The watering hose is an important piece of equipment without which it would be difficult to grow plants in a garden plot. Vegetable beds, berries, flower beds, young trees, and shrubs cannot grow and develop fully without regular watering.

The presence of a Garden hose greatly simplifies the life of the gardener. However, there are often hiccups and unforeseen difficulties in the operation of a garden hose.

About how to make the use of the garden hose as easy as possible and choose a model with the least drawbacks, we will talk about in this article.

First, let’s analyze the main problems of gardeners that accompany the use of hoses in gardens and vegetable gardens.

PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS OF GARDEN HOSES

Kinks in Garden Hoses

Perhaps this nuisance is the number one problem that almost every big gardener user has encountered.

Usually, when we choose Garden Hoses, we try to buy the maximum length of the product to ensure that the hose is long enough to irrigate the farthest plants on the site. And it is often this later that leads to the hose being twisted and forming kinks.

You must admit that it is very unpleasant to run around the garden looking for exactly where the kinked long hose is, or immediately run to the faucet and put the hose in again, because the kink is so strong that it tends to tear.

It is even more difficult for those who water with an electric pump. For such gardeners, this problem is not only a source of irritation but also a serious threat of damage to the equipment.

As you know, if the pump does not pump water completely, it overheats and soon “burns out”. In this case, we must immediately straighten out Garden Hoses or turn the device off from the network.

For twists and kinks caused by excessively long Garden Hoses, they can be prevented by organizing the wiring of the plastic tubes in the field. Such a design allows you to connect small hoses to different parts of the site. Even the cheapest Garden Hoses have fewer kinks when short, and if a kink occurs, it can be quickly detected and more easily repaired.

In addition, such wiring makes it easy to connect the irrigation system to the desired corners of the garden and vegetable garden. For such outdoor water pipes in the middle of the countryside is more suitable HDPE pipes (polyethylene low-pressure pipes), or pipes made of polypropylene.

However, plastic pipes made of PVC (polyvinyl chloride) are more suitable for southern regions, where low winter temperatures can be unstable.

Of course, the material of Garden Hoses, the thickness of the pipe wall also play an important role in the appearance of bending and twisting. Reinforced multi-layer PVC hose has almost no such problems – the more layers, the less likely it to kink.

But more budget (cheaper) single-layer options are not reinforced, and this trouble happens as often as they say. And sometimes it even happens that the new product breaks because the new product is in the process of storage in the store.

By the way, very different from the reinforcement, the fine mesh (4×4 mm) weakly protects the hose from breaking. Necessary rigid irrigation hose braided wire mesh, it is desirable that this design is multi-layered.

The most resistant to kinking are rubber, thermoplastic Garden Hoses, and the above-mentioned PVC high-grade multi-layer reinforced hoses. But the price of this type, in general, is not low. However, as they say, experienced gardeners, nerves are more expensive, and the phrase “miser” continues to operate unchanged in the matter of selection of Garden Hoses.

When using Garden Hoses of the economic class (pouring down from the tap), you can use a little trick – with a hose with aquastop (automatic leak detection system) installed at the output end of the hose connector.

In this case, Garden Hoses will always be under pressure, thus reducing the possibility of flat areas and kinks, since the hose is most likely to deform when there is no water.

There are permanent kinks in various parts of the hose

Usually, when moving around the garden while watering, Garden Hoses can become kinked, and this small problem can be easily avoided by straightening the hose by hand. However, sometimes the kink can develop into a permanent deformation, and then you have to cut off the damaged area and connect the remaining part.

To repair damaged Garden Hoses, you need two male and female connectors (it is important to choose fittings that match the cross-section of the hose, usually 1/2 or 3/4 inch), and for reliability, the fittings are secured in the hose with metal clamps. The male and female connectors are then connected to each other.

Likewise, two Garden Hoses fittings can be applied, connected by a special double connector. Also available is a double hose connector, which allows not only to quickly connect two Garden Hoses to each other (and, if necessary, to easily disconnect them). In addition, special models are available to help combine two hoses of different diameters.

If you have a tube of the right diameter, a small metal tube fixed with clamps is even easier. With this simple repair, the hose can be used for a long time.

Water pressure is too weak or too strong

If this problem is caused by the pressure of the central water supply system, it is not always possible to use radical methods. However, by choosing the right size Garden Hoses, a small remedy can be achieved.

The most common Garden Hoses are 1⁄2 inch in diameter, and most different nozzles (guns, fittings, sprayers, etc.) are designed for it. These hoses are also very lightweight and mobile.

Also, you can often find larger diameter Garden Hoses 3⁄4 in. on sale. Given the same input data, the thinner Garden Hoses (1⁄2″ diameter) will show more pressure than a hose with a wider opening.

However, as the length of the hose increases, so does the drag, which will affect the velocity of the water jet, but this is true up to a total length of 50foot (15m).

Garden Hoses longer than 50foot (15m) should ideally be 3/4″ in diameter. If the irrigation will be pumped from a well, it is recommended that 3/4 inch diameter hose be used, as it is more difficult for the pump to pump water through a narrower pipe, which may adversely affect the operation of the equipment.

Clogged holes in water spray fittings

This problem usually occurs when fine algae settle on the inner walls of Garden Hoses. Since algae need light to multiply, this phenomenon is especially noticeable for hoses made of transparent or translucent materials (such as silicone or cheap PVC single-ply hoses).

Therefore, when making your initial purchase, it is best to give preference to products with opaque walls. If such a problem already occurs, you can fill the hose with a special agent for dealing with algae in swimming pools and leave the solution for a while, closing the ends with aquastop (automatic leak detection system) fittings.

When the malfunction of the sprayer caused by the presence of a large amount of mechanically suspended matter in the water, which often occurs in the summer in the water pipes of the villa, the problem can be solved by installing a special filter for the faucet.

In the more expensive models, there is even a self-cleaning mechanism built-in, greatly simplifying the maintenance of the filter. By type, the most common are mesh filters and disc filters, and for Dacha, you can choose one and the other class, as they are equally capable of handling the tasks entrusted to them.

Hoses spoil the plants

In order to eliminate this problem, there are several options, which vary in cost and complexity of implementation. The simplest “folk” method – knock a few reinforcement bars along the perimeter of the flower bed or flowerbed, which will reliably snap the hose if he accidentally washed in the direction of valuable plants.

Sometimes in garden stores, you can find special guides, which not only perform their function but often have a decorative form, serving as an additional decoration of the site.

Completely forget about this, you can use special shapes of Garden Hoses. for example, there is a spiral hose, which has a “rainbow” in the shape of a child’s toy, which is easily stretched and automatically twisted back into the spiral if necessary.

Thanks to these features, Garden Hoses do not drag around the ground indiscriminately, do not damage plants, and, importantly, do not stain gardeners. However, convenience comes at a price, and this model of the hose is more expensive compared to the traditional type of Garden Hoses.

Another unusual modification is the self-expanding nylon hose, sometimes called the “miracle hose”. This product increases significantly in volume underwater pressure and later becomes short and weightless.

When choosing such a variable, it is worth considering that at low system pressures, such a variable does not work properly, and at high pressures, according to feedback from owners of large trucks, it really starts to “jump hands”.

In addition, the gardeners noted the unreliability of this model, because the self-extending hose was often torn and could not be recovered, and also its cost was very high. To facilitate the use of classic Garden Hoses, there are special reels, in which most of the hose is in the form of coils, which do not need to be pulled across the field.

Such compact Garden Hoses have less risk in terms of plant breakage and, in addition, do not spoil the design of the site because it is often in a conspicuous place. Garden Hoses are available in mechanical and automatic hose reels, some in the form of trolleys with wheels for easy mobility.

Also useful in moving Garden Hoses with the problem of broken plants is the above-mentioned device of plastic tube distribution in different parts of the garden, to which small lengths of Garden Hoses are easily connected if necessary, which makes it easier to control and prevent them from entering flower beds and seedbeds.

Difficult to control water jets

Today, there is no longer a need to “Rome is not built in a day” and clamp the end of the hose to get the right spray of water, because there is a large number of so-called watering guns on the market for sale.

Usually, such devices have several options for sprinkling water – from a fine almost foggy, powerful pressure in one or more jets, allowing to “shoot” to the plants at a distance of several meters.

These guns also have a water shut-off mode, which allows you to stop watering without having to run to the faucet. Most models also have a “trigger lock” so that your hands don’t strain or get tired when watering.

When choosing a watering gun, pay attention to ergonomic design and plastic quality. There are also extended nozzles on the boom to prevent another nuisance – wet feet while watering.

This seemingly minor problem also causes inconvenience and trouble. So why put up with it when the source of irritation can be easily eliminated? Among other things, the model on the boom is very useful for car enthusiasts in the car wash process.

GRADES OF GARDEN HOSES (ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURING MATERIALS)

TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) hose

The most common hose in Europe, combining the advantages of rubber and PVC hoses. In recent years, is gaining popularity and in us. Due to its numerous positive qualities and the least disadvantages, we decided to put this hose in the first place.

Advantages of TPE hose:

1. It is very durable and can be used for more than 15 years.
2. It is not wrinkled or twisted and easily regains its shape
3. Environmentally-friendly (made of environmentally friendly rubber melted with special technology).
4. The ability to pump water for drinking.
5. The hose remains flexible even at temperatures of -30 degrees Celsius and can be used in the off-season and, if necessary, in the winter.
6. It does not necessarily have to be stored indoors over the winter
7. It can withstand high pressure (8 atmospheres).

Disadvantages of TPE hose:

1. High cost.
2. It is not always available in stock.

PVC multi-layer hose

PVC multi-layer hoses – the most popular among gardeners, have good properties, and are reliably used for watering gardens and vegetable gardens. PVC multi-layer garden hoses can have from two to six layers. The more layers, the longer their service life and the more resistant they are to water pressure. These versions are also usually reinforced between the layers to prevent bending.

Advantages of PVC multi-layer hoses:

1. It has the best price-to-quality ratio.
2. Lightweight (1⁄2 inch diameter models).
3. Enhanced resistance to kinking and twisting and the ability to recover its shape after compression
4. Made of environmentally friendly materials.
5. Resistance to chemical agents (fertilizers, detergents, etc.).
6. Resistance to ultraviolet radiation.
7. Can be used under high pressure.

Disadvantages of PVC hose:

1. Has an average service life compared to more durable rubber and TPE hoses.
2. Sometimes kinked and deformed even for multi-layer models.
3. The hose can become very stiff at low temperatures (do not use at temperatures below freezing)

Rubber Hose

Rubber hoses also have many advantages, and many gardeners like to use them. However, rubber hoses also have some disadvantages.

Advantages of rubber hoses:

1. Reinforced rubber hose with maximum crease resistance.
2. Can be used in cool weather.
3. They are resistant to UV rays
4. They are both hard-wearing and durable (more than 10 years)
5. Cheap options are available.

Disadvantages of rubber hoses:

1. Very heavy compared to similar products of other materials
2. It is difficult to find stores.
3. The high cost of reliable quality brand name rubber hoses
4. The material may be toxic and is not recommended for drinking water.

Silicone hose

Usually, silicone hoses have a transparent design. It’s similar to a medical drip.

Advantages of silicone hoses:

1. Very light, almost weightless.
2. Small diameter versions have good kink resistance.
3. Most models can be used for drinking water supply.
4. The material is environmentally friendly.
5. It is very resistant to aggressive media (salt, alkali, etc.).

Disadvantages of silicone hoses:

1. It usually has transparent walls, which promotes the growth of algae on the inner walls
2. The constant formation of creases in models with large cross-sections
3. Cannot be used under pressure, even at medium pressure (3 atmospheres)
4. Reacts negatively to changes in water pressure, so it is not recommended to irrigate with pumps.

Single-layer PVC hose

The most economical option, the advantages of these models end here. Irrigation with such a hose causes a lot of problems for gardeners because there are constant breaks and kinks, which impede the flow of water.

Advantages of single-ply PVC hoses:

1. Increased flexibility.
2. lightweight.
3. low price.
4. It is easy to find in stores.

Disadvantages of single-layer PVC hose:

1. Constant formation of knots and kinks.
2. Short service life.
3. Low resistance to ultraviolet radiation.
4. Not suitable for high-pressure operation.