How to Make a Soaker Hose Out of an Old Garden Hose

Easy Drip Irrigation to Keep Your Plants Healthy

By
Erin Huffstetler
Erin Huffstetler

Erin Huffstetler is a frugal living expert who has been writing for over 10 years about easy ways to save money at home.

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Updated on 05/17/23
Reviewed by
Kathleen Miller
Kathleen Miller
Reviewed by Kathleen Miller
Kathleen Miller is a highly-regarded Master Gardener and horticulturist with over 30 years of experience in organic gardening, farming, and landscape design. She founded Gaia's Farm and Gardens, a working sustainable permaculture farm, and writes for Gaia Grows, a local newspaper column.
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Project Overview
  • Working Time: 5 mins
  • Total Time: 5 mins
  • Skill Level: Beginner
  • Estimated Cost: $5

Sometimes the best way to water your garden is with a soaker hose. A soaker hose provides gentle, consistent, deep watering over a relatively large area. All you need to make this handy and useful piece of gardening equipment is an old garden hose you're no longer using. Crafting a soaker hose is relatively easy to do and costs practically nothing. Once you're done, your parched garden will thank you with an offer of beautiful flowers and tasty vegetables.

Green garden hose with holes used as soaker hose next to some garden plants

The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • Cordless drill with 1/4-inch drill bit

Materials

  • Old garden hose
  • Hose cap

Instructions

  1. Find an Old Garden Hose

    Dig through your garage for that old garden hose you're no longer using (like that leaky one that you never fixed or forgot to throw out).

    Green garden hose placed on outdoor soil

    The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

  2. Make Holes in the Hose

    Drill evenly spaced holes along the length of the hose (using a 1/4-inch drill bit) every three inches, taking care to drill through only one side of the hose.

    Orange electric drill creating holes on side of green garden hose

    The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

  3. Attach the Hose Cap

    Screw a hose cap onto one end of the hose. You're forcing the water to gently come out of the holes you made, not the end of the hose. 

    Hose cap secured on end of green garden hose closeup

    The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

  4. Position the Hose

    Place the hose in the area you want to water (it can cover from 1 to 3 feet), ensuring you cover all the spots that need watering. If you have a large garden, you may need to attach two hoses, spacing hoses about 12 to 18 inches apart.

    Green garden hose spread around garden plants

    The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

  5. Attach the Hose

    Attach the open end of your new soaker hose to a garden hose. Next, turn on the water and give your plants the needed soaking. 

    Green soaker hose attached to open end of garden hose

    The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

Materials and tools to create soaker hose out of garden hose laying on outdoor path

The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

The 6 Best Garden Hoses of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

Tips for Using a Soaker Hose

  • Bury the soaker hose under a few inches of mulch to prevent evaporation.
  • Turn the spigot on just enough to make water seep from the holes. The water should not quickly shoot out of the soaker hose holes but gently water the plants.
  • To conserve water and ensure deep watering, run your soaker hose for no more than 30 minutes twice a week. Adjust the amount of soaking you do according to your location and whether your region is experiencing severe drought or (on the flip side) super wet conditions.
  • If you have difficulty remembering to turn off the water, set up a hose timer, and you won't have to trust your memory. You can even buy a timer that has a built-in rain sensor. This handy device detects the wet ground, and your hose automatically skips your scheduled watering.
  • Remove the end cap from your soaker hose occasionally and flush the hose with water to remove clogs. This step is an essential part of the process if you buried your hose under mulch.
  • People often throw out their damaged garden hoses in the early part of spring. If you don't have an old garden hose, watch for old hoses left on the curb on trash day. You can make your soaker hose for the price of a hose cap.
FAQ
  • Are soaker hoses worth it?

    Soaker hoses can provide even and deep watering over a large area with minimal effort on your part. Plus, they avoid getting foliage wet by watering at the plants' base, which helps prevent fungal issues. 

  • What is the difference between a soaker hose and a drip hose?

    While a soaker hose is simply a porous garden hose, drip irrigation is a tube network that emits water. They both water around the base of plants, but drip irrigation can be placed more precisely over plants’ root zones for less water waste.

  • How long should you leave a soaker hose on?

    Using your soaker hose for 30 minutes twice a week is a good place to start. Too short watering sessions might not allow the irrigation to penetrate plants’ root zones.  However, if you live in a wet, humid climate or have plants with low water requirements, you might not need to water as often. 

  • Should I use a soaker hose in the morning or evening?

    It depends on your climate and needs. Watering plants at night helps plants get more water with less evaporating away than during daylight hours. However, watering during the day on hot days can help plants manage the sweltering temperatures.