How to Winterize a Soaker Hose

It's necessary to winterize a soaker hose in order to keep it in good working condition. If a soaker hose is left out for the winter, it will crack and split from extreme temperature changes, making it useless come springtime. Properly maintaining and winterizing a soaker hose should take less than fifteen minutes, and will provide many more seasons of good use.

Things You'll Need

• Hose support or reel
• Damp cloth
• Hose repair kit
• Storage area

Instructions

1. Unscrew the hose from the faucet using a counterclockwise motion.

2. Lay the hose out straight in a sunny area, removing any kinks as you go. Kinks will cause a hose to weaken in that area, according to Sherry Rindels of the Department of Horticulture in Iowa. (See Reference 1)

3. Use a damp cloth to wipe off caked-on mud, and inspect the hose for tears, holes or cracks. Make any necessary repairs and fix weak areas according to the hose repair kit directions.

4. Raise one end of the hose and coil it loosely around your shoulder, under your arm, and back up again until it is wrapped up. As you are coiling, water should be draining out the other end of the hose. If all of the water has not been removed after the initial coiling, repeat the process.

5. Place the coiled hose in a dry location on a hose reel or hose support. It's best to not place it on nails, according to Sandra Mason of the Horticulture and Environment Champaign County Unit in Illinois. (See Reference 2)

Tips & Warnings

• Recruiting a helper will help the process of removing water and coiling the hose quicker and easier.

References

• Iowa State University: Winterizing Garden Equipment
• University of Illinois Extension: Winterizing Garden Tools