Your garden hose
is supposed to make your watering chores easier, but too many gardeners
end up having to wrestle their garden hoses into submission. Choosing
the right garden hose and treating it right can make your gardening
chores easier and safer. It kinks, splits and spews water all over the
place – except where you want it to go. What can you do to maximize
water output and minimize hassles from your garden hose? These tips can
help you make short work of watering your garden so you can get on to
doing more fun things with your outdoor time.
Choosing the Right Garden Hose
The
number one garden hose tip of all time? Buy the best garden hose you
can afford. A cheap hose will make your life miserable. It will kink
when you try to go around corners, double up on itself and constrict the
water flow, mildew, split and leak, probably at the faucet where the
garden hose fittings are attached.
Hose Diameter
In
general, you’ll have three choices when it comes to choosing a diameter
– ½ inch, 5/8 inch and ¾ inch. A 1/2 inch garden hose is suitable for
small gardens and in places where you don’t need good water pressure.
Generally, a 5/8 inch garden hose is preferable to the smaller one. A ¾
inch garden hose is probably your best bet. They’re more expensive than
the smaller sizes, but they move water faster and fit more accessories
and garden hose fittings.
Hose Length
Most
garden hoses are available in 25-foot increments – that is, 25, 50, 75
or 100 feet. Keep in mind that the further your water has to travel, the
less pressure it will have when it gets to its destination. The best
garden hose length is the one that will just reach where you need it to
go. If you actually do need 100 feet of hose, consider purchasing 2
50-foot hoses and coupling them. It’s much easier to hook up the second
hose halfway to your destination than it is to wrestle with 100 feet of
coiling garden hose all the way across your lawn.
Specialty Garden Hose Styles
A coil garden hose is a good choice if you have a small garden or need a hose for watering patio
plants. The coils make the hose easy to store, but can make it
difficult for you to stretch to reach the full stated length. In
general, if a coil garden hose claims to be 50 feet long, figure that
you’ll get about 35 feet of extension from it comfortably.
Heated Garden Hose
If
you use your garden hose during seasons when the temperature drops
below freezing, consider buying a heated hose. A heated garden hose will
remain pliable and prevent ice blockages that can damage your hose and
make watering impossible.
A Last Word
Storing your garden hose properly will extend its life – and that’s important if you’ve sunk a bit of change into the best garden hose
you can afford. An automatic garden hose reel can make your life
considerably easier by eliminating the chore of emptying and coiling
your garden hose.
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