Proper Storage for Your Garden Hose

Garden hoses may be the most overlooked and undervalued of all gardening tools. A good garden hose is as important as a hoe, rake or spade, but many gardeners ignore and mistreat their garden hoses. Those gardeners pay the price in the form of tangled and cracked hoses, leaking garden hoses and unwieldy hoses that lie in wait to trip the unwary.

Properly selected and maintained, garden hoses can last for many years. A garden hose that is the right length to reach your garden and the right capacity to deliver the proper amount of water will serve you well. One that you have to stretch and bend around corners will show the wear and need replacing far sooner than it should. A properly coiled garden hose on a garden hose reel won’t get kinked, run over by your lawn mower or crack from being left out to bake in the sun. These tips can help you select the best garden hose for your needs and care for it properly.

Invest in a Quality Hose

Spend the extra few dollars to get a good quality hose. Cheap promotional hoses are made of inferior materials that will crack, kink and separate from the fittings under pressure. Even good care and maintenance isn’t enough to preserve a poor quality hose for more than one or two seasons. You’ll have to replace that $10 hose three or four times before your $20 hose even starts to look worn.

In addition, better quality garden hoses are easier to coil, don’t kink as readily and deliver water better than a cheap plastic hose. This is one place where you really do get what you pay for.

Store Your Hose When It’s Not In Use

A garden hose reel is the easiest mechanism for storing your hose when you’re not using it. You can choose from wall mounted hose reels or free-standing hose reels that store hoses of all sizes from ½ inch garden hoses to 1 inch water hoses. Make sure the garden hose reel you choose is large enough to hold the size hose you are using.

Drain the Hose After Using It

When you finish using the hose, drain it of standing water before putting it away. This is especially important before putting your hose away for the winter. Freezing and thawing of water in the hose can weaken the fabric of the hose or crack it. If you need a garden hose for chores outdoors during the winter months, choose a heated garden hose to prevent freezing and preserve your hose.

Store the Hose Out of the Sun

The hot sun can bake your garden hose and lead to cracks and leaks in the fabric. Mount your garden hose reel in a shady spot to keep it cool.

Caring for your garden hose properly will extend its life and make your life much easier. Take the time to put your hose away properly every time you use it and it will serve you for years.