Depends on your water pressure, but based on my experience I would expect that 50' was close to the max. We connect the hose to a Tee in the middle of our soaker hoses to even out the pressure in the water heading towards each end, as I found connecting the hose to one end the plants near that got a lot more water than the ones at the far end. Soaker hose bend double [at the ends] and tied tight with wire, or perhaps a pull tie, will effectively shut off the end.
We use a 1/2" barbed Tee (the type used to connect drip irrigation distribution smooth-pipe) in the middle of the soaker hose, a short piece of the 1/2" smooth distribution-pipe on that, terminated with a hozelock connector (actually we use Geka fittings but Hozelock will do, we just don't find that they last as long), and then attach the hose to that. Its quite hard to get ordinary hose onto the 1/2" barbed connectors, but easier with the smooth pipe (which can be dipped in hot water if it is hard to get on).
Keep it clean when not in use, otherwise the soil falling inside will tend to block the pores.
We use 3/4" hose, rather than 1/2", as it maintains pressure much better. Probably no issue up to 25M, not significant to 50M, but definitely significant here over 50M (I have some timings of how long it takes to fill a bucket at various lengths for 1/2" and 3/4" comparison if anyone is interested ...)
I would use capillary matting, rather than overhead watering, for seedlings, and I wouldn't use overheat watering for crops like Tomatoes (likely to help blight) and Cucumbers (ditto Botrytis) and crops like Lettuce as it tends to splatter the earth and some winds up inside the lettuce heart as it grows. You could "replenish" the water in the capillary matting with soaker hose down the middle (between trays / pots)
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August 31, 2014, 09:09