Stop Fighting Your Garden Hose

Every morning, it begins – the epic battle of the garden hose. I want to pull it in one direction. It wants to go in the other. I want to reach the front flower bed. It wants to curl around the legs of the patio furniture. It insists on leaking at the faucet and spraying at the garden hose fittings at the nozzle, dribbling water down my arm and along the side of my shirt. And just when I think I’ve finally shown that 3/4 inch garden hose who the boss is, the water stops dead in its tracks, held back behind the kinky bend that the hose has somehow managed to develop. On the other side of the garden.

If the battle of the garden hose sounds familiar to you, it may just be time to replace your unruly garden hose with one that will be docile and helpful. While there’s no personality test to weed out homicidal garden hoses – you know they exist! They’re the ones that wrap around your ankle when you’re just trying to give your tomato plants a nice long drink of water.  There are some tips that will help you find the right hose for watering your garden, washing your car, watering your animals and filling your swimming pools.

Always Buy Quality

Remember how your mother always said if you buy a classic, good quality blouse, you’ll wear it for years? That’s true of garden hoses, too. If you invest in a high quality garden hose made of superior materials, you won’t have to replace it for years. Considering the amount of use you’ll get out of it, that’s a considerably amount of service. Prices for quality hoses vary depending on the length and diameter, but you can figure on paying at least $40 for a typical 50-foot 1/2 inch garden hose that will last you for up to 10 years.

Pick the Right Size

Longer is not always better, and sometimes fatter gets the job done more efficiently. If water pressure is a concern in your area, consider getting a hose with higher diameter – a 3/4 inch garden hose delivers twice as much water In the same amount of time as a 1/2 inch garden hose. Always choose a garden hose that’s long enough to reach where you want to go – but not a whole lot longer. The longer your hose is, the more likely it will be to catch on furniture and house corners, not to mention, wrap around your ankles and drag over your lawn, kinking and twisting as it goes.

The right garden hose can make your life a lot easier around the outside of your home. Stop battling with your hose and start enjoying your gardening time so much more.