Rain barrels – Soaker hose

Q: We invested in some rain barrels after the recent drought. They are inconveniently located on the low side of the house. Is there a reasonably priced pump I can use with a soaker hose?

A: Frank Henning, University of Georgia Extension Watershed Agent, says magnetic drive pumps are great if you are hand watering from a rain barrel. They produce lots of volume at low pressure. If you are drip irrigating, pressure compensating emitters require 25 p.s.i. to function properly. For a soaker hose it would be better to use a higher pressure pump powered by either AC or DC current. Pump sources include Northern Tool (www.northerntool.com), Grainger (www.grainger.com) and Coastal Pond Supply (www.coastalpond.com).