In my past row gardens I used 3gal. buckets (placed in small depression on top of the soil) with holes (size of a nail) drilled in the side near the very bottom. Though more labor intensive than soaker hoses, I found I used less water and felt I was getting the water where it was needed. I use rain water.

Example- with tomatoes spaced 4ft each way
T ... T
... B
T ... T
T=Tomatoes
B=Bucket
I can see buried bottles getting clogged (the buckets did) and just holding the water for the rest of the summer. I used a nail to unclog but that is a pain. Experiment with the size hole to drill. Larger hole won't get clogged as easy but once drilled you can't make it smaller. So start small.

Hints: Drill all holes directly below where the handle attaches so you know where to find it when unclogging or placing bucket (they are ALL the same). I also marked arrows to point out holes. They do get dirty. Drill one hole or one on each side of handle or directly in bottom. I like the side so I can see if water is seeping out. Mark the bucket so they can be identified. Make an many as you can. I moved mine - one side today, the other side tomorrow. I could see how much water was going into soil. I think 5 gal. might be a bit much but would use whatever I could get free. You don't have to fill completely. In fact marking the inside may help to give measured amounts. Clean out buckets good, including bottom. Use bleach.

I might go back to a few soakers since buckets may be difficult inside the SFG. But will likely use buckets outside the frame since roots travel a good way. Lugging buckets was/is an exercise routine for me.

Last year, I tried coiling up a soaker before planting corn but the corn was uprooted by a few skunks as soon as they sprouted. I got discouraged and didn't have much in the way of corn. They didn't bother the seedlings I transplanted but the sprouts went fast. Apparently they like the seeds on the sprouts.

Planning to use more rain barrels this year and will likely attach a few soakers and let gravity do the work. There goes my exercise plan. Will likely take longer. I think watering is a bit uneven this way also. Buckets - back to buckets. Maybe even coffee cans (inside frame) using the same concept. Bottles have such a small neck opening.

Mulch after the soil warms but before the weeds start. Then mulch, mulch, mulch. Mulch goes along way to keep soil moist, keep the weeds down, and attract earthworms to digest the mulch and feed your plants.

Hope that gives you more ideas. If I used bottles I would keep them on top to save digging them back up to unclog. Guess you could always use draino (just kidding).

Good Luck,
Gumby

Hi:

I bought 8" plastic spikes that have holes in 'em and are meant to screw onto the 2 L bottles. I filled the spikes with sand and attached it to the bottle and had that feeding my tomatoes (in containers) last year.
Worked great for me! I also used rainwater when I could.
Here's a link to the "aqua spikes":
http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page.aspx?c=1&p=10408&cat=2,2280,33159&ap=1

I got spikes like that too. I liked them too. Much easier than burying a bottle but I think you are thinking even deeper. For me the spikes go plenty deep enough.

Dear Gumby, Mitanoff and Jess. Thank you very much for your help! It was greatly appreciated. I like the aquaspike idea and a special thanks to Mitanoff for the link to Lee Valley. I shall try both methods --- the spike method for the trellis vegies and melons and the bucket method for some shrubs. I agree, especially here in mid-Kansas that the mineral deposits clog the holes very fast and very often. I think for my purposes that the spikes will be easier to clean and unclog, i.e., easiest to pull up, clean and reset. We'll see. I have already placed an order with Lee Valley. Thanks again, each of you, for your helpful input. Shamba

Would be interested in hearing how the bottles and spikes worked in this hot summer heat?

My soakers didn't work out in the SFG so I am back to a combination of buckets and just an open ended hose on the rain barrels, for those in reach of the barrels anyway. Got 300 gallons from the thunder storm tonight. So far i haven't had to use the city water. Such a deal.

Here is a link that might be useful: Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station