Switched from a regular garden hose to a soaker hose for my xeriscaping this spring

I was watering my gravel and native plants on Juan Tabo for 20 minutes every other day, but the soaker hose cut that down to 10 minutes and the plants look way better. It puts the water right at the roots instead of wasting it on the surface. Anyone have tips for keeping the hose from getting clogged with our hard water?

3 comments

3 Comments

kim1911mo ago

Actually I've had the opposite experience with soaker hoses here. The hard water clogged mine up completely after one season, even with a filter. I found they waste more water because you can't see when they start leaking or splitting. My gravel just washed away around the spots where the hose leaked. I went back to hand watering with a regular hose and a wand, it takes more time but I know exactly where the water is going.

uma6851mo ago

Honestly @kim191, my soaker hose turned into a fancy sprinkler system last month, I'm basically watering the whole neighborhood.

logan2051mo ago

Hard water is a real killer for those hoses. The mineral buildup happens inside the pores, not just at a filter. Tbh, a filter helps with sediment but won't stop dissolved calcium from eventually clogging the tiny holes. It's a design flaw with the material they use.