization: Cray Research, Inc.
Date: 9 Apr 92 12:01:26 CDT



My thanks to all who have commented on soaker hoses.
This has really helped me piece things together on
how to use these.  

I have done quite a bit of shoping around.  There
really is quite a bit of price diffenence on these
things.  I learned not to buy to quickly at places
like Lindale Garden Supply.  Everything seems to
be overpriced there.  I found 50' soakers that 
seem to be hight quality at Coast to Coast for
$11.97 ea.  The recycled rubber ones are at 
Walmart for $9.99 ea.  They smell like old
tires.  I wouldn't want to take a drink from them
but I suppose they are ok.  They do have a nice 
texture and are wide like the ones I like.  (5/8"
i.d. rather than the thin 1/2" i.d. hoses I found
at Fleetfarm and Menards.)  The 1/2" i.d. hoses
are much cheaper.  They are going for a little
more than $6 for the 50' at Menards.  I suppose
they could do ok.  I had one respondent below take
objection to them.  I suppose that in the thinner
line you would have more resistance to water flow,
and hence more water would come out at the beginning
and much less near the end.



From: dietz@cs.rochester.edu

Soaker hoses can be used underground.  There is also
a flat hose-type product made of a porous plastic called
Tyvek (also used in housewraps) that is available mail order.
It can also be buried.

I used a soaker hose last year to good effect.  The only
disadvantage I found was that it was difficult to lay out
with tight bends.  Stakes in the ground to hold it in place,
or burying it, would solve this problem.

It's really useful to hook the thing to a timer; regular
waterings are very important, and the timer has a better memory
than you do.

	Paul



From: cl@lgc.com

>Has anyone had any experience with soaker hoses?  I 
>assume these are used above ground.  
			.
			.
			.
... and also below.  I put in some for my wife
below her flower beds (myself, I think irriga-
tion is a newfangled trick, and individuals,
including plants, ought to tough it out through
the hard times.  Well, something like that).
They're doing fine.  We don't concern ourselves
with frozen water lines, though ...
-- 

Cameron Laird				+1 713-579-4613
cl@lgc.com (cl%lgc.com@uunet.uu.net)	+1 713-996-8546 
claird@Neosoft.com



From: KLIER@iscsvax.uni.edu

Flat soaker hose with little holes is used above ground.  This is usually
cheap green vinyl, and I really don't like it much.  But it used to be 
all that's available.

The black rubber ooze hose that is made from recycled tires (try Walmart
KMart, or Target) is cheap and durable, and can be used exposed or buried.
I use it exposed in annual beds, buried in perennial beds.  My oldest ooze
hose is 8 yrs and still just fine.

Kay Klier


From: bbrown@mcopn1.csc.ti.com (I didn't do it-no one saw me do it-you can't prove a thing)

I use the black, oozie kind of soaker hose.  After I till the soil for
the last time, I lay out the hose and rake soil over it - then mulch -
seems to work fine.  The only problem I have noted is that the
pressure does not run at all uniformly through the 150 ft of hose. So,
I put less in the beginning (closer to the connection) and more at the
end.  Really helps here in Texas with the high, dry summer weather. 


From: Merri L Naka <mnaka@perfect-tommy.ICS.UCI.EDU>

Dear David,

I bought some soaker hose that was on sale.  Now I know why it was on
sale: it doesn't work!!  The diameter of the hose was about 0.5".
Perhaps the larger diameter ones *do* work; I'll probably never know
-my SO will probably never forgive me that mistake and I'll probably
never be able to buy a soaker hose again. 

May your luck be better,
Merri

P.S. -If anyone sends you info, could you pass it along to me?
      I'd like to try again, but I'll need proof to supplement my
      begging.



From: bradm@woodstock.ds.boeing.com (Brad Miller)

I built myself a raised bed last year and buried a black
50 foot soaker hose in it about 6 inches down.  (The bed is
4 feet by 13 feet.)  It was too deep for the small plants that
I set out to begin with but was OK after the plants gotr bigger.
I had plants with some deep roots though. (peppers, melons, basil ...)
This year I moved it to about 3 inces deep which is better, but
next year I`ll probably put it just below the surface, about one
inch down.

			Regards,
				Brad Miller.



To: mnaka@ics.uci.edu
Subject: Re: soaker hoses -- etc.

>I bought some soaker hose that was on sale.  Now I know why it was on
>sale: it doesn't work!!  The diameter of the hose was about 0.5".
>Perhaps the larger diameter ones *do* work; I'll probably never know
>-my SO will probably never forgive me that mistake and I'll probably
>never be able to buy a soaker hose again. 

Where did you get it?  Any of the stores I shop at would take it
back with that explanation.

I have seen 0.5" inside diameter hoses, they are a little cheaper,
but I didn't buy any.  The walls on the ones I saw did seem to be
a little more flimsy.  How do you know they didn't work?  I get
the idea that you hook them up and leave them on for some time.
I suppose using the right pressure helps.  I think I will hook
my hose up, leave it coiled, put it in a 5 gal. bucket and find
out how long it takes to fill the bucket up, given how far I have
turned the water on.  This may help me determine how long to water
a raised bed after I burry the hose.

I suppose I could post a summary of comments which have been sent to
me.  



-david adams      dadams@cray.com