Garden Hoses: What To Know Before You Buy

Your garden hose is probably working overtime this summer as you water plants, irrigate a vegetable garden or wash the car. According to hose manufacturer Teknor Apex, a good garden hose will last five to 10 years if properly maintained. A bad garden hose, as most of us have already found out, will waste water, function poorly and cause bouts of frustration.
So to keep the kinks out of your relationship with your garden hose, let’s take a look at what to consider before you buy a new one.




Types of Garden Hoses
Lightweight or heavy-duty? Standard or coiled? Flat or expandable? Who knew there were so many types of garden hoses? Here are some of the most common types of hoses you’re likely to find at your local garden center:
-All-purpose hose. An all-around basic hose for watering and cleaning is available in different sizes and materials, and may be lightweight or heavy-duty.
-Flat hose. These compact, easy to coil hoses expand when filled with water but lay flat when not. Because they have to be flexible to collapse when empty, they’re usually made of lightweight material that typically won’t last as long.
-Coiled hose. If you’re tight on space or just hate fighting with your hose when it’s time to put it away, this type of hose retracts into a neat coil. They usually come in shorter lengths (see below for more info) so are suitable for watering small areas.
-Expandable hose. Another option for small yards or patios, an expandable hose looks petite, but its length doubles or triples when it’s filled with water. These lightweight hoses are for light-duty jobs, and generally don’t last long.

Garden Hose Features
Here are the garden hose features you should consider:
-Length. Hoses typically come in lengths of 25, 50, 75, and 100 feet. Consider the size of the area you need to water, or how far away your birdbath or dirty car are from the spigot/outdoor faucet, and choose a length based on that.
-Diameter. According to Lowe’s, hoses range from 3/8- to 3/4-in. in diameter, with most being 5/8-inch. The bigger the diameter, the more water a hose can carry, but the hose will also be heavier.
-PSI. The flow rate or water speed and pressure in a hose is measured in pounds per square inch, or psi. The hose packaging will be marked with the maximum psi the hose can handle. The tougher the hose, the higher the psi.
-Flexibility. The more flexible a hose, the easier it is to coil and uncoil. But if a hose is too flexible, it will kink easily, which can cause it to split and deteriorate faster.
-Material. With a few exceptions, garden hoses are made of rubber, vinyl or a combination of the two. Vinyl hoses cost less and weigh less, but they’re generally not as durable as rubber hoses. Rubber hoses are heavier and costlier, but are more durable and less prone to kinking than vinyl hoses. Hoses made of a combination of vinyl and rubber are a good mid-range solution — they cost less than rubber hoses but last longer than vinyl ones.

How To Choose the Right Garden Hose
Your garden hose purchase is likely to boil down to a few considerations, including:
-Usage and durability. If you need a hose for occasional watering, you’re probably okay spending less on a light-duty hose. For regular sprinkling or watering of a large lawn, go with a heavy-duty hose.
-Type. The amount of storage space you have will determine whether you want a coiled or expandable hose, or if you want to stick to a standard type.
-Length. Consider the dimensions of the area you’re watering, and buy a hose that’s slightly longer than the farthest point your hose has to reach.
-Budget. A 25-foot garden hose can cost anywhere from $18 to $60 at The Home Depot. Price usually correlates to quality.

Garden Hose Maintenance
Improve the lifespan of your hose by taking care of it using these tips.
-Put it away after each use. A hose left stretched out on the ground can get kinked, run over by the car and damaged by the sun’s UV rays.
-Wind it up. Don’t leave your hose in a heap — roll it onto a real or caddie to reduce kinks, or at least coil it up neatly.These
-Stow it in the winter. Disconnect your hose when gardening season is over, drain it and store it in the garage until next year.

Garden Tools and Equipment for Your Gardening Business

Planning to build a gardening, lawn mowing or landscaping business? It's always a good idea for people who have a passion for gardening. However, starting a gardening business requires a lot of preparation - such as the purchase of gardening tools.
In this guide, GarDepot will help those looking to build a gardening business gain insight into the various basic gardening tools necessary.

What tools are needed for the gardening business?
There are many different kinds of gardening services such as planting, landscaping, lawn care, etc. Although different gardening businesses require investment in different tools, there is always some equipment that can be used for all gardening tasks.

Long Handle Garden Tools
Shovel: A great tool for gardeners, the spade is a versatile tool for use in and around the garden. Shovels are used to dig and move materials. Use a shovel to dig holes, shift plants, pry up rocks and stumps, or break up compacted soil. When purchasing shovels remember to choose products made of corrosion-resistant materials such as stainless steel, as well as having sturdy, balanced handles.
Rake: The teeth of rakes are designed to spread and collect material around or level the soil. Rakes are commonly used to spread, collect or level soil, mulch, compost, gravel, fallen leaves and other garden debris. Rakes are usually made of steel or hard plastic materials, the former designed for tough jobs and the latter for lighter work.
Fork: Gardens are designed to break up soil before planting, move material, and remove plants without damaging the roots. Garden forks are commonly used to apply fertilizer, manure and compost around plants, move hay, and collect large garden debris into a neat pile.

Short Handle Garden Tools
Hedge Shears: Hedge shears have long, narrow blades and short handles. This tool is designed to cut and trim hedges, as well as shape bushes and shrubs into topiary. Hedge shears are quite versatile and are an essential tool for landscaping services.
Hand Pruner: The hand pruners are used for pruning, trimming and cutting fine branches, twigs, live and dead bodies up to 1CM in thickness. It is commonly used for propagating cuttings, transplanting, repotting, and pruning small plants such as succulents, bonsai, etc. For gardening endeavors that include growing flowers and potted plants, it is always worth investing in hand pruners.
Trowel: The basic trowels are small gardening tools that are commonly used to clear gaps between plants, pull out plants, and remove old stems. If someone asks what tool is best for growing and caring for small fruits, vegetables and plants, hand trowels are definitely the best answer. They enable gardeners to till the soil or transplant plants without damaging their roots.

Is a gardening business profitable?
Today, more and more people are turning their hobby into a career. This is certainly the case with gardening, which can be a business that brings in profit - as long as it is managed properly! With the quest for natural and organic living, the demand for gardening services will predictably increase as well. Remember, gardening tools will always make the job easier.
When it comes to choosing the best gardening tools for your business, choose equipment that is versatile and built to last. Choose tools with coated metal handles and those forged from corrosion-resistant materials. Avoid tools with flimsy handles or thin metal materials.

Gardepot is dedicated to providing quality wholesale gardening tools, and you can find various gardening guides on our website. Feel free to contact us with any questions or needs.

Cleaning and Sharpening Pruning Tools

After investing in a quality trimming tool or shears, it's worth taking a little time to keep them in good working order. Cleaning and maintaining your pruners isn't just about improving the life and usability of your tools, it's also important to disinfect your pruners if you're dealing with plants or trees that are at risk of infection.
It's also important to sharpen knives regularly, as dull blades tend to tear through plant tissue and cause jagged cuts. Now that it's winter and there's not as much pruning gardening to do, there's no better time to clean and sharpen your pruning tools!

Cleaning and Disinfecting Pruners
Cleaning - Pruning shears should be cleaned before they are disinfected, as dirt and residue on the blades will interfere with any disinfectant you use. It is usually sufficient to wipe the blades with a dampened cloth, and even better to add a small amount of detergent to the water. Cleaning should be done regularly to prevent pruners from jamming. If it has not been cleaned for a long time, we recommend taking the tool apart and wiping it down thoroughly.
Disinfection - Medical alcohol, the kind you can buy at the drugstore, is ideal for disinfecting pruners. Disinfection with alcohol does not require soaking, a simple wipe will do the trick, and there is no need to rinse it off.
Oil - After cleaning, oil the tool to keep it moving freely and to prevent corrosion. A generic mineral oil can be used. A thin vegetable oil should do the job well. Put some oil between the blades, on the springs, and a little on the latches that hold the chainsaw closed when not in use. Then move the parts so that the oil gets to all sliding surfaces and wipe off any excess oil.

Sharpening Pruners
It is important to keep your pruning tools sharp. First, a sharp blade makes the cut easier and the gardener works less easily to fatigue. Second, a clean cut will heal better and faster, making it less likely that the plant will become infected through the wound. Therefore, blades should be sharpened regularly and replaced if deeper scratches or nicks appear. Most hedge trimmers and pruners on the market are sold with replacement parts and there is no need to eliminate the entire tool.
It is beneficial to sharpen your pruning tools after use to keep them in top condition. Keeping up this habit isn't really as easy as you might think, but it's a fairly simple task. If you do this regularly, the life of your pruning tools can be greatly extended, and you can save money on new equipment. And, they'll always give you clean, fast cuts!
It is important to remember that common pruning tools such as hedge shears and hand pruners can only be sharpened on their single bevel. That is, not the "back" of the cutting blade, which needs to be kept flat. Cutting board pruners, on the other hand, usually have a double bevel, so sharpen on both sides.

Sharpening a Bypass Pruners
Grinding Stone - With the flat side of the diamond grinder, grind the bevelled side of the blade with a rotating movement at an angle of 20-30° (like a sharpening stone).
Sharpener - Pull the concave sharpening edge gently along the blade edge at an angle of 30-50°. Use either of the corner edges of the sharpener, i.e. do not try to have the sharpener ‘flat’ against the blade. Work only with one side of the sharpener. One light pass on the back of the bevelled side will remove the burr which has formed.

Pruning means more than just the work of cutting off branches! Proper cleaning and maintenance of tools is also an important part of gardening, and only then will you be able to create your garden better.
Gardepot is dedicated to providing wholesale gardening tools, as well as sharing gardening knowledge. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.