[Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page

[Dick Gross]

Polly, although I now use neither to cater to a preference for precision hand irrigation, past experience with both has embedded a personal preference for soaker hoses.  These come in two sizes; the quarter inch and another that is, I believe three quarter inch. Water weeps through the porous wall of either at a rate proportional to the water pressure but both sizes should have a pressure regulator. 

The larger size with a little glue and fittings made for the purpose opens up all sorts of interesting design opportunities.

There are a bunch of options, Polly. If you have never used this stuff before, you can't possibly know the several available. This is what I would do in your shoes.

Find an irrigation store nearest you. Sorry I can't remember the company's name but they are all over and easy to find in the phone book.

Draw a rough picture of your garden layout showing approximate bed locations and dimensions and where rows are to be located. Just rough it out. You don't have to be an architect but make it somewhat proportional to your actual spread. You might save time and prevent errors by visiting your irrigation store first to ask what data they need to fulfill your needs. One store I used to visit had models set up for customers to peruse.

Take the drawing to your store and ask them to make a materials list and they probably will, as they did for me several years ago, make it sound easy. They should know what I learned a hundred years ago; a well satisfied customer will bring in several new clients but, one disatisfied, will cost the business ten.

Don't be concerned about salt. All water in the Salt River Basin is about 8.5 and always will be. The salt is separated only by evaporation. Water (H2O) evaporates but the salt stays behind wherever evaporation occurs; you see those white deposits only where evaporation has occurred. Dieback in leaf fringes is caused by salt clogging leaf cells and killing them. By the same mechanics, salt may clog pores of soaker hoses.

Soaker hoses covered with mulch or soil are not much affected by salt deposits, if at all.

All irrigation gurus invited to critic or contribute pertinent intelligence on this critical subject.

Dick Gross, Master Gardener Volunteer
Maricopa County Cooperative Extension




----- Original Message ----- 
From: <pollyrs at cox.net>
To: <arid_gardener at Ag.arizona.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, September 13, 2006 2:16 PM
Subject: [Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page


> Polly
> 85302
> pollyrs at cox.net
> 
> I have 1/4" laser drilled hoses for watering in my veggie garden but haven't been pleased w/how they work -- coverage of water, etc.  I see they now have the 1/4" "soaker" hose that lets water ooze out of the entire hose rather than just a few holes.  Anyone had experience w/this type of watering?  How far out from the hose could I expect the soil to be properly watered in a 30 minute time frame?
> 
> Thanks
> 
> 
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