Specialty Garden Hose Products – Should You Own One?

Getting water to wear you need it may seem like a simple process if you have a garden hose, but there are more variables to the equation than most people imagine. When choosing the best garden hose for your needs, you should consider a number of different factors including the quality of the hose, its diameter and length, your water pressure and any special watering needs you may have. When you evaluate your actual needs, you’ll find there are many specialty garden hose products that can get the water where you want it in the way you want it any time you want it there.

Garden Hose Diameter, Length and Water Pressure

Water pressure can be a major factor in how well you’re able to water your garden or wash the car. While a pressurized garden hose nozzle can help with low water pressure, when water has to travel a long distance, a nozzle may not be enough. The diameter of the garden hose you choose can make a huge difference in the water pressure at the business end of the hose.

First, the obvious. The bigger the diameter of your garden hose, the more water it can carry at once. A 1 inch water hose carries more water more quickly than a ¾ inch garden hose, and the ¾ inch garden hose carries more water than the ½ inch garden hose. But it’s not a straight linear progression. A 1 inch water hose doesn’t carry twice as many gallons as a ½ inch garden hose. In fact, the ¾ inch garden hose delivers twice as many gallons in the same amount of time as the ½ inch garden hose. In most cases, a 5/8 inch garden hose or ¾ inch garden hose will be sufficient for your watering tasks.

The distance your water has to travel through the hose also affects the water pressure at the nozzle. The longer the distance traveled, the lower the water pressure will be. Most garden experts recommend that you buy a garden hose that is just long enough to reach the distance you most commonly need. If the furthest corner of your garden is 40 feet from the faucet and your driveway is 70 feet away, choose a 50 foot hose for everyday watering chores and purchase a 25 foot garden hose that you can connect to it for those times that you need to reach the driveway.

Specialty Hose Products

Soaker garden hoses are a good option for watering vegetable gardens that need deep soaking. If you use a garden hose year round, a heated garden hose can make your watering chores much easier. A coil garden hose offers convenience and easy storage when you don’t need a lot of flexibility and distance. If you use water from your garden hose on edible plants or if your children and pets typically drink from the garden hose, consider purchasing a drinking safe garden hose.

Choosing the right garden hose can make your life easier and prolong its life. Before you make your choice, consider what type is the best garden hose for your needs.