Five Garden Hose Facts to Remember This Spring

Is there any tool in your backyard that gets less attention and regard than your garden hose? Even the most avid gardener and householder is prone to take the lowly hose for granted. The recent spate of television ads for expanding garden hoses and the coil garden hose notwithstanding, most people simply expect that their garden hose will be there when they need it, and will perform as expected. They accept the kinks and leaks as inevitable and gamely soldier on, irrigating and sprinkling their gardens with hoses that don’t quite live up to the job they should be doing. The truth is that you have a right to expect good service from your garden hose – that it will not break, kink or leak, and that it will be light enough for you to move it from one place to the other without breaking tender seedlings when you drag it over them. Whether you’re keeping your current garden hose or looking for a replacement, these facts will help you have a more enjoyable, easier gardening season.

Length is Important.

It’s a commonly held assumption that longer is better because it gives you more reach.  In fact, a garden hose that’s too long is nearly as awkward and ineffective as one that doesn’t reach where you want it to go. A longer hose can be heavy and difficult to maneuver, and can reduce water pressure at the business end. Choose a garden hose that’s just long enough to reach the areas where you’ll use it most. If you occasionally need more reach – say, to get to the driveway once a week to wash your car – buy a second short hose that you can use to extend its length. It won’t cost much more and your daily gardening chores will be much more comfortable.

Diameter Makes a Difference.

The difference between a 1/2 inch garden hose and a 3/4 inch garden hose is twice as much water delivered to your target in the same amount of time. If you have low water pressure, opt for a wider diameter hose to increase water flow.

Proper Storage Increases Garden Hose Life

It practically goes without saying that if you treat your garden hose right, it will treat you right. There are many different types of garden hose reels on the market that make it easy to drain your hose after use, and store it out of contact with the ground, both of which will decrease wear and tear on the material of which your hose is made.

It’s Worth It to Pay for Quality

The aisles of your local home improvement store are chock full of cheap garden hoses in many different lengths – but indulging your budget can seriously cramp your style. A cheap hose may make it through one or two seasons before springing a leak or worse. Invest in a high quality garden hose that will last you for years – and be much easier and more comfortable to use.

There’s a Garden Hose for Everything

If you have a special watering or irrigation need, do a little research to find the right garden hose to meet it. There are specialty garden hoses for nearly any use you can imagine. If your hose will be transporting potable water, choose a drinking safe garden hose. If you’re working in a small space, choose a coil garden hose that stays out of the way. You can find a heated garden hose for use in cold climates and weather, and flat soaker hoses for irrigating vegetable beds.

The right garden hose can make a surprising difference in your daily gardening chores. Shop around and find the best hose for your needs and see how much more fun your gardening is this summer.

Is Your Garden Hose Safe to Use?

As most of the country starts pulling out of the winter freeze and preparing for spring, any gardener’s thoughts are lightly turning to thoughts of seedlings, raised beds and equipment. If you’re not thinking about replacing your garden hose, you should at least be considering it. Among other things, recent research and studies have suggested that your garden hose could be hazardous to your health. Here’s what you really need to know to decide if your current hose is safe to use and meets all of your needs.

Do You Or Your Kids Drink From The Water Hose?

The inside of your garden hose may be coated with toxic chemicals that are used as preservatives or to maintain flexibility in the rubber. Those chemicals, including lead, can leach into water left standing in the garden hose for as little as 5 minutes – and in amounts large enough to cause problems. If you use your garden hose to fill toddler pools or if you or the kids are prone to taking a drink from the hose, you should consider replacing your hose with a drinking-safe garden hose. Not sure if your garden hose is drinking safe? In most cases, drinking-safe hoses will be stamped with the information you need to know.

Do You Water Edible Plants with Your Garden Hose?

Most scientists agree that there’s no danger to watering your edible plants – herbs, vegetables and the like – with a standard garden hose, but some experts are uncertain about the effects. If you’re not using a drinking-safe garden hose, always rinse produce from your garden well before eating it. Even then, they point out that plants take up minerals and nutrients from the soil. If you’re watering your plants with lead-contaminated water, the lead will remain in the soil and could be taken up by the plants. A drinking safe garden hose will eliminate that concern.

All Sizes Available

As more consumers become aware of the possible hazards associated with lead and other chemicals in PVC hoses, manufacturers are responding by providing drinking safe hoses in many sizes. You can usually find 1/2 inch garden hose, 3/4 inch garden hose, 50-foot garden hoses and other popular sizes in drinking-safe options.

There’s no need to fight the crowds or face confusion in the aisles of your local big box home improvement stores. You’ll find great deals for garden hoses of all types and sizes online at manufacturers’ and distributors’ websites. Don’t take chances with your family’s health. Replace your old garden hose with a drinking-safe garden hose today.