# Do home made irrigation hoses work? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 9, 2016, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-home-made-irrigation-hoses-work/756912 "2016-06-09T12:15:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-home-made-irrigation-hoses-work/756912/1 "2016-06-09T12:15:11Z")
I have about 30 new shrubs on the front of my property and an old crappy hundred foot hose that I haven’t used in years. So is it worth winding this among the shrubs and drilling holes where needed to directly water the shrubs? If so what size holes, is 1/16th big enough? Anyone have any success with a homemade specific irrigation hose? ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-home-made-irrigation-hoses-work/756912/2 "2016-06-09T12:37:20Z")
Full instructions here [http://littlepatchofheavenhomestead.com/2012/07/how-to-make-a-soaker-hose-for-0/](http://littlepatchofheavenhomestead.com/2012/07/how-to-make-a-soaker-hose-for-0/) ---
**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2016, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-home-made-irrigation-hoses-work/756912/3 "2016-06-11T05:24:26Z")
here is a table of drip rates from holes [http://www.acwajpia.com/filecabinet/rmnopw/Water\_Ops\_and\_Maint/Water\_Loss\_Monitoring/LEAK\_RATES\_HOLES\_KNOWN\_SIZES.pdf](http://www.acwajpia.com/filecabinet/rmnopw/Water_Ops_and_Maint/Water_Loss_Monitoring/LEAK_RATES_HOLES_KNOWN_SIZES.pdf) ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2016, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-home-made-irrigation-hoses-work/756912/4 "2016-06-11T05:54:37Z")
I’ve worked for two sprinkler system companies, and owned my own. What you are suggesting is a bit unconventional, but could work. 1/16 inch holes sounds about right. Start there. You can enlarge them, can’t make them smaller. Depends on the hose, elevation changes, water pressure… I would not look at this as drip irrigation, but something you turn on every few days for an hour or so. Monitor your hose pressure and keep an eye on it until you feel you are getting enough water out there. It’s worth a shot, but keep an eye on it. ~ or buy some poly irrigation pipe and some drip irrigators and an adaptor for a hose bib (your faucet on your house). Get some stakes for the pipe too. Need to keep an eye on that too. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2016, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-home-made-irrigation-hoses-work/756912/5 "2016-06-11T08:28:56Z")
I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. Start with small holes and make them bigger if you need to (can always make them bigger but can’t go smaller). A bit of trial and error to get the pressure right and you’re set. Having said that, poly piping and accessories is pretty cheap from a hardware store and fun to put together. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2016, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-home-made-irrigation-hoses-work/756912/6 "2016-06-11T12:54:26Z")
It worked, wasn’t too bad but small holes vital. Laid it out and then drilled the holes to match each plant.