>Ah, gardening geekdom. Simple pleasures, such as getting water to the plants, can be so much fun. The process starts here at the rain barrel, with a short (10′) hose attached.
The connection from 10′ hose to soaker hose wasn’t quite secure at first, letting a little too much water leak into the lettuce bed. I fixed it. This might not matter with a standard faucet, but with a barrel, the system can’t afford to lose any of its meager pressure and still expect to get the water where it needs to go.
The soaker hose is a porous hose made partially from recycle rubber. It has tiny holes that allow the water directly into the soil without letting significant amounts evaporate like a sprinkler does. When I’ve gone to the trouble of harvesting rainwater, I don’t want it going into the air as water vapor. Ultimately, I’ll move the soaker hose around until it shares its moisture with all the thirsty plants.
A few strategic tools, a little physics, a little ecology, and the garden is watered. Yes, it’s fun to be a gardener who teaches science!
>That is an enviable set up–and yes, that water pressure is lacking, you need to really apply the laws of physics to their best advantage!
>Slick!
Looking good.
Joe
>For some reason something attacked our soaker hoses and ate through them. They are a no go here. I love the rain barrels and may get a couple. MUD
>Nice idea! why i didn't think of that. I will also try that one. Thanks for sharing.
-seff-