A hedge several meters long, possibly encircling the entire garden, is difficult to supply with sufficient water on hot and dry days, armed only with a watering can. An easy-to-lay irrigation hose can help here and ensures even moisture release.
Is a drip hose or a pearl hose better for watering hedges?
Drip and bead hoses are virtually identical: both are perforated irrigation hoses that slowly release water at even intervals. They are ideal for watering hedges gently, economically and evenly, and can be installed both above and below ground.
Is there a difference between drip and bead hose?
Even if some manufacturers claim it: The differences between drip hose (€39.00 on Amazon) and pearl hose are marginal and practically non-existent. Both variants are perforated garden hoses of any length that allow water to escape at certain intervals and thus water the hedge. The moisture only comes out in droplets or beads, so to speak it “sweats out”. This is also the reason why these irrigation hoses are called “sweat hoses”.
Irrigation hoses have many advantages
Irrigation hoses such as drip and pearl hoses release very little water at a time. This is beneficial for hedge plants for various reasons:
- Watering is gentle and very even
- this is particularly beneficial for young plants that would suffer from a hard jet of water
- Water can be absorbed into the soil without losses (e.g. through evaporation)
- Slow watering prevents the soil from drying out
- this in turn saves water because dry soil absorbs water like a sponge
- In general, irrigation hoses are very economical to use
- can be laid above and below ground (e.g. under a mulch cover)
- cope excellently even with low water pressure
Lay pearl and drip hose correctly
Bead hoses and drip hoses can be laid very flexibly and can be adapted to any route. Although these irrigation hoses can also be laid underground, in these cases they tend to get clogged - and are no longer able to do their job. An above-ground installation is therefore preferable, whereby you simply route the hoses along where they are specifically needed. Also make sure not to exceed the maximum length specified in the product description, otherwise the plants will die of thirst at the end of this very long line because nothing will reach them anymore. Although most models require a water pressure of between 0.1 and 0.5 bar for the system to function, these values can be easily achieved with most garden taps.
Tip
If possible, water early in the morning to keep evaporation rates low and save water.