# Please tell me about soaker hoses.



## FarmboyBill (Aug 19, 2005)

As I understand them there plugged on one end and the water as the hose fills us emits water either through little pin holes, or exudes itself through the porisness of the ose itself. What im wondering is, Once the water reaches the plugged end and backs uip, the further back towards its source it goes, the more pressure there is on it near the plugged end. Would the plants towards the plugged end get wy more water than the plants at the open end? 
How wide will a hose penetrate, OR how wide should I make my bean, beat and pea rows, and should I have the house near the upper outer edge? Also how wide can my onion rows be with one.

Is there a certain amount of pressure that has to be applied, or will it work with gravity flow.?


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## geo in mi (Nov 14, 2008)

The soakers I use are made of recycled rubber compressed together and rebonded so as to be porous--no pinholes. They operate on very low pressure and the pressure is not supposed to be turned up so high that the water sprays out--just slow drops like condensation or weeping. Takes a little T & E to get them started and you have to wait until the hose fills at the plugged end and then adjust the pressure--usually downward. Width--about eight inches--but that depends on how long you leave it in place and your soil type. I go about a couple of hours on this sandy soil and bump the hose right against the plant stem. If you have fifty foot rows, you can water four rows by using a splitter or manifold on two hoses with a valve on each, and moving each hose once.. I haven't tried, but I suppose you could water eight rows with four hoses in the same way--but you do have to tinker with the pressure, as one affects each of the others until you get them all adjusted and balanced...........

Haven't tried gravity flow, but the valves are only a buck apiece where I get them. And the pressure would depend on the volume of water in the tank. It would be worth a try, in my opinion.

geo


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## uncle Will in In. (May 11, 2002)

We've tried one like was just discribed, and one with a row of tiny holes down both sides. This one will roll up flat like toilet paper when storing. 
Neither one would put out water anywhere near even down the rows. When it gets really dry, we just sprinkle the garden a section at a time. One hour of sprinkling puts on about one inch of water. Most of our rows are two feet apart. If a soaker hose put the water out evenly, it would be great.


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

uncle Will in In. said:


> We've tried one like was just discribed, and one with a row of tiny holes down both sides. This one will roll up flat like toilet paper when storing.
> Neither one would put out water anywhere near even down the rows. When it gets really dry, we just sprinkle the garden a section at a time. One hour of sprinkling puts on about one inch of water. Most of our rows are two feet apart. If a soaker hose put the water out evenly, it would be great.


The pressure is too high, you need a pressure regulator to work good as a soaker. They make them with both hose fittings and you screw one end to hose bib and the hose to the other.

http://www.gardeners.com/Pressure-Regulator-for-Soaker-Hoses/06-267,default,pd.html 

These type soaker hoses are not near as even as the other types. If I use these type I go down the row and back with the one hose, one side gets more at one end the other side just the opposite. These type can be used holes down as a soaker or holes up as a sprinkler. The best type are smaller and poly, they have little slits in them to emit water. Thet can be put under the mulch too....James

http://www.dripworksusa.com/store/soakdrp.php?gclid=CPeL3-yn5KwCFQh9hwodcnpSNw


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## Marcia in MT (May 11, 2002)

For many years, we used the recycled rubber porous hoses. They worked, but eventually were unsatisfactory and we replaced them with T-tape -- we are very happy with that.

Our garden is on a slight slope, and there was always more water at the downhill end -- no matter how we adjusted the pressure. (Our hoses came with a pressure reducer in each one -- a small disc with a hole in it. It could be removed.)

If there's a dip underneath the hose and it doesn't contact the ground, the water will drip down the underside of the hose until it contacts the ground again, and the low spot won't get any water.

We have extremely hard water, and eventually the pores plugged up with minerals where the water dripped out.


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## ksfarmer (Apr 28, 2007)

I've used the soaker hoses for years and had good results. I use a timer to run for about 2 hrs. 25 lbs of water pressure works fine, gravity will work but put out less water, so you have to leave it on for longer times and you might get uneven distribution on sloping ground. Also older hoses or hoses from different manufacturers will not work well togather. My older ones tend to put out less water due to mineral deposits from my hard water. I use only 2 or 3 50 foot hoses togather,, more than that and you need more pressure to furnish the volumn of water needed.
I think you get a lot more efficient use of your water with soaker or drip lines than using a sprinkler. And some plants like tomatoes don't like wet leaves.


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## FarmboyBill (Aug 19, 2005)

Would a sub pump be ok to use to pump out of a tank.? What does a roll of hose cost? What is T Tape?


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## Meconella (Dec 21, 2008)

I've also used soaker hoses for years with great results. We live in a dry environment without summer rain, so we must conserve water. 
We plant right next to the hoses, then cover everything with several inches of mulch. Both the plants and earthworms love this environment.  
Unfortunately, so do the gophers. 

I've tired hooking up a soaker hose to a submersible pond pump, and there simply was not enough pressure to work properly. And a gravity feed? forget it.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

I love soaker hoses. Don't they come with a little disk that you put in the opening that regulates the pressure - so the hoses don't burst?


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

If you have alot of minerals in your water,the hoses clog very fast.


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## geo in mi (Nov 14, 2008)

Callieslamb said:


> I love soaker hoses. Don't they come with a little disk that you put in the opening that regulates the pressure - so the hoses don't burst?


If you buy a 99 cent hose coupler with a ball valve in it, you can have variable control of your water pressure.

geo


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## FarmboyBill (Aug 19, 2005)

What do hoses cost? Can I drive 
Someone said they only cover an 8in area. If I was planting a 2ft row of peas beans beets, , OR carrots onions, would I need 3 rows of them within the row? One at the top edge and 2 down from each other 8in?

How do you work them for tomato plants that are further apart in the row?


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

T=tape

http://www.dripworksusa.com/store/kitshop.php#KTAPE

Some other type irrigation

http://www.dripworksusa.com/store/kitland.php?lnk=left


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## geo in mi (Nov 14, 2008)

FarmBoyBill said:


> What do hoses cost? Can I drive
> Someone said they only cover an 8in area. If I was planting a 2ft row of peas beans beets, , OR carrots onions, would I need 3 rows of them within the row? One at the top edge and 2 down from each other 8in?
> 
> How do you work them for tomato plants that are further apart in the row?


About $6.95--$12.95, depending on whether on sale or not-- Menard's price-- for a 50 foot long hose. They are black, have regular hose couplings on each end--one end is capped. Directions tell you NOT to start out with high pressure, lest you blow big holes in it. Works by weeping droplets along the length. Capillary action spreads the water, once on the soil.

A two foot row of peas would probably need two hoses thru the middles--water spread depends on your soil type and how long you leave them on......Once peas are started and pretty well weeded, then carefully run the hose thru the middles and leave in place, so as not to disturb the plants roots, etc.. One hint--best to lay out the new hoses in a straight as possible line in the sun--softens them up, uncoils them--so you can get them thru the plants....Iffen the two didn't cover, you could use one extra and water from each outside edge to finish the job....

Not really useful for spaced out tomato plants or similar, since the weeping action happens for the entire length of the hose and would waste the water. 

geo


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

If a hose or pipe lays on relatively level ground, eventually the pressure equalizes, but will reduce at the far end once there is a flow of water. The walls of the pipe create a type of resistance. Once the flow of water it stopped, the pressure equalizes again.

Anything that has tiny holes in it is, by definition, a filter. If an unfiltered liquid is allowed to run through it, it will eventually clog. It might take a long time with some water sources, or it might take very little time.

I personally don't have the patience to deal with soaker hoses and the like, but if you do plan on using a bunch of them or any of the substitutes, do yourself a favor and get a prefilter with a replaceable cartridge, and let IT get clogged instead.

You can buy custom filters, or go to the camping section of Wal-muck and get a filter for RV water for a small system, or go to Home Despot and get a whole house filter and the connectors to make hose adapters. Over time, that is the better buy.

Some water, like that with high dissolved iron or mineral content will build up residue around the holes in pipes and eventually clog anyway.


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## FarmboyBill (Aug 19, 2005)

My garden slopes 2 directions the steepest is from S to N with the lesser slope from E to W. I plant E to W. Geo, u say 2 should do a 2 ft row. If I lay them within the row will the water spread out sideways from them an appriciable distance if i had them apart a foot?
How can I tell with them how much water ive put on?

Im wondering, with tomato plants about laying the hose, a regular garden water hose, and makeing tiny holes at the site of the plants. That way only at the area of the plants would any water be let out, and then at the direction of the plants by makeing the holes on the sides of the hose faceing the plants. I could fold back the end so as to create a plug. One thought on this is, when it was hot, that water would get hot going down that hot hose. Would putting hot water on tomatoes in 90 degree temps be a good thing? I could see where, once it got hot with beans peas beets, lettuce, ect, that the folage would cover the hose thereby keeping it relatively cool.


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## goatlady (May 31, 2002)

Been using those "weeping" type hoses for 20 years in my raised beds. I usually have 2 rows of hose per 4' x 8' beds, buried, and they water the entire width and length of the beds. Water capillary action will depend on the type of soil though, I use pure home-grown well done compost. Tomato plant roots spread out quite a ways as do broccs, etc. so I like to water the entire bed myself. I have 12 beds, all connected between each bed, so I turn on 1 faucet and water everything, run the faucet for 30 to 40 minutes once a week and top water the soil ONLY a different day IF the temps are over 95 for several days. Has worked nicely for me for all those years. Easy to pull up the hoses when adding more compost to the beds each year, and easy to change the configuration from rows to "S"'s depending on the crop in the beds. But I do Sq. Ft. intensive planting.


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## frankva (May 21, 2009)

FarmBoyBill said:


> Im wondering, with tomato plants about laying the hose, a regular garden water hose, and makeing tiny holes at the site of the plants. That way only at the area of the plants would any water be let out, and then at the direction of the plants by makeing the holes on the sides of the hose faceing the plants. I could fold back the end so as to create a plug.


I do not recommend this. The hose can turn and then water goes up. Or the water can erode soil at the exit. Or Or... Another of my brilliant ideas was different sized holes for different plants. Also tried 1/2" PVC. 

This would work for trees, maybe.

Investigate drip irrigation. Pressure regulator needed. Not expensive in the grande scheme of things. You still have to check it regularly for clogs or popped drip heads.


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## po boy (Jul 12, 2010)

Walmart sold a 100 ft kit that I used for years. My rows are about 45 feet long and I ran a feeder line down one end of the garden and put T's and shut off valves at the start of each row. I looped the lines so they could feed from each end and used the shut off valves to regulate the pressure. Watered about 25 rows at one time. Photo of similar setup. Worked pretty good as I did not have wide rows.. Used this system for about 10 years. This year the squirrels ate holes through the lines faster than I could repair them and had to water with the sprinkler.

This looks like the stuff I used and if not for the varmits, would still be using them.


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## FarmboyBill (Aug 19, 2005)

I see where hose is sold at 50ft lengths. My garden is 90sq. Assumeing id have 15ft at the ends to run the Cub and cultivator, tillers, ect, Id have at least 60ft. I see that the soaker hose can be cut to length. Can the T hose? 

GUYS, Please remember, that water to me in doing this garden will be rare and hard to get. I will have to collect it off of my house, and pump it up to the upper edge of my garden into big stock tanks. I may have to constantly have to haul city water to replentish the tanks between rains as the season runs into summer.

I noticed that it said that the saoker hose is to be used on flat surfaces with only a 2in drop for 100ft. Whats your thoughts about that? Mine as more like 8in for 90ft.


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## po boy (Jul 12, 2010)

If you are referring to this yes it can be cut to any length.

My garden was flat, so no problems with slope or drop.


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## frankva (May 21, 2009)

FarmBoyBill said:


> I see where hose is sold at 50ft lengths. My garden is 90sq. Assumeing id have 15ft at the ends to run the Cub and cultivator, tillers, ect, Id have at least 60ft. I see that the soaker hose can be cut to length. Can the T hose?
> 
> GUYS, Please remember, that water to me in doing this garden will be rare and hard to get. I will have to collect it off of my house, and pump it up to the upper edge of my garden into big stock tanks. I may have to constantly have to haul city water to replentish the tanks between rains as the season runs into summer.
> 
> I noticed that it said that the saoker hose is to be used on flat surfaces with only a 2in drop for 100ft. Whats your thoughts about that? Mine as more like 8in for 90ft.


90 square feet? Or 90' x something' ?

If water is scarce, you need to stop thinking about soaker hoses. Drip or some other method. My opinion.

Gravity feed should be in the discussion unless you plan to get some sort of pump, as some methods really do require steady pressure.


You should have piles of resources available. If not your state, then try CO websites. If it has been thought of, I bet some dryland farmer has an opinion on it.


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## BarbadosSheep (Jun 27, 2011)

I have used them but really don't like them. They are not very durable and can't be counted on to last from year to year. If you don't have enough pressure, the water won't make it all the way to the end. If you have too much pressure, they rupture. The best way to use them is to plant your crops in a ditch, so the water can flow evenly from one end to the other. this works really well with tomatos but not too good with some other crops. A much cheaper way to water crops is to use a section of PVC pipe with a 3/16" hole drilled wherever you have a plant. I don't even glue the sections....just stick them together with couplings. This is cheap and will last for years. Attach a hose to the end and you are in business. If you don't glue the pipe, it's easy to tear it down for winter storage and then set it back up in the spring.


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## Macybaby (Jun 16, 2006)

My experince with soaker hoses was they clogged up after one season. If they were new, they would work gravity fed, but it didn't take long before they needed quite a bit of pressure as they started to clog. I had better luck when I lived in town, but I had much less garden, and much higher water pressure.

I've switched to T-tape. It needs less than 10PSI to work. I've tried it with gravity feed, but have to limit the amount of running feet of tape that is "on" at a time. For most of the rows, I bury it before I seed. 

this works here in SD, never felt a need for it in MN or WI.


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## FarmboyBill (Aug 19, 2005)

B Ssheep how big a hole did you drill in them, and how far apart for beans/peas/beets/ lettuce/cabbage/onions? How much pressure did u have in them?

Gardens 90sq thereabouts. But I lose some of that on each end cause of useing a Cub Farmall and cultivator to work the ground with. Later I fall back to walking garden tractors, tillers as the rows fill out into the walking rows.


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## ChanceTheRapids (Apr 29, 2011)

I've tried soaker hoses and drip hoses and all that, and while the theory is good, and they do work, they frustrate me to no end when trying to weed the garden. You have to move them or weed around them, and it never fails that you miss a lot more weeds than if they weren't there. 

I dunno, I think this will be the first year I use overhead sprinklers exclusively. Not the best approach, though.


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## BarbadosSheep (Jun 27, 2011)

FarmBoyBill said:


> B Ssheep how big a hole did you drill in them, and how far apart for beans/peas/beets/ lettuce/cabbage/onions? How much pressure did u have in them?


the holes were 3/16" or so.....maybe a little smaller. I don't remember exactly. The holes were spaced so that one hole was at each plant. I actually did mine once where I had a pump in the koi pond and pulled water out of there and sent it to the PVC pipe. That worked really well! You'll have to tweak it a bit to find out what works best for you. You may find you need smaller holes closer to the water source and larger holes towards the end to get even flow.


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## sweetbabyjane (Oct 21, 2002)

I have eight, 75ft hoses that I lay out in the Spring, one for each row in the garden. I have a regular hose that is connected to a spigot on one end and I connect the other end to one soaker hose at a time. Let each hose water a row for about 30 minutes, then move it to the next soaker hose. They work all right for me, other than there is more water at the beginning of the hose then there is at the end. They do keep the weeds down, as they only water the vegees and not between the rows. The biggest problem I have run into is that by the end of the season they are lost in the plants. By the time you are ready to put the garden to rest you have forgotten they are there.

So, make sure you take them up before you bushhog the garden or you will be very unhappy!
SBJ


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## FarmboyBill (Aug 19, 2005)

How wide are your rows?


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## frankva (May 21, 2009)

90 square feet- Your best water saving system might be a 2 gal sprinkler can.


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## FarmboyBill (Aug 19, 2005)

Why do u say that>


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## frankva (May 21, 2009)

nine feet by ten feet equals ninety square feet.

That patch size would be practical to water with a can.


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## FarmboyBill (Aug 19, 2005)

90ft N, 90ft S, 90ft E, and 90ft W.


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## frankva (May 21, 2009)

90 x 90 = 8,100 square feet would be tough to do with a 2 gallon sprinkler.

I figured you had more than 90 sf, but in case...

Your constraints are hauling water and water pressure?

Can you get the water from the washer to the garden side or cistern storage spot?


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## FarmboyBill (Aug 19, 2005)

yuppers


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## FarmboyBill (Aug 19, 2005)

Yes, from the cistern, But hope to put a couple stock tanks on the upper S side, and pump water from the stock tanks I have on the N & S side of my house up to those tanks.


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## netexan (Jan 3, 2008)

FBB, I've used soaker hoses in my gardens and had the best luck with them when I buried them 1 per row about 8" deep. My tomato rows are 4' apart, most of the other rows are 3', onions are about 18". If you're worried about the wasted water between your tomato plants you can plant something between them. I usually plant leaf lettuce and chard between my maters as it starts to get shoots or die off as the temps get hot and the tomato plants start to take off really well. JMO. I've never tried soakers on a gravity system though and don't know how that will work out though I suspect it would work out better if you remove the plastic washer from the feed end of the hose as too much pressure won't be an issue for you.


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## gobug (Dec 10, 2003)

I have been a raised box gardener for decades. 
I plant a big variety of plants in each box. Companion planting and soaker hoses are not the best companions for me.

Different plants have different water needs. Soaker hoses never did well enough for me.
I did not like the soaker hoses because they did not water evenly or according to needs.

Long rows of plants with a deep root system do OK for a soaker hose system as long as you plant single crops in long rows on level ground.

As mentioned above, more comes out at the start of the soaker hose. The same happens with a sprinkler system. This dictates that either system is in a loop, and the water enters at the center of the loop (not one end).

I prefer a separate spigot for each box. That way, I can water one box and work another box. I can observe and moderate water as needed. Even in my 4'x20' raised boxes with 3 soaker hoses, there were dry spots, damp spots, and wet spots.

Little moisture meters are very cheap. They help measure moisture prior to a plant wilting. The large variation in moisture in a box convinced me to not use the soaker hoses.


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## elkwc (Jun 3, 2007)

I've tried every method mentioned in this thread. I live in a semi-arid area of SW KS on the OK line. I do have deep sandy soil which really helps. I will give my opinions. My total area of 3 garden areas is about the size you will have. Many manufacturers of soaker hoses, drip tapes and other methods state they don't work well if your water has heavy mineral deposits. That is the main reason reason I feel that my soaker hoses tend to plug up after 1-2 seasons. Also the length of row is a problem for even watering with many of the systems. Some only work well on shorter runs. 

I will list most types and the positives and negatives of each. 

I used the soaker type hoses Wally World sells with the fabric covering on the outside this year on my peppers and tomatoes. I have a little drop to my garden but not much. I plant east to west. I lay one on each side of the plants appox. 12" apart and run them from opposite ends of the garden. This accounts for the uneven watering on each end some. I suggest a pressure regulator and a cheap filter. The reason I have went to them on these plants and quit the drip hoses(which I feel is the best system. ) is I have started planting flowers between each plant to attract the beneficial insects. This waters them and also with the extended drought I had seen my roots weren't spreading to the sides much and found my leaves, additives, ect weren't getting enough moisture to compose completely. I plant my tomatoes 42-48 inches apart depending on whether they are in cages or sprawlers. This year many of the plants had roots that had spread out and touching roots from the other plants on each side. I pulled plants with roots 3 foot long. So overall I was happy with them on the tomatoes and peppers. I plant my peppers around 2 ft a part. I make trenches around each tomato and pepper plant and I will water each individually at times to account for uneven watering. The drawbacks are the uneven watering and they don't last a long time. I've used other types of soaker hoses also. Drawbacks to all is uneven watering and short life. The one I mentioned with the fabric cover lasts the longest but still usually 2 years is all I get out of them. 

Drip line with emitters - Works well on tomatoes, peppers and any plant you don't plant close. I lay a poly line beside each hose. I install an emitter at each plant and run a smaller feeder line to the plant. Then usually install a tee and make a 12-24 inch circle out of small soaker hose(1/4 or 5/16 usually) and attach it to each end of the tee. This works well and soaks a nice sized area around the plant. Still leaves a dry area between each plant. Plants have done very well using this method and the uses less water than most methods. You need to use a regulator and filter on this method. The poly line will last a long time. The small soaker hose may need replacing in 2-3 years. You have to roll it up and it takes up some room to store. I drain mine and store it outside near the garden. The emitters will plug up especially if you don't use a filter. And you may not notice it till a plant is wilting. 

PVC pipe with holes drilled where needed. I installed this type of system 2 seasons ago in too areas appox 30 x30 feet. I use a regulator and then have ball valve I can adjust for each row. I have tried several sizes of holes. I tried 3/16" holes and they were way to small. I will try to find a link to a thread about suggested hole sizes. Many are happy with them. The one area I use mine in is uneven. And they put out more at one end or in low areas. Overall I haven't been impressed with this system. It ok for short rows if you monitor and adjust the flow closely. Still you will have plants that get more water than others. In the extreme heat this summer after having a couple of plants suffer from lack of water I went to watering once a week with the pvc pipe and then mid week water each plant by hand with a hose. This worked well. If you changed the size of the holes towards on end would probably help also. My rows are around 45' in length. Several say that is stretching it. That 35' or less is better and offers more even watering. I had some plugging of the holes problem. So highly suggest an inline filter also. 

T-tapes, Drip tapes work well. Lengths you can water with even watering varies some by manufacturer,type you buy and emitter spacing. Overall they offer longer distances than most options. I prefer the 4-6 inch spacings. Life span is better if buried. I usually cover all of my systems with several inches of mulch. They all work ok doing this except the pvc pipe. If you buy a better quality of T tape it works better and will last longer. Rolling up and storing can take some time. Again a regulator and filter are needed. In the case of gravity feeding them it may not be. You can take the fittings off of old tape and reuse them so the only cost after the initial investment is new T tape. A method I will continue to use on many crops. 

So in summary. I would suggest you consider T-tape or drip line system in your situation. I will probably continue to use the fabric covered soaker hoses some and will use the pvc system till it no longer is useful. But after trying most systems available the two mentioned will likely be the ones I use till something better comes along. I will use them along with hand watering. I make trenches around each of my pepper and tomato plants when I transplant them. Then I hand water them when needed. Due to soil conditions, ect I will have one plant or one area that needs more frequent watering. Of maybe the systems I'm using delivers less in that area. The trench allows for that. Jay


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## BakerBen (Apr 2, 2012)

ive got to agree here, are you sure youre talking about using cultivators and irrigation and such on a 10x9ft plot?(90square feet). to each his own i guess. when i had my 20x20ft(400 square feet) garden plot i just used a regular old yard sprinkler and a shovel, rake and hoe.


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