To time a soaker hose, divide the water your bed needs by how fast the hose delivers it. A bed needing 15 gallons on a 25 foot hose that emits about 0.5 gallons per foot an hour runs roughly 72 minutes. Enter your water, hose length, and flow below to get the runtime.
Try a preset:
Your entries stay in your browser. Nothing is sent to a server or saved to an account.
What Your Result Means: the runtime is how long to run the soaker hose so the bed gets its target water. Soaker output varies a lot with pressure and product, so check the soil after a run and verify your flow with a catch test.
How Do You Set Soaker Hose Runtime?
Enter the water your bed needs for one session, the length of your soaker hose, and its output per foot. The tool multiplies length by output to get the hose flow, then divides your water target by that to find the runtime.
- Enter the Water This Session, the gallons the whole bed or row needs each time you water.
- Enter the Hose Length, the feet of soaker actually laid in the bed.
- Enter the Output, from the product or a catch test, then calculate the runtime.
What Each Result Means
| Result | What It Tells You |
|---|---|
| Runtime | Minutes to run the hose each session |
| Total hose output | Gallons per hour the whole hose delivers |
| Water this session | The target volume for the bed |
| Output per foot | The flow rate used |
Soaker Runtime by Length
Roughly how long to deliver 15 gallons at an output of about 0.5 gallons per foot an hour, by hose length.
| Hose Length | Total Output | Runtime for 15 gal |
|---|---|---|
| 20 ft | 10 GPH | about 90 min |
| 25 ft | 12.5 GPH | about 72 min |
| 50 ft | 25 GPH | about 36 min |
| 100 ft | 50 GPH | about 18 min |
How Does the Runtime Math Work?
A soaker hose weeps water along its whole length, so its total flow is the output per foot times the length. Dividing the water you want by that total flow gives the hours, which the tool turns into minutes.
Runtime hours = water this session divided by total output
Runtime minutes = runtime hours x 60
Because output per foot varies with water pressure and hose type, the safest number comes from a catch test: run the hose into containers for a set time and measure.
Worked Example
Say your bed needs 15 gallons a session, laid with a 25 foot soaker hose that emits about 0.5 gallons per foot an hour. The total output is 25 times 0.5, or 12.5 gallons per hour. Dividing 15 by 12.5 gives 1.2 hours, so about 72 minutes per session. Check the soil is moist to root depth afterward.
Factors That Change the Runtime
- Water pressure: higher pressure raises output per foot; a pressure reducer keeps soakers even.
- Hose length: long runs lose pressure toward the far end and water unevenly.
- Hose type and age: flat and round soakers differ, and pores clog over time, lowering flow.
- Weather: heat raises the water the bed needs, lengthening each run.
- Soil type: sandy soil needs shorter, more frequent runs than clay.
Understanding Your Outputs
| Output | Meaning | Best Used For |
|---|---|---|
| Runtime | Minutes per session | Setting a hose timer |
| Total output | Whole-hose flow | Comparing hoses |
| Water this session | Target volume | Meeting the bed’s needs |
| Output per foot | Flow rate used | Verifying with a catch test |
When to Use It
Use it when setting up a soaker hose on a timer, when a heat wave changes your watering need, or when you add or shorten hose. It pairs with the watering calculator, which gives the gallons the bed needs that this tool turns into minutes.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Guessing the output: soaker flow varies widely, so measure yours with a catch test.
- Running too long a hose: over about 100 feet the far end barely weeps; split into shorter runs.
- No pressure reducer: full house pressure can burst or over-run a soaker.
- Never checking the soil: dig down after a run to confirm the water reached the roots.
- Same time all season: raise the runtime in summer heat and cut it after rain.
Accuracy and Limitations
The math is exact; the output figure is the uncertain part.
What It Calculates Accurately: runtime from your water target, hose length, and output per foot.
What It Does Not Account For: pressure changes, uneven weeping along a long hose, or clogging. A catch test gives the real output, and soil checks confirm the result.
Methodology
Method: water target divided by total hose flow to get runtime. Inputs Used: water per session, hose length, output per foot. Formulas: total output = output per foot x length; runtime hours = water divided by total output; minutes = hours x 60. Typical output: soaker hoses deliver roughly 0.3 to 1 gallon per foot an hour depending on pressure and type; measure yours with a catch test. Rounding: minutes to the nearest whole, output to one decimal. Edge cases: a zero or empty input prompts for valid numbers.
Sources: Iowa State University Extension – Growing Tomatoes, Royal Horticultural Society – Tomatoes, The Old Farmer’s Almanac – Tomatoes. Last reviewed: September 24, 2026 · Reviewed by Aiza Anwar.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should I run a soaker hose for tomatoes?
Long enough to deliver the bed’s water for that session, often 30 to 90 minutes depending on hose length and output. Check the soil is moist to root depth afterward.
How much water does a soaker hose use?
It depends on length and pressure, but roughly 0.3 to 1 gallon per foot an hour. A 25 foot hose might deliver around 12 gallons an hour.
Is a soaker hose good for tomatoes?
Yes. It delivers water slowly to the soil, keeps leaves dry to reduce disease, and wastes little to evaporation, much like drip.
How often should I run a soaker hose on tomatoes?
Usually 2 to 4 deep sessions a week for beds, more in heat. Deep, less-frequent watering builds stronger roots than daily light runs.
Which is better for tomatoes, a soaker hose or drip?
Both water at the roots and keep leaves dry. Drip gives more precise, even delivery; soaker hoses are cheaper and simpler for a row or small bed.
How do I know how much water my soaker hose delivers?
Do a catch test: place containers along the hose, run it for a set time, then measure the water collected to work out gallons per hour.
Should I bury a soaker hose?
Lay it on the soil surface under mulch rather than burying it deep. That protects it, cuts evaporation, and keeps the pores from clogging with soil.
Can I run a soaker hose on a timer?
Yes. Set the timer to the runtime this tool gives, add a pressure reducer for even output, and adjust the days as the weather changes.
Why is my soaker hose watering unevenly?
Usually too long a run or too much pressure, so the near end soaks and the far end barely weeps. Shorten the hose and add a pressure reducer.
Related Tomato Tools
Use the Watering Calculator
This calculator gives general soaker hose runtime estimates. Real output varies with pressure, length, and hose type, so verify with a catch test and check the soil. Spotted an error? Tell us here.