I'm not really clear on what you're trying to do with milk jugs, but I've never had a hose damage my plants, as long as it's fitted with a proper watering nozzle.

The OP is trying to water slowly and steadily (similar to drip irrigation) by filling up the gallon jug and allowing the water to leak out. I tried it once when I first started gardening but didn't like it (or I didn't know what I was doing; which is likely). It was hard to get the water to stream out at the right pace and if the jug gets empty it will blow around (adding rocks inside seems to fix that).

Try making the bottom hole on the side of the jug near the bottom, instead of actually on the bottom. That way the hole isn't underneath the jug and won't get clogged. But I agree loribee, I haven't damaged my plants by watering from a hose nor have millions of other people.

Rodney

Yeah, that's sort of what I was thinking. Given the comment, " I have raised beds, lots of them" I can't see how setting upside-down milk jugs next to every plant would be easier or less time-consuming than laying a soaker hose down the bed then letting it run for a while.

I'm so confused... so are you laying out tons of milk jugs with holes in them and filling them up one by one every day and making a slow-water system this way? My goodness that sounds like A LOT of work! Why won't a soaker hose work? Why couldn't you find a way to put like stakes in the ground along your raised beds, and use zip-ties to attach a soaker hose along the stakes above the plants? You know what I mean? I don't think I've ever seen it done, but it would work... no reason it wouldn't. If you have "lots" of raised beds, then maybe you just don't want to go through the hassle of hosing them down every day which is understandable... or maybe they're REALLY fragile or young?

I'm honestly curious on what you're trying to water and why you chose this idea... but anyway that's what I would do. Just get a long soaker hose going, and zip-tie it parallel to your raised beds on stakes above the plants. Don't try to "hang" a gallon of water from anything. Water is 8 lbs a gallon and if you get a storm, you'll have 8 lb crushing jugs of water probably taking out most of your crop when a good wind comes through and knocks them down.

I made this VERY primitive picture from a free drawing website to show you what I mean. :)

Or just lay the soaker hose on the ground along the base of the plants.

I can't do drip irrigation due to lots of minerals in my well clogging them up. I've tried the milk jugs, but by the time I filled the jugs I had pretty much watered the plants!
Most of the time I set up soaker hoses in my larger (4x8) beds with a set up of a 4 way faucet with hoses leading to the soaker hoses. this way I could turn the hose on one bed that needed to be watered every other day and one that needed it once a week. I would make sure I was home at the time and set my kitchen timer for that time (usually 1/2 hour)
This year I got distracted by a trip to Hawaii, so I'm having to hand water every couple of days (therapy!)
I did use the milk jugs in a school garden when we were going to have a very hot weekend, but as theforgottenone said, they tend to blow away.
With LOTS of raised beds, I would consider an automatic drip system. I have about the equivalent of 9 raised beds and do fine with hand watering. BUT I'm home most of the time!
Good luck and good gardening! Nancy

Also the OP might consider rather than hanging the jugs from anything, or simply placing them on the ground, perhaps cutting the tops off, punching some appropriately sized holes in the bottom, and burying the jugs near the plants, and just filling up the jugs and letting the water slowly seep into the ground. Of course the holes would have to be the right size, but I really don't think soil could completely stop the flow of water... the water would sink in eventually, and the OP would have to adjust the debt of the jugs so they reach the root system, not too deep if that's even possible. Sort of a tiny watering system made up of the "deep watering" trick with the bucket that lots of gardeners do for their zucchini and such. Only thing is the jugs wouldn't be "reusable" after that except for that purpose.

Here are several methods that I have used.1. drill a 1/4" hole in the bottom of a bleach bottle 2. cut a triangle piece of cloth 8" tall and 5" wide at the base --non cotton cloth only-I used an old sweat pants of a material similar to spandex-woven not fluffy on one side. 3.tie a piece of string to the top of the triangle about 1/2" down. 4. thread the string thrue the hole and out of the top and pull on the string in order to draw the cloth into the hole and make sort of a leaky stopper-the harder you pull the slower the flow. 5. screw on the top after filling with the string hanging out to allow air to enter..--- the cloth is the most critical part--some adjustment is always neccessary--the flow will slow down as it empties.
II. the quickest way-not the most adjustable-- cut a 6x6" cloth -see above-make a pin hole in jug handle for air to enter fill jug with water-place cloth over spout and use screw top to tighten down on cloth to slow flow and adjust.
III. drill a larger 3/8 hole in a 5 gallon bucket -cut your cloth larger and with extra cloth to act like a filter when folded inside the bucket. I get 2-3 uses from my pond befor I have to pull it out -rinse it off and reinsert--I use a forked stick to hold the folds down over the back of the hole to act as a prefilter.
IV. 5 gallon bucket--lenght [say 6 ft.] of 3/8 inside diameter clear plastic hose-from hardware store-drill a hole near bottom of bucket the outside diameter of your hose-insert the hose in the hole 1/2" now find a old ball point pen unscrew the front from the back and insert the front into the 1/2" of hose to wedge it in place and make it a water tight seal.- cover this water outlet with several layers of sheer curtain type material held down wit a forked stick to act as you filter. --to controll the flow at the plant end you can try another ball point pen inserted into the hose as before but this time take out the ink cartridge and rescrew the top back on -loose for more flow tight for less flow-- adjust with a cloth filler for better controll.
I hope you can use one of these as is orpart of one to design your own. Good luck!

Picture of bleach bottle slow dripper

I have tried it.
You make needle hole(s) on the side of a milk jug, near the bottom. (Heat a needle with matches or cigarette lighter and pierce the jug).

fill the jug with water with the lid on it , but not tight.If you tighten it up, the jug will collapse.

Depending on the size and number of holes the jug will become empty 2 to 6 hours.

So what is the point ? It is a worthless effort , I found out.

This post was edited by seysonn on Thu, Jul 10, 14 at 3:33

I do this with some of my tomato plants,
I bury an empty water jug with small knife slices about 6 " away from plant when I plant. leave the lid on except when watering. It slowly drips out near roots and great way to fertilize if necessary. replace cap, no dirt.
works for me. kim

I did not explain very good......I am using large containers (tanks) holding previous (water from sky)...... I am on hills... all is gravity....
I have plenty of soaker hoses..... doesnt work too well on gravity. Tried it at old house..... Plus they clog.... I dont want to "water the straw and cardboard "paths" (many paths),,, between all the "boxes" I have over 20 BEDS.... Large large area.... Gave up last nite on hoses. as come back toward the 4 way hoses' (with 50 ft hoses) manifold. loses pressure and hose kept catching on every corner etc.......
wish I could use the grey water but Hubby is overwhelmed with this place as is.... the Honey do list keeps getting longer... and wind and heat is drying even the creek dry...

It sounds to me like you are trying to grow a garden bigger than your environment can support.