Be it a springtime, autumn, summer or winter, our garden is something which we enjoy throughout the year. It is that little corner of our house where we have made a little land of nature as per our taste and like. Spending quality time alone or with our loved ones in our garden is pure bliss in itself. After a tired day when we enter our garden and see the lush green lawn and the flowers around, we go in a land of dream and immediately get a sense of happiness and relief forgetting all the downs of the day.
We spend a good amount of time and money in carving and designing each and every corner of our garden and lawn. Designing and choosing the best-promised seeds and plants with the choice of variety, color and personal preference to buying expensive accessories like a light, furniture, and other decorative items to build us our very own slice of heaven in the form of our garden.
It takes a lot of hard work, choosing the right accessories, money, time and patience to build and maintain our garden. There is a lot of nurturing and maintenance involved which aids in keeping our garden green, healthy and colorful. Starting from choosing the breeds and varieties of plants to deciding the type of compost required. To choose the color combinations of the flowers when it blooms to choosing the different pots, it’s all a task of patience and consistency.
We need to give our full attention to all the little and small details so as to reap the fruits of our hard work. Do you have any idea about the most important thing which we have to do regularly on an everyday basis to keep our garden alive? Well, the answer is watering the soil and plants of our garden are something which we need to do every day so that our plants don’t dry and we get an amazing bloom.
While watering the garden is a quintessential act which has to be done on a regular basis, it may become a tedious task to water every plant or your entire garden with a bucket or a container. The best way to water your garden is to have a garden hose which will make watering your garden a child’s play.
Sounds a great idea right? Before you rush to buy yourself a new garden hose or for those who are smiling as they already have one, this article will guide you to buy yourself that perfect garden hose meant exclusively for the requirements of your garden.
Word of Advice: Go through the article carefully to confirm whether the garden hose you have is the right one for your garden or not and if not it would be a great idea to buy a new garden hose which will help your garden bloom.
Garden Hose Buying Guide
Before we discuss the points and steps one should keep in mind before buying a garden hose, let us understand that what is a garden hose?
What is a garden hose?
A garden hose is a device, a medium or a mode which is used in watering a garden or a lawn. It is also called as a hose pipe and is a sort of a flexible tube which enables water flow from one point to another via its tube. It is available in a variety of colors and sizes. In simple words, a garden hose is a pipe like structure which aids in transporting water from the source to the destination. You need to connect the garden hose to a water source say a faucet from where the water will flow.
Accessories like a connector, a nozzle, etc. are used to install the hose and make it function.
Things to Remember while Buying Garden Hose
Let us now discuss and understand the steps and point which one must remember when planning to buy a garden hose in detail.
Length of a garden hose
The length of a garden hose available usually ranges from twenty-five feet to a hundred feet. So, depending upon the size of your garden you can buy the hose most suited for
you.
Tip: Buy a few feet extra rather than just the number required for your garden as it will enable better flexibility as it will give you some more length to coil easily which you can take as a buffer when moving your garden hose from one place to another.
Colour of the garden hose
Be it blue, be it pink, be it green, red or yellow, a garden hose is available in a variety of colors. You name it and the market has that color for you.
Tip: Add a dash of quirkiness in your garden by choosing the colour of the hose which will pop up and make your garden look even more beautiful.
Materials Used
A garden hose is generally made up of rubber, vinyl, nylon or rubber-vinyl. Depending upon the use of the garden hose you can choose the material. Out of the above our materials, the use of vinyl in making a garden hose is the most commonly seen material. Nylon hoses are considered outdated and are rarely been used as a garden hose.
Tip: Choose the material as per the use, utility and climate of your place. For e.g., If living in a cold lace then a rubber-vinyl garden hose would be a better idea as it would not become rigid or burst or can withstand a better temperature change.
Size of the garden hose
A garden hose comes in different sizes. More is the size of the hose; more will be the amount of war delivered. Choose the size of the hose as per the need and availability of water in your garden.
Tip: Go for a size which is not too heavy in delivering water which can result in killing the plants of your garden.
Types of garden hoses
Flat, soaker, soak and spray, soaker hose net, expandable, kink-free, commercial grade, heavy- duty, lead-free, lightweight, hot water resistance, marine, steel, etc. are few varieties of hoses available in the market.
Tips: Choose a hose which is apt for the garden as per its use and convenience. For e.g., If having a place constraint in storing the garden hose, then buying a flat hose is a brilliant idea as the flat hose will expand by itself when water flows in it and will automatically become flat again when it is empty.
Another example can be the use of a soaker hose when a large garden is to be watered throughout. The pores and holes in the entire body of the garden hose allow the distribution of water throughout the lawn or the garden at a one go. All you need to do is to simply put on the water supply and enjoy your leisure time while the hose waters your garden.
Important: If you need to use hot water then do confirm whether your garden hose is heat resistant or not as if it is not heat resistant then it may damage the hosepipe.
Fitting the hose
Choosing the right material for coupling or fitting your hose to the medium of the water supply also plays a crucial part. For e.g. a brass fitting will undoubtedly is more rough and tough to use as compared to a plastic faucet but a brass faucet is more expensive and heavy as compared to a plastic faucet.
Tip: Choose a faucet which as per your budget and utility. Do not overlook this point as if the hose isn’t connected to the right type of faucet then it may get broken, kinked or damaged.
Choice of nozzles
Another important accessory which can really make a huge difference in making your efforts less and saving some time for you is the use of the correct type of nozzle. Choose a nozzle according to what your garden desires.
Tip: Buying a nozzle which has control knob for controlling the speed of the water is an amazing choice as you will be able to control the flow of the water as and when required.
Investing in a hose reel
It’s actually an amazing idea to invest in a hose reel as it will ensure that your garden hose isn’t getting coiled, tangled or mowed over which in turn will increase the life of your garden hose. Also, it adds a style quotient to your routine of watering of plants.
Tip: You can choose a good coloured hose reel which will complement the colour of your garden hose and add a dash of beauty to your garden.
Now, that you are aware of the points which you need to keep in mind for buying a garden hose, its time for you to simply go shopping and pick up the best garden hose to help you water your
the garden which in turn will keep your garden in full health and bloom.
So, build this little tamed and domesticated forest called garden at your own pace and enjoy the beauty and serenity it reflects and takes pride every time someone compliments you for your lovely garden as it is your hard work and creation which you executed superbly.
Enjoy the beauty of nature in the premise of your house by gardening while contributing goodness of making our planet green.
Remember: Gardening is a great stress buster and a great activity to increase the serotonin (happiness hormone) level in your body.
Happy gardening to you!