Soaker hose recommendations

jayne10b

Hi GW

Last year I bought some soaker hoses from Wikos, and needless to say they haven't lasted too well and now I need to replace (buy cheap buy twice).  I was thinking of buying hozelock this time, but wondered if anyone could recommend them if they've had them for a couple of years or more.

TIA

Pete.8

I bought one of these in Spring 2018 and it has performed well for the last 3 summers and still looks fine.
https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01BVVIKSA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This has a slightly larger bore than normal but I managed to connect it to a standard hose with a bit of persuasion.
They also sell the same hose with a normal bore.
Ideally needs to be laid on a warm day otherwise it keeps re-curling up at every opportunity

Fire

Are there advantages to soaker hoses over line drip systems?

KT53

I've had a couple of hozelock soaker hoses for 3 or 4 years and they still seem to perform well.  If the pressure is turned up too high you do get a few very fine jets coming out which generally go unnoticed until you walk into them.

KT53

Fire said:

Are there advantages to soaker hoses over line drip systems?

Drip systems are used more to provide water to individual plants or pots.  Soaker hoses for borders, beds and extended runs of watering.  I use drip for pots, tubs and hanging baskets.  Soaker for new borders and veg areas such as runner beans which require plenty of water.

jayne10b

@Fire I've used both and find that drip lines are a bit fiddly and less forgiving than soaker hoses.  

Obelixx

I had a drip line system in Belgium and ended up bundling it into a big bucket and then giving it away.   Last year I installed a very long, smooth plastic drip hose with holes at regular intervals in our polytunnel and used it to water the tomatoes and peppers and chillies.  It did very well but meant I was watering gaps between plants and had to be very picky about planting later tomatoes to get them sited next to a drink.

Outside in the dahlia bed I had a much more flexible, normal "porous all over" soaker hose and it worked really well so I have bought another of those to use in the polytunnel for this year's tomatoes and will use the longer, "smooth with holes" one outside in a new, larger dahlia and cut flowers bed and bury it under chipped bark and compost to keep off the sun and reduce evaporation.

I've gone off Hozelock products as I paid a lot of money for a wall-mounted, retractable hosepipe and it failed after just a few years.   Now I buy other connectors and any hosepipe on special offer as long as it's long enough and claims to be non kinking.  GC own brands seem OK here.

jayne10b

@Obelixx so what brand have you used instead please?