The PVC pipes also have the idea that they would get ruined by the sun. However, that just means that they could be buried or covered up until the point at which they emerge out of the ground. That connection could be replaced as needed if it really does get ruined after a few years.

The soaker hoses also could be covered with something, such as mulch, when being used.

I have also seen someone using a combination of PVC pipe to deliver the water across several beds, then soaker hose or regular hose with holes attached that go within the bed to allow water out. This required a lot of materials, as you would need to cut the hoses up, clamp them, etc to create the lengths that you wanted.

Yes...I understand about the PVC degradation in the sun. I'm a fire sprinkler contractor and our industry uses a special PVC made for outdoor use. It's orange colored. But the difference in cost and how easy it is to replace the above ground lines made regular PVC too inviting.

Thanks for your insight.

Scott

This post was edited by scottmazzy on Tue, May 6, 14 at 14:10

Netafim is better quality than the stuff from the big box stores and is intended for commercial applications including farming, and some of the product lines are intended to lay on the surface with sun exposure and hold up to it. There are different lines depending on application.

Thank you...I'll check it out.

Scott