The rain barrel soaker hose is a hose that is specially devised for rain barrels and gravity-fed water systems. It is not the typical hose that you know where water just flows but it is one that cleverly absorbs water.
Rain barrel soaker hoses are used mainly to water trees, shrubs, gardens, and gravity-irrigation systems as they can operate even without electricity. The body of the soaker hose usually consists of extremely tiny holes that drip slowly until the water reaches the soil surface completely.
Typically, rain barrels need soaker hoses to efficiently water your garden as it provides drip watering not only to your garden but also to nearby plants. Rain barrel soaker hoses are proven to be the best watering system for foliage, helping them to thrive and develop well.
Since it doesn’t consume much water, given that it works with low pressure, soaker hoses do not overflow, making them cost-efficient than other types of hoses. This is also the reason why it is one of the most recommended hoses to buy – because it not only waters your plants healthily but you also get to conserve large amounts of water.
Will a Soaker Hose Work With a Rain Barrel?
Technically, since rain barrels aren’t designed to host high pressure water, dripping water to plants using soaker hoses may seem insignificant and minimal. But even if it works slowly in that way, they are without a doubt the most efficient way for watering your plants using a rain barrel. They not only conserve water but they assure that your plants get equal water distribution which is important in growing them healthily.
How Does a Rain Barrel Soaker Hose Work?
Designed specifically for rain barrels, the rain barrel soaker works simply by slowly dripping rain water through the small holes on its body. Rain barrels soaker hose work almost similarly like drip hose except that soaker hoses are not pressure compensating. Since rain barrel soaker hoses are used in gravity-fed irrigation systems, you should expect it to just rely on gravity to do all the watering.
What is the Best Length for a Rain Barrel Soaker Hose?
Rain barrel soaker hoses usually come in 50 feet, 75 feet, 100 feet, and 500 feet rolls. However, most hoses should run normally in a 50-75 feet length. Don’t fall into the trap that long hoses are better because they aren’t.
Preferably, if you are aiming to create your own watering system, you should use 580 compression fittings as they are designed to fit perfectly and easily to any soaker hose that you will install. You might also want to set-up a 200 mesh filter to keep debris and litter from causing congestion on your hose.
Does a Rain Barrel Have Enough Pressure for a Soaker Hose?
Regular soaker hoses need at least 10 psi to allow water to accelerate through the hose going to the soil surface. Rain barrels don’t have this much capability because its bases its watering system through gravity.
The Benefits of Rain Barrel Soaker Hose
For years, lawn-owners and gardeners have been reliant to soaker hoses for various reasons.
- When it comes to functionality, longtime gardeners know that this type of hose is simply more consistent than others. This is because of how well it works without needing high levels of pressure on its watering system.
- Significantly, rain water, which is the hose’s main source of water, is deficient in minerals. While this may not be directly visible in your watering operations, small traces of minerals from regular tap water can accumulate and impede the flow of the gravity-fed irrigation system.
- Rain barrel soaker hoses are proven more cost-effective than others because it uses rain water and therefore, minimizing the consumption of water.
- Rain barrel soaker hoses do not need electricity to water a whole garden. Instead, they work naturally with the help of gravity.
- Rain water is better than tap water because it contains less chemicals that can affect the growth of plants.
- Rain barrel soaker hoses are very easy to install.
How to Use a Rain Barrel Soaker Hose Successfully?
- To successfully use your rain barrel soaker hose, you need to make sure that all parts fit together. Soaker hoses are eligible for customization as you can create how you want them long and configured.
- To install it correctly, you should connect your soaker hose to the rain barrel using a female faucet adapter.
- Then to keep the water flowing, insert an end cap at the end of the hose. But take note before you do this, you should clean the hole first and also covered with 200 mesh filter to prevent clogging.
Do You Need a Special Hose for a Rain Barrel?
Since rain barrels work with the help of gravity and rain, buying a special hose may not be actually needed especially if you have a pump available for your rain barrel. However, if you want to grow your plants more efficiently, regular hoses won’t do that work well because they may put too much water pressure which you don’t want.
Final Verdict
The rain barrel soaker hose was designed specifically for rain barrels. Fabricated with more porous material, it can discharge water so efficiently that it nearly has zero loss to evaporation. Moreover, it works best when your water system is set up properly. So what you want is a continuous flow of water to maximize your hose’s function.
With the many benefits it provides, the rain barrel soaker hose is sure to gratify the needs of every plant lover. It is reliable in terms of water delivery and it is easy to install making it one of the most preferred hose in the market.