Garden Hoses

Garden Hoses 

A simple piece of garden equipment might seem like a somewhat irrelevant topic, but a bad quality watering hose can bring a lot of frustration. Nobody likes a watering hose that crinkles, leaks, won’t unwind or is too heavy to handle for long. With a wide variety of materials available, such as vinyl, plastic, rubber, and metal, it’s easy to find the right piece. However, they all have both pros and cons. 

Advantages of Garden Hoses

The best garden hose can fulfil many purposes. It eliminates the need to carry heavy watering cans from a water connection to the flower beds. It can connect to create the garden shower or take water comfortably from a rainwater storage tank. Garden hoses also help to clean various tools and garden furniture, bicycles, sports equipment, or cars. 

Types of Garden Hoses

• Light-duty garden hoses 

These are the most sensitive kind, with thin walls and low weight. It’s not recommended to leave them outside as it brings the risk of damage. However, light-duty garden hoses are very easy to store and work with.

• Regular & Heavy-Duty Watering Hose

They are typically made of vinyl and designed for medium to high-pressure watering needs. This kind of watering hose can last through many gardening seasons with some proper maintenance. Heavy-duty garden hoses are sturdy and made from durable materials, also large in diameter to allow high water pressure. Often equipped with extra features, they can be used for various cleanup jobs in addition to watering plants, 

• Expandable Garden Hoses 

They come in many versions, usually as a rubber tube encased by a stretchy fabric. They are lightweight and easy to store. There is no need for coiling since this retractable hose practically puts itself away.

• Soaker Hose

Soaker hoses, on average, use less water than sprinklers or wands. Furthermore, very little water gets wasted, since the soaker hose directs it right into the soil where it’s needed. It can be left in place during the season, with the faucet controlling the flow. 

Garden Hose Material

• Vinyl

This type of budget-friendly hoses is often reinforced with nylon mesh or cording for increased strength and durability. Vinyl can be stiff and hard to coil, so it’s not the best option for moving around. At the same time, it’s great for attaching to sprinklers with a timer, in places where a water stream is needed for long periods of time. 

• Polyurethane

A polyurethane watering hose is lightweight. Although a bit stiff and hard to bend, it doesn’t tend to kink much. Precoiled polyurethane hoses are a convenient solution, as those are stretchy and comfortable for regular quick waterings.

• Rubber

A construction-grade rubber hose is durable, longlasting, easy to coil and relatively heavy. Kinks are effortless to open, leaving no crease behind. Its long lifespan makes rubber watering hose a great investment for heavy-duty use.

• Metal

Metal garden hoses are not the most cost-effective option around, but they are also resilient, lightweight, longlasting, kink-free, and very easy to drag around. This kind of watering hose can stay out in the sun and cool quite fast after. Even with a narrow diameter, it can power a sprinkler. 

Good Size of the Garden Hose

The ideal garden hose length depends on personal needs. Typical lengths range from 5 to 30 meters. A shorter watering hose can be great for plants in containers, while longer garden hoses can cover large areas and serve various purposes. It’s better to go for kink-resistant material when buying a long garden hose.  

Watering hose diameter marks the inside opening and typically ranges between 1.5 and 2cm. The ideal measure is the desired balance between water flow and pressure.

Hose Reel

A hose reel is a convenient spindle made of either metal or plastic that serves for storing a hose. Typically, a hose reel is either spring/motor-driven or operated by a hand crank. A retractable hose reel is the best storage method, as it prevents kinks and other common issues.

More Things to Consider

Garden hose strength is a matter of resistance to “burst pressure”, the point in which the water can break out. If the watering hose is used with a hose nozzle or a sprinkler, minimal burst pressure should be 350 psi. For pressure washer use, this point has to be higher. 

A watering hose should be flexible for easy handle and storage, but also not too prone to kinking that shortens its life span. All garden hoses kink if twisted up to some point, so it comes down to material and construction quality. Reinforced and rubber hoses are known as some of the most kink-resistant options available.

If you need help to choose the right garden hose, ArchiPro provides a connection to the various professionals, ready to assist with all requirements and questions. Simply click "Contact supplier" on the product's page, or visit the supplier's website directly from the product's page.