[ad_1]
Ease of Use:
Quality:
Performance:
This is the most affordable, easy-to-use watering system for flower and vegetable gardens that I’ve used.
5
Available from Gardener’s Supply
This is a review of the Snip-n-Drip Soaker Hose System from Gardener’s Supply Company but, as always, it starts with a story …
When I picture visiting my dear mother-in-law Lynn in Oregon, I think of three things. First, I picture her lush garden full of multi-colored flowers and textures. Second, I can almost taste the delicious candy gummies she keeps in a jar on her kitchen counter. Third, I picture her bathroom where I spent many hours after discovering that those delicious candies were fiber gummies.
And that’s where I first discovered the Gardener’s Supply Company catalog. When I saw the Snip-n-Drip Soaker System, I knew I needed to give it a try.
Last season, I tested 4 tiller/cultivators for the Gardening Products Review (see my reviews of the Sunjoe 40V cordless cultivator, Earthquake Brez R2, Troy-Bilt gas cultivator, Dirty Hand Tools 10” mini cultivator). In the process of testing those tillers in my 6 raised garden beds, I learned that some idiot had shredded the below-ground water lines in every bed. (Yes, that idiot would be me. What wasn’t already broken, the tillers/cultivators did a nice job of locating and shredding.)
Since I wanted to try my hand at a vegetable garden back home in North Carolina, I ordered the Snip-n-Drip Soaker Hose System. Given the size of my garden beds and the stretches in between them, I ordered extra hoses and couplers to cover everything.
SPECIFICATIONS
| Materials: | PVC garden hose, recycled rubber soaker hose, plastic connectors |
| Included: | Includes 50′ of ½” soaker hose, 25′ of ½” garden hose, one faucet adapter, one quick-connect coupler, eight hose couplers and one end cap |
| Also purchased: | Set of 6 additional Snip-n-Drip couplers; 25’ of ½” Snip-n-Drip soaker hose; 25’ of ½” Snip-n-Drip garden hose. |
| Not included, but recommended: | Pressure regulator |
Flexible, Easy-to-Use System
The ½” green garden hose serves as the solid (non-soaking) hose that carries water from bed to bed. Using the Snip-n-Drip, you’re not wasting water on rocks or weeds. You can customize where you want the water, and take it to just that area. In my case, I used the garden hose sections between each of my garden beds. Inside each bed, I used a soaker hose.
So where does the snip come in? You can cut both the soaker hose and the garden hose to get the customized size you need for your garden. All you need is a pair of scissors.
Simple Installation
From start to finish, it took about an hour to install a customized soaker hose system in my six raised beds. Here’s how I did it.
Since I wasn’t yet sure how much of the new ½” garden hoses I would use, I grabbed an old one from the shed. I connected one end to the water timer pump (water source).
I attached my own garden hose to the water timer near the water source and I concealed the hose behind the beds until I reached the front left bed
To hide the hose, I ran it behind the beds (not so much for aesthetics but because if there is something for me to trip over, I will).
I used a regular garden hose to run water from the well, behind the beds, and to the front left bed.
Then I attached that hose to the push-connector attachment of the soaker hose system.
Following the simple instructions, attach the garden hose to the push connector
Next, I arranged the soaker hose in a bed with some existing flowers so I could better understand the length of soaker hose I would use and where I could plant other flowers. I wanted to fill each bed with enough soaker hose to water what I planned to place in each bed.
I started in a bed that already had flowers and a few plants so I could get an idea of where I would plant other flowers.
I used some temporary stakes to hold the soaker hose in place. Then I unscrewed the end of the connector and slipped it over the soaker hose. I pushed the soaker hose over the nozzle on the connector and tightened the screw back on the connector. That’s it! The first section of soaker hose was done!
Unscrew the end of the connector, slide that screw over the soaker hose, attach the soaker hose to the connector nozzle, and then tighten the screw down
The process of connecting the soaker hose to the solid garden hose also involves the provided couplers. Each coupler has two screw-on ends and a 2-sided nozzle in the middle.
Each coupler has a 2-sided nozzle in the middle and a screw connector on each side
Remove both ends. Insert the soaker hose through one end and push the hose over the 2-sided nozzle. Then tighten the screw over the nozzle. Next, follow the same process with the green garden hose.
Slide the screw end over the hose, and then push the hose over the nozzle. Finally, screw down the end to connect the hose to the coupler
The end result of the connecting the soaker hose with the garden hose via a coupler
When you’re done, connect the end piece to stop the water
When you’re done, use the special end connector piece. It works just like the other couplers, except this one has only one open side and one nozzle.
When I finished, I used a couple of stakes to keep the hose away from my tripping range.
Then I turned on the water – and could immediately see that the system was working, as water slowly seeped out of the soaker hoses.
After a couple of days, I played with my water timer to figure out how long the water needed to run to take care of my new plants.
About Soaker Hoses
Soaker hoses are a fantastic way to water trees, shrubs, flowers and vegetable beds without losing much water to evaporation and runoff. In fact, they typically use 70 to 80% less water than sprinklers.
The hose has porous walls; when the water is turned on, it oozes out through thousands of tiny holes in the hose, letting water seep out into or onto the surrounding soil.
The soaker hose can be laid directly on the ground (preferably below a layer of mulch), buried just under the surface, or even buried 6 or more inches deep (this is commonly done in large vegetable beds).
As soon as I turned the water on, I could see the soaker hose working.
Water pressure is an important consideration with soaker hoses; too high and water sprays out of the hose (rather than oozing), too low and water doesn’t come out at all.
According to Gardener’s Supply Company, the Snip-n-Drip Soaker System works best with a maximum water pressure of 10 PSI. For that reason, they recommend using a pressure regulator if you have higher water pressure at the spigot to which you’ll be connecting your Snip-n-Drip system (most homes are in the 50-80 PSI range).
Also, to ensure that there’s enough water pressure throughout the entire system, don’t connect more than 100 feet of hose to one spigot.
For those of you who garden organically or are concerned about chemicals, you should know that these hoses are made from recycled rubber which is derived from car tires from various locations and sources. The soaker system is not NFS rated to be drinking water safe and ships with a Proposition 65 warning (i.e., “… known to the state of California…”) due to trace elements of metal in the recycled soaker hose. This is something to be aware of with nearly all soaker hoses due to the materials they’re made of.
Gardener’s Supply Company sells 90-degree angle pieces, but I just rigged my hoses using a few stakes to keep them out of the way while I turned the water on to see how it worked
BOTTOM LINE
I loved the price of the Snip-n-Drip Soaker Hose System, and I loved even more how easy it was to put together. Now that my water lines are above ground, I can check them for leaks. And I can remove them before I bring my tiller back in next season! The week after I installed this, I told two of my friends who were looking for an inexpensive but well-designed soaker hose system. They each purchased this system and are also happy with it.
Not only does my wife love it, her tomatoes love it, too
WARRANTY
Gardener’s Supply offers an unconditional warranty. If you are not happy with the product for any reason, you can return it no questions asked. All you have to do is pay the shipping back to the company.
The Snip-n-Drip System is made for Gardener’s Supply Company in Taiwan.
RECOMMENDATION
If you have a garden and need a flexible, affordable, and easy-to-install watering system, the Snip-n-Drip Soaker Hose System is phenomenal. I think it’s the perfect solution for conserving water and keeping your garden happy. Now that I’ve tested it, I will use it when I begin replacing some of my broken below-ground watering systems next year.
WHERE TO BUY
You can order the Snip-n-Drip Soaker Hose System in multiple configurations and for different sized gardens. The Snip-n-Drip Soaker Hose System
You can also sign up on their website to receive news and a catalog. My wife has already folded down the pages of the products she wants to order next growing season. If you’re passionate about gardening, you should become familiar with Gardener’s Supply Company.
Snip-n-Drip Soaker Hose System
[ad_2]
Source link : https://gardeningproductsreview.com/snip-n-drip-soaker-hose-system-from-gardeners-supply-company-review/