A good harvest of vegetables and fruits cannot be obtained without proper plant care. Irrigation is one of the most important elements. It is not necessary to expect regular and at the right time rains from nature. A garden hose has become a reliable assistant in facilitating the process of watering plants. The modern industry offers a wide range of products that can satisfy all the needs of amateur gardeners.
Features
Irrigation can be organized in several ways: from the most primitive - the usual direct water supply, to the construction of entire irrigation systems. You can't do without the use of hoses. Product highlights:
- Material. Strength, ease of use, durability depend on it. The hose can be made in one or more layers. Reinforcement significantly increases the performance of the product.
- Length. You can choose any size. As a rule, sales representatives offer hoses from 7.5 to 100 meters. The selection of the appropriate length depends on the distance from the sampling site.water to the extreme point of irrigation. Long standard garden hose - 50 m, 100 m, short - 10 m, 20 m. In each store, the seller can easily cut any desired length from the bay.
- Dia. Usually measured in inches. The most popular: 1/3 is 13 mm, 5/8 is 16 mm, 3/4 is 19 mm, 1 is 25 mm. A weak pump will not be able to provide normal pressure with a large hose diameter.
- Working pressure. The quality of the product and the number of layers determines the level of pressure it can withstand. What does it mean? The working pressure of garden hoses for watering, as a rule, does not exceed 5 bar. Single-layer withstand up to 2 bar, durable multi-layer with reinforcement - up to 10 bar. High pressure hoses (they are used when installing irrigation systems with high performance) are able to withstand 50 bar.
Rubber
Rubber garden hose for most gardeners is the most familiar. Not so long ago, there were simply no other options. They differ in diameter and number of layers. Until now, this is one of the most common options for giving. Pros:
- durable;
- tolerates temperature fluctuations;
- can be stored in an unheated room;
- resistant to mechanical stress;
- does not deform when twisted;
- elastic;
- withstands pressure up to 40 bar (multilayer);
- affordable (available at all hardware stores);
- in stationary irrigation networks can be used up to 20 years.
Flaws:
- heavy;
- cannot be used for drinking water due to toxicity.
PVC
Reinforced polyvinyl chloride (PVC) garden hose is popular and in demand on the modern market. They are produced in various modifications: single-layer, multi-layer, reinforced, corrugated, smooth, various colors. What to choose? Running options include multi-layer, reinforced with fabric thread. Its main advantage is high wear resistance. Other Benefits:
- easy;
- withstands high pressure (up to 35 bar);
- strong, does not break from kinking and twisting (multi-layered);
- does not stretch;
- can withstand temperatures down to -600.
Cons:
- due to the fabric layer, not very flexible;
- loses elasticity at low temperatures.
When choosing a reinforced product, pay attention to the weaving method. Mesh is preferable, since cruciform reinforcement is prone to swelling and further cracking. The number of layers matters, the more of them (sometimes up to 6), the more durable the product.
Plastic
Single-ply garden hoses for watering are usually very light and flexible. Smooth inner walls provide higher throughput than rubber counterparts. Corrugated are convenient because they do not slip in the hands. They can be of any color, but most often single-layer products are transparent.
Flaws:
- during operation, bends cause damage to hoses (corrugated ones do not break from bending);
- may crack when exposed to the sun or cold;
- lime deposits often form on the inner walls, so they cannot be used for drinking water;
- transparent hoses become breeding grounds for algae and clog quickly;
- withstand pressure no more than 5 bar;
- easily damaged on rough surfaces (asph alt, rocks, gravel);
- wears out quickly, even a corrugated hose won't last more than 2 years.
Nylon, silicone
Garden water hoses can be made from other artificial materials:
- Nylon. Main advantages: flexible, lightweight, strong enough. It is very easy to twist. Of the shortcomings, susceptibility to temperature changes is noted. In the heat it loses its shape, in the cold it hardens and deforms. Service life within 2 years. Typically, the industry produces single-layer hoses.
- Silicone. Such products are actively advertised and are gaining more and more popularity. Main features: very flexible, won't break, can withstand temperatures from -200 to +400, available in various color combinations.
Flaws:
- cannot withstand pressure over 3 bar;
- stretch;
- with a lot of pressure, they can burst.
The industry produces several options: single-layer, reinforced, multi-layer and spiral. What are their features?A silicone single-layer garden hose (gardeners' reviews are unambiguous in this) is especially susceptible to deformation: it swells, stretches, bursts. It is best used for gravity watering beds. Reinforced and multilayer models are much more reliable. They regularly serve for several years without changing their characteristics. Curious version of the compact spiral hose. In non-working condition (without water), its length does not exceed 1 meter; when connected, it stretches. Very light and easy to use.
X-HOSE
Relatively new model. It is a double structure: inside a latex tube, very high quality plastic (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene), the upper fabric coating is a polyester fabric. The stretchable garden hose is available in 7.5m, 15m, 22.5m, 30m lengths. Highlights:
- compact;
- easy;
- can straighten creases by itself;
- resistant to seasonal temperature changes;
- self-stretches under the pressure of water (lengthens three times);
- shrinks automatically after water supply stops;
- working pressure - 16 bar;
- includes a special nozzle for regulating the water jet (7 modes).
Flaws:
- can only be used on smooth surfaces;
- fabric cover is easy to cut and tear;
- Requires constant water pressure to function properly.
For winter storage, the hose is removed into a room with a constant positivetemperature.
For different irrigation systems
In addition to the classic watering garden hoses with a round internal section, there are also special finely porous and multi-channel ones. They are used to organize drip and rain irrigation:
- Drip. It is a flat tape with small holes at some distance from each other. It is laid on the beds to ensure watering under the root. Usually enough for several seasons.
- Oozing. The main material is polypropylene or rubber. This is a ready-made system for continuous watering, you just need to connect it to a water supply source (to a water tank). There are micro-holes on the surface of the garden hose, due to which moisture occurs along the entire length of the system, without exception. It requires mandatory installation of a filter and flushing of the hose, otherwise it may become clogged, and algae will appear on the inner walls. It is placed on the beds and sprinkled a little with earth.
- Porous. The principle of operation resembles oozing. Material - rubber. The porous surface is designed to slowly let water through. Very handy on uneven surfaces (steep slopes). This method of watering is economical in terms of water consumption.
- Sprinkler. If the above options do not require good water pressure, then this one works under pressure. It has three rows of micro-holes through which the finest streams of water break through. They form a kind of rain fog. Its height, irrigation area and intensitycan be adjusted by water pressure.
Associated accessories
For ease of use of hoses, various devices are used. Connections, adapters, watering guns, sprinklers, faucets, clamps, connectors - little things that greatly simplify the work. With their help, you can quickly build an irrigation system in your summer cottage. Simplicity of designs and the possibility of repeated installation provide such products with a steady demand.
For winter storage and transfer of the watering sleeve, a garden hose reel is very useful. They can be stationary or mobile. There are several different types:
- wall brackets, mounted on any suitable wall, just wrap a hose around it;
- rotating spool with anti-twist and auto-stop, equipped with handle for winding;
- wall-mounted automatic reel, mounted on the wall, has an automatic reel function;
- trolley reel, mobile model, allows you to effortlessly move the hose around the site;
- inertial, allows you to wind up the hose without much effort, minus - a fixed length of the hose.
Choice
When choosing a garden hose, you should pay attention to the following points:
- length, determined by the area of the garden plot or vegetable garden;
- diameter depends on water pressure;
- for many years of operation it is better to purchase multilayer products(at least three layers: directly in contact with water, a reinforcing layer and a wear-resistant protective one);
- transparent hoses encourage algae growth;
- ribbed do not slip in the hands;
- don't use recycled hoses, they tend to be toxic, so it's better to choose an eco-friendly option;
- nylon braid is considered the strongest;
- reinforced products are less prone to breakage and twisting.
