My Garden Has Snorkels!

I live in Texas. That means I live in Texas, period. And if you know, you know, summer here feels a whole lot like gardening on the surface of the sun. Garden beds don’t just struggle… they suffer.

Last year, in a moment of “well, why not?” inspiration, I had a wild idea I decided to test out. And today, I get to tell you how it went.

I bought 8-foot sections of perforated French drain pipe and buried them right down the center of my garden beds. I dug a long trench, tucked the pipe in under the soil, and left each end peeking out above ground. Does it look a little funny? Absolutely. Looks like my garden sprouted snorkels. But those little openings let me slide the hose right in and flood the pipe whenever I water.

Instead of shallow, surface-level watering that evaporates before you can say “Texas heat advisory,” I’m watering deep, right where those roots actually need it. And y’all… it worked! I saw healthier plants, stronger root systems, and water that actually stayed put instead of ghosting me into thin air.

It might look a little crazy, but crazy worked.

If you’re gardening in a climate where the sun tries to roast you and your tomatoes, give this method a try. Your plants just might thank you.