Juli Lawrence – Rakish Gardening

August 12th, 2007

So I go to the trouble and expense of laying soaker hose everywhere. I just love it because watering is so easy now and a slow drip is better for the plants.

But all of a sudden I’m springing leaks. From the little bit I can find around the net, I’m thinking the water pressure is too high, and these soakers are built for lower pressure. I did put one of the pressure regulator things on the faucet and I know it reduced the pressure. I know that because I use a three gallon bucket to mix up my fertilizer soup (fish emulsion and seaweed) and it takes longer to fill the bucket.

But I think I’m going to go to Lowes, spend the six dollars and get a pressure gauge so I can measure the PSI exactly. If it turns out the pressure is higher than the regulator said it would be, I’m calling the company and insisting on all new hose. I have the receipt for the pressure regulator, and I’ll return it. Then I’ll use the gauge to figure out how far to turn the handle on the faucet at the house to get the correct PSI.

I’m kind of aggravated.

Addendum: I went to Lowes and the gauge was ten dollars, not six. Their website said six, but unless you go in with a product number, they can never find it. I think Lowes does some bait and switch. Anyway, the hose WITH the pressure regulator reads FORTY PSI. The regulator was supposed to take it down to 20. Then when I was in Lowes, this guy I was talking to asked where I lived and said our village water pressure is around 100. WTF?

My whole life I lived in the country with well water and crap water pressure that took 20 minutes to rinse your hair, and then I wish for high water pressure. You sometimes get what you wish for and then it’s too much.

Tags: soaker hoses
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