This long, hot and dry summer is coming to a close. So why not take time this fall to prep for next summer? You will be ahead of the game and wisely water-thrifty by using the lowly soaker hose and faucet timers for all your beds and trees, soaking the ground rather than using sprinklers, where water is subject to evaporation.
Materials needed: soaker hoses in 25- or 50-foot lengths, garden staples and mulch. Faucet timers are optional.
The three easy steps:
1. Snake the soaker hoses around the roots of the chosen vegetation.
2. Pin the soaker hoses down with garden staples—steel wire bent into “U” shapes about 6 inches long.
3. Cover with mulch to a depth of 3 to 4 inches, leaving the hose end connector showing for hookup to your regular hose whenever you want to water.
Voila! You now have a water-wise, zoned irrigation system. How easy is that?
