I don't know how big your garden is and also its a lot hotter in your area but I have found that physically moving the water myself instead of using a hose has really kept my useage down (this wasn't a deliberate decision, we just haven't worked out how to switch the outside taps on, since moving as they are hooked up to a irrigation system)before watering I look at the weather forecast and it takes 3 days without rain before I even think of going out and if it is forecast that day I don't water, but will on the 4th day even with forecast of rain (unless it is aready!) then I only water those that are suffering, I check the garden daily and obviously if something is wilting then I use a cup of water for that plant only. I also hate waiting for the tap to fill my containers so I have taken 1/2 dozen 3 gallon apple juice containers to the bath room and fill them whilst showering or from my childrens bath...that one probably contains some urine as well!!! I am planning on getting the irrigation turned on next month and I will be asking lots of questions, but having had to, I will use the same system on the grass, and the grass can die if a very dry year (not the veggies!) I am from the UK and I haven't been allowed to use a hose for years due to bans on them due to water shortages, so I suppose I have just got used to it. OH and save your rain water, I know some States this isn't allowed but in these times I think they really have to examine their ungreen ways and also what a cheek! how can some company/government OWN rain? they will be taxing Oxygen next!

Soaker hoses aren't that expensive. Why not get two more and leave them instead of constantly moving the one. Then you save a ton of time and don't risk breaking stems each time. So long as you have good drainage, the plants will take what water they need. General rule of thumb is that gardens require one inch of water per week by supplementing rainfall. You will have to adjust throughout the season and be attentive to the amount of rainfall you receive each week. There are two schools of thought on watering. Frequent shallow waterings or less frequent long, deep waterings. The general rule of thumb is that mature plants need 1-2 inches of rain per week in summer. You should provide whatever portion of this moisture is lacking. One inch of rain equals 65 gallons per 100 square feet of garden space. But this is just a guide. Time of the season, stage of the plants, soil composition, and many other factors affect the amount of water required. Be consistent during fruit production. Mulched plants require less water than plants that are not mulched. Raised beds require more than non-raised beds. If a good amount of compost is incorporated into the soil, less water is needed. Compost holds 6 times it's weight in water. Watering too frequently and too heavily is just as hard on plants as too little water. Roots require oxygen just as much as they require water and nutrients. Dry winds dehydrate plants. Cooler temps require less water. Those using drip irrigation whether from a soaker hose or milk jug are likely getting the best use of their water which is going right where it needs to go and the ground has time to absorb it. There are hundreds of methods of watering. Whatever you do, just be consistent. But I do agree, twice a day sounds like too much. Roots require oxygen equally as much as they require nutrients and water. I personally believe in a couple of deep waterings per week with the use of 2 inches of mulch to reduce evaporation and maintain a more stable soil temperature. Plants recover from dehydration much better then they ever recover from the roots being suffocated by drowning so under watering is better than over watering until you get the hang of it. Oxygen is equally as important as water and nutrients and rain water is always better than municipal tap water.

I have soaker hoses in four separate garden areas, all running off one timer. There are lots of Y connections, which come with 2 valves each. I use sections of garden hose to connect the areas. Where the garden hose needed to cross a lawn, I cut a slot with a straight-edged shovel, pushed the hose to the bottom of the slot, then by stepping on the slot, the grass closed up. I don't have soaker hoses longer than 50 to 60 feet, and I sometimes take the cap off the far end to check that all the water hasn't soaked out before it reaches the end. On one long perennial bed 6 ft wide, I have four soaker hoses in parallel 18" apart. On shorter beds, I wind the soakers back and forth in a serpentine pattern. I try to put the hoses between the flowers, not too close to them. I have a potted plant hanging from a shepherd's crook at the end of one of these beds, so I plugged a drip line into a soaker hose and ran it up the shepherd's crook. It needs a little more pressure to get the water up to the hanging pot, but it works. The pot gets water much longer than it needs, but the extra water just drains out the bottom. Some years I've had the soaker hose on top of the ground, and other years nearly buried in the mulch (barely visible). The water flows faster when above-ground, but when buried, it seems that the flow nearly stops when rain has already soaked the ground. (I have high clay content.) So I don't turn it off when it rains. Squirrels, shipmunks, and winter frost haven't done any harm to the system, but I remove the outdoor timer over winter. I also have a drip system for a potted herb garden, but that's on a separate timer. Jim

I don't know anyone who has rain all season. I sure don't and have to make sure the barrels are empty before they freeze and burst. I set the barrels up to collect the early season rainfall. Sometimes I use it all other times I don't. If the barrels get empty I fill a couple from the hose which allows time for the chlorine to dissipate and for the sun to warm the water. I have nothing to measure the pressure in the hose but I do know that soaker hoses require pressure to move the water from the inside of the hose to the outside. I have learned to use gravity where available and having a downhill slope to the garden does help the water to run to the end of the hose. One secret to using rain barrels is to make certain they are on a level surface and they are elevated high enuff (alright two secrets) to get a 5 gal bucket under if you want to use gravity. I use cinder blocks, two high, with 2x lumber (say 2x8) across the cinder blocks to hold two 55 gal barrels. A full barrel is extremely heavy say a 55 gallon barrel might be 50gal x8lbs = 400lbs. So you'll want to make sure the cinders are level BEFORE filling with water. I do have to use a sump pump to get some rainwater up the slope to the barrels closer to the garden which I either use the soaker hoses on or just an open end hose for watering or simply washing/rinsing hands, etc. These are the barrels that I fill with city water if the need arises; been a couple yrs since that was needed. I also use 30 gal garbage pails under the down spouts to facilitate using the sump pump (or buckets dipped in the water). I squirt baby oil on the water to deter insects such as mosquitoes. The barrels have a cover and are not a problem with insects. I do have another 30 gal garbage can with a spigot on the bottom I make compost tea in. Of course you can also just use a bucket to dip into the barrel. I use an aquarium pump in that to help brew but that is another topic entirely.