I have a neat little idea I thought I'd share. After having one too many hoses chewed up by the lawnmower, I decided to put my hoses underground. I can't afford a big fancy installed watering system, and this "cheapo" version works pretty well.

First, I dug a small trench thru the lawn from the outdoor faucet to the vegetable garden. The trench is maybe 6-8 inches deep and only about 4-6 inches wide. IT DOES NOT NEED TO BELOW THE FROST LINE. In my garden, the distance from faucet to garden was about 60 feet. This was an easy dig, a lot easier than I expected (I did it in early spring when soil was soft. And I did not have to go through any hard surfaces (sidewalks, etc.)

Then, I bought some 1 1/2 PVC pipe at Lowe's in 10-foot lengths, plus the connectors to link it all up. Plus two 45-degree "elbows" that go on either end: one where the hose goes in, one where the hose comes up.

Just lay the pipe into the trench, thread through the hose, cover over the trench and there you are: hose underground.

Here's 3 hints. 1. It's much easier to thread the hose through the pipe BEFORE the pipe is all connected and underground. In other words, sort of string the pipe onto your hose like it's a giant string of "beads." Or, string a piece of clothesline or tough rope through the pipe as you're laying it so you have something to pull the hose through the pipe with.
2. I glued my pvc pipe and connectors together (with PVC cement), but I don't think that's absolutely necessary, especially if you intend to leave the hose in place permanently. (If you're going to be pulling it out and putting it back you'll want solid, smooth joints or the hose can hang up.) 3. ALWAYS leave something threaded through the pipe, either the hose itself or a piece of rope. Trying to wee-jee a hose through a pipe (esp. if it's a long one) is a frustrating slow job.

You can pull the hose out and store it for winter if you want, but I've left mine in place for YEARS and had no problems. (We routinely have below freezing winters) The trick is to make sure it's empty of water at the end of the season. Usually just disconnecting it from the faucet and taking off any sprinklers at the "output" end and letting it sit for a few weeks is enough to evaporate out any water. Or, if you have a compressor, you can "blow the line" with a shot of air.

I've got two long lines of these "underground hose conduits" in my yard (8 years and counting) and I'm planning to install two more this fall. It's a real time saver, no more pulling in and laying out hoses.

wow, cool idea, Annie!

Sounds like a great idea, but it wouldn't work for me. I have 2 spigots with 4 splits on each one. Not only do I need to turn the splits on and off according to where I want to water, but I need to move the hose 30 feet twice to get all the plants watered. I use to reel in the hoses, but now I just get off the mower and move the hose to a spot that has already been done.

Moving the hose is one of my least favorite jobs! Right now I have a super long hose that I use in the backyard. I rarely use it in the front yard because it's a pain to move it there. I know, I know--just buy another hose!

This idea works best in those cases where you have a hose that just sort of "lays there" all summer, one you don't need to disconnect and move around. In my case, it's the long one that runs from the house to the veg garden. At the veg garden fence, I attach a shorter hose with a nozzle, or sprinklers, or a divider and other hoses, etc. Think of the underground hose as a sort of "water pipe" that you will be attaching other hoses to. I have a second one that runs from the outside faucet to the lower part of my property. I usually keep a 4-way splitter on the faucet during the summer so I can run 4 "water lines" at once.

I neglected to envision splitters at the end of the buried hose!!! Picture is getting more vivid.

It's my fault for not being more clear. I should have said that the underground hose acts as a sort of "water pipe" or "conduit" so you can attach another hose or sprinklers or whatever you like at either end. The one running to my garden only comes out of the ground about 3-4 feet. I always attach another hose to it, and just go from there. It's one of those things where, once you do it, you'll wonder why you did not do it before.

Annie, no fault at all--that is a great explanation!

I put a 4-way splitter at the house end of the run. Then:
1. 10' "local"
2. 75' Waaaaaaay in the back
3. 75' for the back and one side
4. 50' to a 2-way splitter on the side of the house. One port is for a soaker hose and the other is a 50' for that side and the front.

For #2, I have to cross a brick patio. So, I have a short hose with a quick-connect on the 'business' end that reaches to the other side of the patio. It connects to a quick-connect on the 75' hose that is buried. I used the non-shut-off quick connect so that the hose drains automatically when I disconnect. This has been in place for about 5 years now.

#4 is snaked around the patio and brick work to the bed on the side.

Someday, (when I'm working again), I'll actually bury the above ground under the brick work. But, not this year!

Good ideas, Rick! I really have to do something to help irrigate my back yard, because I have lots of water-needy shrubs growing on steep slopes. Every summer I say that, then comes the fall when I actually could install driplines without stepping on perennials, and do I do anything to make my life easier the following season?? Nooooo....