Anyone use 'leaky hose' ??

[Losos]

Well Hozelok call it 'Soaker Hose' but on their web sitre they say very little about it.

Do you need a high pressure 'mains' supply for them to work correctly or can they be used on a water butt.

My water butt is about one metre off the ground, would that be enough to equate to a pressure which these leaky hoses might need.

I've never tried this method of watering and I find I have a spare water butt which I could connect to a 'leaky' hose and would save a lot of journeys aorund the garden with a watering can

[Aberdeenplotter]

A gravity feed from a water butt will work just fine and it doesn't even need to be as far off the ground as yours.

[DannyK]

Didn't use mine for long as it was attacked by local wildlife.

It was on surface, so possibly they might need burying to safeguard.

[nickdub]

I've used one off a butt - I found it to be a help but not a 100% solution when the weather is very hot in mid-summer, as the plants needed more water then the the set-up I had could supply - you might want to have a look at capillary matting too.

[4Shoes]

They come with a water regulator. You may find that you can simply remove it if causing problems.

[Losos]

Abereenplotter - Thanks, very useful to have it confirmed.
DannyK - Yes we have plenty of wildlife around here, think I'll still give it a go haha.
nickdub - Yes in very hot summers I am willing to get the watering cans out, will research capillary matting as you suggested also, always appreciate your advice.
4shoes - Useful to know about the 'regulator' thing, don't think I'll be needing it !

I usually buy my watering stuff from 'easygardenirrigation.co.uk' so I'll give them a ring on Monday. I have absolutely no connection with them but have found they are efficient and helpful. If I order before about 2pm it gets from Pembroke (West Wales) to Suffolk (Far eastern England) the next day. I find that pretty impressive but maybe I'm just used to when stuff took a week or more to arrive haha.

[nickdub]

You're very welcome - I've come to the conclusion that low-tech methods suit me best as I'm less likely to break them, but they do mean you need to at least keep an eye on things in case "extras" are needed.

Collecting the water is another story - I have 2 x 1000l IBC's in the garden looking at me reproachfully which in theory are supposed to be put in place for gathering rain water - ho-hum.

[Losos]

Found out today that you need to get a 'head' of 10 metres for 1 bar pressure. Also the horizontal run can't be much more than a few metres (If using standard 13mm hose pipe) Larger diameter hose would help but I don't want the hassle of different hose sizes and having to use adaptors. Capillary matting still a possibility. The guy at easygardenirrigation could have sold me some leaky hose but he was honest and told me that with the long run and little height it wouldn't work very well.

[bario1]

I think that was good advice, I have a soaker hose set up in my small poly tunnel fed by a 40 gallon water tank. It works, but only just, nothing like the amount of water seeps through as when I attach it to the mains.