Hi Michelle, sorry it took so long to respond. Lots of remodeling going on at my place.

My raised beds around the perimeter of the potager are about 2' wide and 10" deep. The ones on each side of the gate and directly across are about 10' long, while the ones connecting them on the sides are about 14' long. The two smaller ones inside are 3x5. I have a new one in the middle, no pic yet, that is shaped like home plate and is about 5x5.

The soaker hose lengths vary. I do buy the 50' size and cut them to fit. They cut vary easily with a box cutter or utility shears. Mine are connected to the rest of the auto watering system we have and are on timers. My DH folds the cut end under about 2" and drills a screw through the two thicknesses to keep them together and it keeps the water from running straight out.

As for laying them out, I run the hoses around the inside of the beds, about 6 inches in from the sides. I start at my watering connection then continue around the perimeter and back around the bed to the beginning. I do run the hoses next to the plants and since I run them around the beds as described, there is hose on each side of the plants. I fasten them into the soil with u-shaped pins made from the cut off ends of wire coat hangers. This method has worked well for me for years and gets plenty of water to the roots of the plants.

I don't mulch unless something really needs it, but I do try to cover the hoses with the soil, just about 2". This seems to keep them from drying out and keeps the water on top from evaporating too soon. I don't take them up at the end of the season because I can grow things nearly year round. And I often use my potager beds as a holding area for new seedlings, some of which don't get seeded until fall in CA. AND I am lazy! lol! I only take them out when I add more compost, early spring and fall, but they go back in once that chore is finished.

I hope I helped you. Please feel free to ask more ?s if needed. And good luck. I think you will like using soaker hoses. They are so easy and do the best job of watering, especially since the water goes right down to the roots and doesn't spray the leaves which can lead to diseases.

Diana

Diana, I'm keeping your info for later this year. We're getting ready to start construction on a remodel and when it's over the garden gets a faceover. Dh has talked about putting in soaker hoses and I wondered how that worked with raised beds and adding compost a couple times a year.

I've probably seen your garden, but not sure. Would you mind reposting a link?

Thanks for the help!

Harper

Harper, I'm going to keep YOUR post just to remind myself that my DH and I are not the only ones remodeling in AND out. If I get a little goofy, please blame the wood floor glue. ; )

I should have said that the smaller beds in the middle have their hoses laid our differently. This is because they are wider, so I go around a couple of times. You can see it in the first pic.

Diana

Here is a link that might be useful: potager pics

Diana, thanks for the link! I love your layout with the fencing. Initially I wanted to do something similar, but I don't think I have enough room. That design seems to work best on larger lots. I just can't visualize how that would look in my privacy fenced back yard. But I guess that's another thread. LOL

Harper

Diana,

Okay, I think I am losing my mind here! I could have sworn that I posted a "thank you" to you the other day. But it's not here! I hope I didn't post it somewhere else somehow!

Anyway, I want to thank you AGAIN for your detailed explanations as to how you use your soaker hoses. Lowes had a 10 percent discount for military this weekend so I broke down and bought some more of the 10 ft. hoses. I have to admit the 2 10ft hoses together fit my boxes very nicely. So it's worth the money right?

Before I'd gotten your response I had already put hoses that I'd bought earlier in the season under the mulch in a couple of my boxes. I turned them on for the first time about a week ago. A week later the soil was still nice and moist so I was impressed with the ease of using the soaker hoses and impressed with the job the mulch did at keeping moisture in. Maybe I'll spend less time watering this year and more time doing what I really like doing....weeding! lol

It's okay that you took awhile getting back to me. I figured you were out busy doing what I've been doing...gardening!

I hope your remodeling is coming along well. I will be painting my kitchen here soon myself so I'll have a taste of my house being "torn up" for a bit.

Thanks again for your time Diana and thank you sooo much for your beautiful photobucket:)

Michelle