Which irrigation hose is better to choose: popular types + what to look for when choosing

Summer promises to be dry, but you absolutely do not want to lose your harvest of homemade strawberries, tomatoes, cherries and apples because of the heat? Agree that by promptly nourishing tender plants with life-giving moisture, you can save the situation. If your old irrigation hose is leaking, we are ready to help you select a replacement.

We will help you understand the diverse range of irrigation products. The article discusses the main types of hoses and provides criteria for choosing the best option. Thematic photos and video recommendations for future buyers have been selected.

Types of watering hoses

Of course, without additional irrigation it is difficult to achieve the desired result - rarely is any crop able to withstand the whims of nature, be it a tree, shrub, vegetable plant or ornamental flower.

The range of irrigation products from various manufacturers is impressive - the market offers a huge number of hoses, connectors for connecting to garden pumps, adapters, adapters, nozzles, sprayers and more.

To understand all this diversity and understand which hose is best to choose for watering plants in your garden, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with their main varieties. They differ in color, appearance, technical characteristics, material of manufacture and features of use.

For irrigation, hoses made from rubber, PVC, silicone And thermoplastic elastomer (TEP).

As for the design, watering hoses can consist of one or several layers. The first option is prone to fractures, which can result in cracks and tears. But the second type contains two or more layers: these are the products most often purchased by summer residents for domestic use.

The structure of such a product is additionally reinforced with reinforcing polymer threads. And on top of the braid another layer is applied, designed to protect from the harmful effects of sunlight and precipitation.

Also, hoses intended for irrigation differ in design. Which one is best for you depends only on your specific goals. They are ordinary, spiral, corrugated, stretchable.

Watering hoses also differ in the way they are used: some allow you to precisely supply water directly to the root system, while others allow you to create a real shower of a million splashes. Moreover, for the first option, classic hoses are suitable, equipped by the manufacturer with holes of a certain shape. Or made in the form of a tape.

But for abundant irrigation, types of hoses of various designs are suitable, which must first be supplemented with a watering can or a sprinkler device of a different shape.

Rules for choosing the best hose

If numerous offers of gardening products have completely confused you and you don’t know which hose or irrigation pipe It’s better to replenish your summer cottage arsenal; we advise you to focus on the main selection criteria and product characteristics. And now we’ll figure out which ones are more important.

Criterion #1 - technical parameters

Most manufacturers indicate significant characteristics of the watering hose on the packaging.

Among them are the following:

1. Diameter. It is measured in inches, 1 unit of which equals 25 mm. In the water supply system, ½, ¾, 1 are most often used. You need to buy a hose whose diameter corresponds to the pipe summer water supply.
2. Operating pressure. Reinforced products are more durable and can withstand 5, 6, 8 atm or more, but single-layer ones can withstand a maximum of 2 atm. The first ones to buy are preferable if water is pumped into the hose pumping station, the second - if the hose is connected to plastic containerinstalled on the overpass.
3. Wall thickness. This indicator depends on the number of layers - the more there are, the thicker the sleeve will be. It is advisable to use hoses with a wall thickness of 1.5 mm.
4. Availability of reinforcement. Almost all modern watering hoses are reinforced, enclosed in a polymer braid. The thicker the pattern of reinforcing threads, the more durable and kink-resistant the final product will be.
5. Material used. The wear resistance, weight, softness, flexibility and cost of the product depend on it. The most expensive is TEP.But such a product is distinguished by increased performance characteristics, minimal weight and a long warranty period.
6. Length. A watering hose can be purchased as a cut or a ready-made coil. In the first case, the store cuts off the required length of hose corresponding to the size of the area being watered, and in the second, a certain length of hose is already packaged and the manufacturer indicates this value on the packaging.
7. Temperature conditions for operation. Here everything depends on the type of material, so rubber can withstand from -30 to +90 °C, PVC - from -5 to +50 °C, TPE - from -50 to +90 °C, silicone - from -20 to +40 °C.

By the way, the situation with the diameter is as follows - domestic manufacturers prefer to indicate the internal diameter, but foreign manufacturers write the outer diameter of the product on the packaging. This fact should be taken into account when choosing hose attachments and connection details.

When using non-standard devices, an adapter may be required, which it is advisable to immediately select and buy along with a new hose

As for pressure, many manufacturers make the mistake of indicating large values ​​on the packaging - 20, 30, 40 or more Bar (1 Bar is approximately equal to 1 atm). The fact is that this is the maximum pressure that can be withstood before rupture. And to get normal operating pressure from this figure, you need to divide it by 3. For example: 20/3 = 6.67 Bar.

It is preferable that the result obtained is 6 atm or slightly more. This figure is considered the maximum for autonomous water supply pressure, which contains pumping station or automatic pump. Experts do not recommend exceeding this value in order to extend the life of your home water supply.

Another important characteristic is safety.Before purchasing, you should make sure that the product is made of non-toxic compounds that cannot cause harm to health. By watering your plants with a safe hose, you can be sure that no harmful chemical elements will get into the water.

Nowadays, almost all multilayer products are covered with a layer designed to protect the product from penetration of ultraviolet rays. And some manufacturers, for example, Hozelock, apply a special protective layer inside the product - against the formation of algae

Criterion #2 - configuration features

Before purchasing, you should pay attention to the equipment, especially if you liked the exclusive option. Manufacturers often offer connectors with the product to make it easier for the user to connect to water pipe.

When purchasing the latter, it is advisable to pay attention to a rather useful function - “Aquastop”. This function prevents water from flowing when the supply is stopped.

Watering hoses can be equipped with nozzles or multifunctional spray guns with 3-5 or more irrigation modes. To install them you will need a special device - a connector.

If we are talking about a hose of small diameter, for example, a spiral one with d=8 mm, then it would not be amiss to check the presence of an adapter, because the outlet from the water pipe is most often made with a larger diameter pipe.

In addition, when purchasing a 100-meter bay or an even larger one, it is advisable to immediately take care of your own convenience. To do this, take a closer look at the reel for storing the product in a wound state, and at the cart for transporting it.

If the area is large and the length of the hose is 30 meters or more, then it is more convenient to stock up on a reel that twists it. Some manufacturers offer a ready-made irrigation system, equipped with a cart, reel, direct hose coil of a certain meter, connectors and nozzles

Criterion #3 - product service life

To buy the best hose, oddly enough, you should not save. If you plan to use it for a long time, you should buy a durable product, paying attention to the manufacturer’s warranty.

For example, the Karcher company recently released products with a 12, 15 and even 18-year warranty. Such a long production line and the possibility of free replacement already speaks in favor of product quality.

The manufacturer's warranty confirms the reliability of the product. If something happens to the hose before the end of the allotted line, the company undertakes to exchange it for a new one

Therefore, when calculating the benefits of purchasing an expensive hose, you need to take into account the warranty - the price tag of the product will have to be divided by the years of the warranty and the resulting result will be equal to the cost of one meter.

Then compare this value with the price tag of a cheap plastic hose, which will last, at best, for 1-2 years. And at worst - for a month or two of operation. The benefits will become obvious.

Rehau products also deserve special attention.

Among the companies with a reputation for producing reliable products, in addition to Karcher and Rehau, one should also note Gardena, XHOSE (only original products with direct delivery from Germany), Palisad, ZUBR, Green Apple, Fitt, Hozelock and others.

Recommendations for care and use

To ensure trouble-free operation of the hose, it is advisable to take into account your needs when choosing it. If your personal plot is delimited into zones - a garden, a raspberry field, an area under strawberries or tomatoes, a flower bed, shrubs, then for irrigating such a variety it is better to stock up on several options.

If you need to wash your car, then with the availability of various hose options, you won’t have to unwind the 30-meter giant. You can use a convenient stretchable product, the capabilities of which are quite sufficient for washing a car.

Also, regardless of the temperature indicated on the package, the watering hose must be stored correctly. To do this, it is recommended to twist it when irrigation work is completed and conservation is carried out. summer water supply. First check for blockages inside and rinse with clean water.

Crying systems and drip irrigation pipes It is also undesirable to leave them in/on the ground for the whole winter - it is better to rinse such hoses, like regular hoses, twist them and store them in the garage.

An inexpensive reinforced watering hose, despite the stated characteristics, does not tolerate frost and sudden temperature changes. Already in the spring you can see how from flexible and elastic it became oak and brittle

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

The first video will introduce you to guidelines for choosing a hose depending on operating conditions:

Irrigation hoses and recommendations for their use are discussed in the video:

Expert video recommendations for future buyers:

Having determined the main purposes of using a new watering hose, you need to measure the diameter of the water pipe where it will be connected.And also the length of the area that he will have to service - this is exactly the footage he will need to buy.

When purchasing, you should not save and take the cheapest option; it is better to choose a multi-layer reinforced product from a reliable manufacturer with a guarantee of 10 years, with protection from UV rays, and which can withstand pressure up to 6 atm.

Would you like to tell us which hose you chose for watering green spaces in your own country plot? Do you have information on the topic of the article that is worth sharing with site visitors? Please write comments in the block below, post photos and ask questions about controversial and unclear points.