by Peter FinchA garden hose becomes an essential item for countryside houses, resorts, hotels and similar places with acres of land and larger gardens or lawn areas. You can opt for this helpful aid to water your surroundings and to keep them clean during the hot and dusty summer months. You can easily decide on whether to buy one or not - however, to decide on where to, how to and which one to buy is always a tougher puzzle.

How To Buy

Before buying a garden hose, just ask yourself few questions and try to answer them correctly. This would make the task easier. Here is what you need to determine before venturing out on a buying spree -

- The length of the area to be watered

- The distance between the water supply and the area to be watered (to determine the length of the pipe)

- Whether you would like cheap one or a high quality one

- Material used

- The connections

- Thickness

- Diameter

- Color

- Your budget

Important Aspects

Here are some things you need to pay attention to -

- Check out the models and prices at different outlets

- Ask for the accessories you would get, and determine if these accessories would be of any use to you

- The warranty period

- Check out features like the burst strength, and measurements like the length, diameter, the material used, type etc.

Materials Used

Depending on the budget you allocate for purchasing a garden hose, you can opt for a low or high quality one. It is better to buy one that is durable, flexible and made of material like rubber, otherwise you may need to replace it with a new one in the near future. Vinyl hoses are inexpensive and usually of a low quality.

Diameter

You typically get a garden hose in four sizes ranging from half an inch to one inch. You can purchase one with a larger diameter if you have a bigger area to cover and the distance between the water supply and area to be watered is more or if you need to water uneven ground.

Thickness

If your garden features small plants, there is no point in purchasing a thicker hose - the thickness varies from 2-6 plies. The thicker it is, the greater would be the pressure per square inch. Moreover, the thick ones tend to bend more and therefore, you would not experience an even flow of water, and would have trouble watering your plants.

Types

There are different types of garden hoses: ordinary and commercial ones, Soaker, Flat, Coil, Farm & Ranch, and Camper & Marine hoses. You can get a variety of models under these categories. Before buying a garden hose, you can even consult your neighbors or friends who have the required buying experience.