Tips to choosing a gardening hose



Garden hoses may not be the most fascinating tools in your landscaping arsenal, but they are an absolute necessity for watering the lawn and garden. Choosing the best garden hose for your home will depend on your usage, climate and budget. Before you buy a new expandable hose or a shiny new brass garden hose nozzle to water your yard, here are a few things you should consider when shopping for a hose.

Hose Materials

• Hoses are generally made from vinyl, rubber or a combination of the two. They are also constructed in different layers, or ply. The more ply the hose has, the more durable it will be.
• Vinyl provides an economical choice that is best for mild climates and lighter watering tasks. Vinyl hoses are usually reinforced, but are not as durable as rubber hoses.
• A rubber garden hose requires a larger up-front investment and weighs more than vinyl hoses. Rubber hoses are tougher, more durable under harsh weather conditions and have the ability to carry hot water.
• Hoses comprised of the two are priced in the middle, providing rubber’s flexibility and durability along with vinyl’s lighter weight. These hoses may be reinforced with a number of layers for greater resilience. Some also feature an outer mesh layer to protect against snags and punctures.
• Some hoses have metal coils or cords between the layers of rubber or vinyl to help keep the hose from kinking.
• Nylon and rayon may be used to reinforce hoses for greater strength and durability.


The length, diameter and fittings of a hose will determine its water flow capacity.

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Hose Length
• Hoses can be found in 25-foot increments up to 100 feet. Longer isn’t always better. The longer the hose, the harder it will be to maneuver it around plants and other obstacles.
• The best way to determine the length you need for your yard is to measure the farthest distance you need to reach from the spigot.
• Buy a hose slightly beyond that length for best results. This will give you room to move about your yard without having to tug on the hose.

Hose Sizes
• Hose diameters range from ½- to ¾–inch diameters. Standard household piping is typically ½ inch in diameter, so a garden hose size of ½ inch in diameter will suffice for most lawn and garden uses.
• Larger diameter hoses are better suited for heavy-duty watering tasks. Commercial landscapers benefit from larger diameter hoses because of the heavy water flow.

Fittings
• The fitting, or coupling, is where the hose attaches to the water supply. They are the end pieces that attach to spigots, sprinklers and nozzles.
• The main choices for fittings are metal and plastic. Metal, usually brass fittings, is more durable than plastic, but harder to tighten on the spigot. Octagon female fittings are easier to maneuver than standard round fittings.

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Nozzle
The best garden hose nozzle for your hose will depend on your specific watering needs. Here are the most popular types:

• Pistol grip nozzles feature pull-style handles that allows you to change the pressure and style of spray as you squeeze.
• Watering wand nozzles extend your reach by up to 30 inches. They are great for watering tasks that are difficult to reach.
• Fan nozzles feature widened mouths that spray a wide, gentle spray of water. They perfect for gentle watering of delicate foliage.
• Fireman nozzles are versatile and can put out a large amount of water in a very short time. They are perfect for large watering jobs.
• Pattern nozzles are the most versatile of all nozzles. They offers the flexibility of many different types of spray patterns to cover all your watering needs.

Durability

As you shop around for the best garden hose, you will see hoses categorized as light duty, medium duty, heavy duty or super duty. Heavy-duty hoses have thick walls and are very sturdy. They can be left exposed to the elements without risk of damage. Lighter weight hoses are not as durable, but they are easier to wind up and store. The heavier duty the hose is, the more water pressure it can handle. Use heavy-duty hoses for pressure washer tasks.

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Flexibility

All hoses are flexible in sense, but some are more so than others. Stiffer hoses are less likely to kink while in use, but they can be heavy and cumbersome. On the other hand, flexible hoses are easy to move around the garden, but they are more likely to kink. Aim for a garden hose that’s flexible enough for easy storage and going around corners, but not so flexible that it kinks easily. When shopping for a hose, use the “U” test. Bend the hose into a “U” and if it kinks, choose another. In general, aim for a rubber, reinforced garden hose for general use. They are less likely to kink.

There are hoses built for different tasks. As you shop for a new hose, consider the types of hoses available:

Standard Garden Hose
This is an all-purpose hose that works for general watering and cleaning tasks. You can get them in various materials and sizes.

Soaker Hose
This hose features porous walls that allow water to seep directly into and won’t
damage delicate plants.

Sprinkler hose
This hose acts as a sprinkler and soaker in one. It’s a water-saving option with a flat base on the bottom and holes on top to cast water in a mist-like rain. It’s ideal for general lawn and garden watering purposes.

Flat Hose
Lies flat until water pressure causes it to become round. This hose is easy to store, takes up less space and is self-draining.

Coiled Hose
This type of hose has specialty hose springs for a tight coil when not in use. It’s great for hand watering in small areas.

Expandable Garden Hose
For a lightweight option, this scrunchy looking hose expands up to three times its length when filled with water. Expandable hoses are good for small yards and gardens.
Features a nontoxic core, safe for drinking water from and ideal for use in recreational vehicles.

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Drinking Water Safe Hose
Most standard hoses are not drinking water safe. They have plasticizers which help give the hose flexibility, but also contain chemicals, like BPA, lead and phthalates that can leach into the water. Any hose marked as a “drinking water safe” is lead free, BPA free and phthalate free. Marine and RV hoses are drinking water safe.

Metal Garden Hose
This type of hose is puncture and kink proof. It’s made out of industrial stainless steel but remains lightweight. Metal hoses stay cool to the touch and are corrosion- and UV-resistant.

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