subject: 5 Considerations For The Perfect Garden Hose [print this page] 5 Considerations For The Perfect Garden Hose
It's just a garden hose, how difficult can it be to buy the right one? Hoses come in different styles and types, and if for example you need a 100 footer but only have a 50 foot soaker hose, you have the wrong tool and it won't do what you need it too. Here are the 5 basic considerations for buying an appropriate hose.
1) Type of hose. Do you want a normal hose, or a soaker hose? I soaker hose leaks water along its entire length. They are great for watering a flower or plant bed, but not for watering 50 feet away from the spigot.
2) Length is obviously an issue. You want the hose to be long enough, but not much too long. A 150 foot hose is awkward if you only need a 10 foot length for example.
3) Thickness. Thin hoses, for example a half inch hose, is only suitable for nearby light watering. A thicker hose, say five eights or three quarters of an inch, will carry much more water and maintain water pressure over a much longer distance.
4) Durability. More expensive hoses tend to be much more durable and more suitable if they are dragged or otherwise moved often. A great hose can last a decade and is convenient and durable enough to drag over rocks, dirt, roots, and other rough terrain. A cheap hose might last a year or two, will spring leaks including at the ends much more readily, and will kink easily if moved about.
5) Color is not functionally important, but oftentimes you may want a green hose of a similar color that blends in. Other times you want a hose that stands out so it can be easily avoided by power tools and feet.
