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Soaker Hoses Are Good For the Garden and the Environment
When you water your garden, how much water actually goes into the garden and how much water is wasted? When you water on a hot day, a lot of water just evaporates into the air and that means wasted water and wasted money. A great alternative is soaker hoses. These hoses are lined with hundreds of holes so that water seeps out of the hoses rather than sprays in the air. You line your garden with these hoses to create irrigation that allows for water soaking into the soil, rather than onto the soil.
Most soaker hoses are made from recycled rubber. For best results, you should have a soaker hose length of about 50 feet. If you go longer than that, you may get uneven water distribution past 50 feet. When you lay down your soaker hose, make sure it is on a flat surface.
Your soaker hose should be on top of the soil. Do not bury it within the soil or it will simply clog. Soaker hoses can be laid out in lines that mirror the garden rows, or they can curve through the garden. Just make sure you leave 18 inches between each soaker hose. The soaker hose should be about two inches away from the base of the plant.
When you lay down the soaker hose, you can put some mulch over it. This will not clog it like putting it in a few inches of dirt will. Mulch also helps to retain moisture in the soil for longer, while preventing weeds from growing. For mulch, you can use grass clippings and straw or even wood chips.
When you use the soaker hose, make sure you let the water soak about eight to 12 inches down into the soil. The best way to do this is to water for about 30 minutes and see how far in the soil the water has soaked. If it has soaked down six inches, then you need to water for an hour.
Soaker hoses can be bought from any hardware store and usually do not cost much more than regular hoses. While the price may be a bit higher, you are saving money in not wasting any water in your garden from evaporation. Soaker hoses help to conserve water for the environment and conserve your savings in the bank as well.