Is it better to use a sprinkler or soaker hose to water your shrubs?

Question

Is it better to use a sprinkler or soaker hose to water your shrubs?

Answer 1

Soaker hose.

Answer 2

If you have a large area-like my entire back of my yard- use a sprinkler, but individualy I use a soaker so the roots get thoroughly wet.

Answer 3

A soaker hose is the best.

You do not lose so much to evaporation and you do not wet the foliage as much

Answer 4

I prefer the soaker hoses.  

In addition another frugal method is to use plastic containers (ie half gallon or gallon milk containers).  Puncture holes in the container and place in various target areas of your yard.  Dig a hole in the target spot and bury the container to where the top spout is above the ground.  You can fill the containers and it's a great rain catcher.  You can also put your various ferterlizers into the container.  The roots will get all the nutrients directly and your flowers, trees and shrubs will show you their appreciation.

Answer 5

better to  use a soaker hose.  when you use a sprinkler a lot of the water lands on top of the shurbs and evaporates before it hits the ground.  you want your shrubs strong and healthy so use the soaker so the water can sink down to where the roots are.  the deeper the roots the stronger your shrub will be.

Answer 6

It really depends what you mean by sprinkler or soaker and where you live.  Soakers that send water into the air in arid climates will loose at least half to evaporation and wind.  They do better when water is kept low and applied in cooler part of day.  

Sprinklers apply water over a larger area, which may or may not be what you want.  Sprinklers can apply water in larger droplets which are a bit less likely to evaporate but also can apply water too quickly for the soil to absorb.  Clay soils absorb very slowly, sandy soils quickly and compacted soils can be like concrete!  

Probably soakers will work better if you aren't in a windy or arid climate and you remember to move the soaker from time to time to get a larger root area watered.