There are garden works, which under no circumstances will not be able to get rid of. Take at least watering: even if the heavenly office with enviable regularity sends rain clouds to your site, greenhouse landings will still not be able to get drunk without your help. Here we will carry fruit trees and berry bushes, which need to be watered for several years after planting – and they will need your care.
Quite a few already, isn’t it? And when you consider that regularly falling rains all spring-summer-autumn is still out of the realm of fantasy, and add to the irrigated areas of the garden and flower beds, it becomes quite sad. Don’t despair! This time-consuming work can be made easy and pleasant, if you choose the right assistants – devices that will make watering more convenient.
Let’s go through the hoses
Spiral hose
The range of hoses in garden shops is grandiose. I decided to mention the most unusual and useful of them. And we start with a spiral hose. This is a great solution for those who do not have the ability (or desire, or both) to carry heavy hoses on the site, unwinding and winding them with each watering. As you move away from the connection point, the spiral hose will stretch, and when you are done, it will automatically shrink to the minimum size. You will only need to disconnect it from the water supply system and remove that, too, will not be difficult – in non-working condition, it is surprisingly compact and will not take up much space (fit in a closet or nightstand).
It will be indispensable in a limited space (balconies, terraces, winter gardens), where it is important to keep intact floor flower pots. The hose is very light, so the probability of damage to fragile shoots and flowers is negligible. There are many advantages, so he was in my ranking.
Stretchable hose
Another practical model for fans of light weight devices: 20-meter hose weighs less than a kilogram! Weightless hose is ideal for those who are contraindicated significant physical activity, and sit back does not want to: future moms, pensioners, hardworking kids. Yes, the kids love to water and, if you create a comfortable working environment (light hose, convenient spray gun with different watering modes), in their face, you can find reliable assistants.
The only condition that must be taken into account when working with a tensile hose – constant water pressure in the system. If it is unstable, you run the risk of completing the irrigation of plants very suddenly, at the most inopportune moment: as soon as the pressure in the network decreases, the hose will inexorably shrink in size, trying to return to the original.
Reinforced PVC hose
In the subconscious of summer residents firmly entrenched stereotype: a reliable hose for irrigation is sure to weigh a lot, and the better the product, the harder it should be. But this is not true! Modern materials and manufacturing techniques allow to harmoniously combine these two qualities together, and one of the most striking examples – reinforced PVC hose.
Light (15 m weigh just over 2 kg) but surprisingly reliable: it can be operated almost around the clock – it is designed for heavy loads. He does not care about the cold and heat, the scorching sun’s rays will not cause him the slightest harm. Thanks to the reinforcement, the hose holds its shape well, so you can forget about the endless creases and twists (which turn watering into torture, punishment, test for the nervous system).
Pay attention to the analogue of PVC hose with reinforcing cord: this is the case when the quality is at a height, and the price is acceptable.
We bring watering to automatism
Hose for drip irrigation
A practical solution, beneficial for both plants and for the gardener: dosed gradual moistening of the soil has the most positive effect on plants; the land is not compacted by surface irrigation (which is especially important in areas with dense heavy soils), water consumption is significantly reduced (economical summer residents, take note!). Watering can be carried out both on the soil surface and underground.
In practice, for me personally, underground laying of the hose is preferable: if the aisles are not mulched, endless weeding of weeds can not be avoided. And they will naturally grow as close as possible to the source of moisture. A hoe and hose for drip irrigation – a duet unpromising, at least for the hose clearly. Well, if you have no problems with weeds, then surface watering will give excellent results.
Timer for watering
Imagine that now you don’t have to worry about how your cucumbers are doing in the greenhouse. There is no need to carry heavy watering cans with water and every day to be present at the site, so as not to miss another watering your greenhouse Kingdom. This opportunity gives gardeners watering timer in the company with the auto-watering system.
You just choose one of the programs on your device and calmly go about their business. The timer will do everything for you: turn on and turn off the water supply. You will only have time to change the batteries from which it works (if the model is electronic). Most often, the auto-watering system with a timer is installed in the greenhouse, but what prevents you from throwing a hose with a dropper into your favorite flower garden or under the nurse-Apple tree. So officially I declare: the timer for watering is a real relief of everyday work of the gardener.
Mobility is our Forte
Hose reel
Very practical thing, if you have to constantly move long hoses: on the coil they do not twist, do not fold into loops, excluded hall, there is no risk of damage to both the hose and plants.
Why this happens in life is a mystery to me, but it has been noticed repeatedly: if you are too lazy to move the twisted hose and decided to quickly pull it up – the best plant in the garden or flower bed will definitely be broken. I think this situation is familiar to many summer residents, and tired of it all to the point of impossibility. And the coil will exclude this problem in principle, and our tomatoes and peppers will quietly show off on the beds, not afraid to lose shoots (or even life) with each watering.
For me, one more nuance is fundamentally important: carrying watering hoses in my hands, it is simply impossible to stay clean: hands, feet, clothes and shoes – everything is at risk of taking an unplanned mud bath. If the combination of irrigation and cosmetic procedures is not included in your plans (or dirt on your site is not different healing properties), then the purchase of a coil for the hose is exactly what you need.
If possible, you can buy an improved version with a locking mechanism, automatic winding of the hose after work, a carrying handle, a strong bracket for mounting to the wall. All amenities in one bottle.
Additional features of the coil will not only facilitate the work, but also allow you to feel like a garden fairy. And don’t tell me daily use of high-end equipment doesn’t increase self-esteem. Boosts, sorely tested!