Garden Hose                                                                                                 Back

Turns out it is not a good idea to rely on rain for your garden and flowerbed watering needs. Especially since:

  1. -newly laid out sod needs water regularly (JustSodIt.com insists on watering your new sod within 15 minutes of laying it down!).

  2. -Planting bulbs and plant/grass seeds need consistent moisture levels


Last year (2009) when I took up the reins of maintaining my own garden I figured I needed a garden hose. So like many thrifty (and self-proclaimed smart) buyers I jumped at the chance of getting two 50 feet hoses from Walmart when they were on sale. I probably paid less than 10 bucks a hose. Good deal you say! No, it was not. The first year, apart from the kinks that would appear, the hose worked well. However, the second year I have been having all sorts of problems: the hose seems to have developed permanent kinks. And a couple of days ago one of the pipes actually developed a leak. Now I am in the market to buy a new garden hose.


Things to look for

  1. -The number of “plys”. By plys we mean layers. The best garden hoses are 6 plys. If you want a garden hose to last you a long time buy at least a 5 ply.

  2. -Do not buy plastic hoses; they have a tendency to kink more often and these repeated kinks decrease the integrity of the hose (this is probably what happened to my now leaking hose). Choose a hose which is at least rubber reinforced if not made entirely out of rubber

  3. -The most popular diameter of a garden hose is 5/8 inches.

  4. -Couplings (where you connect the hose to the water pipe or connect two hoses together) play an important part. Plastic is the cheapest and least durable. Though it is easier to screw on and off. Steel, or better yet brass, couplings are more durable, though they might need the use of a wrench.

  5. -Purchase the length that meets your needs. Its better to get two small lengths than an overly long one since the longer the hose the greater the decrease in pressure.


Maintaining your hose

  1. -Frost is a killer; if your hose has water in it and it freezes there is a very high chance your hose will get damaged. Drain the pipe if there is a chance of frost.

  2. -Storage: better to store the hose in a place where the temperature does not drop too low. For the cold Canadian winters its good to store the hose in the basement or at least in the garage.

  3. -After use roll up the hose so that it is kink free. Better yet use a garden hose reel.


Through a quick, by no means thorough, survey of the web, I have short-listed the following hoses for my upcoming purchase (May 2010):

  1. -Gardena 5/8 100 feet Hose (Home Depot, $77.99)

  2. -WaterWorks, 100 feet Heavy Duty Continuous Flow (Canadian Tire, $57.99)

  3. -Axcess Garden 5/8, 115 feet, Contractor Anti kink Hose (Home Depot, $39.99)