Garden Hoses

Garden Hoses

Garden hoses are invaluable pieces of lawn care equipment, keeping foliage healthy and hydrated. Their lightweight and durable design means you can usually expect for them to last a while before you need a replacement. Buying a new garden hose might seem simple on the surface, but there are many factors to consider, including what they're made of and what kind of accessories and attachments are compatible.

While some exceptions may apply (such as hoses made of metal or cloth), the majority of garden hoses are made from a form of plastic. In order to be used, the plastic chosen must be tested to be safe so that it won't leak any kind of harmful chemicals or residue into the water it transports. The most common plastic used in making the average garden hose is polyvinyl chloride, or PVC.

What differentiates a heavy-duty garden hose from a light-duty or medium-duty hose is how it's constructed. The number of layers (plys) of plastic used in the construction of the hose is often what determines what "grade" it is. Light-duty hoses are typically three-ply, medium-duty hoses are four-ply, and heavy-duty hoses are five-ply or more. The thicker one is, the less likely it is to kink. It is also heavier due to the extra layers of material. Heavy hoses can be tricky to roll tightly and store in small places.

While there are many types of specialized water hoses available, the majority of hoses can be broken into three distinct groups based on how they function and what their uses are:

• Common Garden Hose: A common garden hose is what most people picture when thinking of a water hose. These hoses screw onto a tap and spray water from the tap out of the other end.
• Soaker Garden Hose: Soaker hoses are specially designed from porous materials that let water pass out of them at a slow rate. They are typically buried under the ground in a garden bed to continuously leak water onto the roots of plants.
• Sprinkler Garden Hose: A sprinkler hose is a filled with holes along one side of it, spraying moisture along the ground across its entire length rather than just at the end. It differs from a soaker hose in that water comes out at certain points of the hose in force, rather than seeping from the entire length of a soaker hose in a slow, drip fashion.