I agree with filmost. I messed with my high PH for a couple of years by using 50 gallon barrels treated to bring the PH down. I then walked back and forth with watering cans watering my plants. That got old, so I finally raised the barrels 6 ft like a mini water tower and used a short hose, but that was still a pain in the butt.
Then last year somewhere around 300 plants I got lazy and just started just watering from the hose. A beer in one hand and a hose in the other, I felt liberated. Guess what, I did not lose a single plant and I swear I had a better year than any previous year. Of course that could be due to several factors, but to get off the big blue barrel was the best move I have made in a long time. Keep it simple, good healthy aerated soil will go a long way.