The garden hose has evolved from, no pun intended, the garden varieties of days past. There are now many varieties of garden hoses that may expand to many other uses outside of the garden. The technology behind modern hoses has gone a long way since it was first invented, as the newer rubber soaker hoses now contain amenities such as layers of bacteria eliminators which makes drinking from a hose a safer affair.
Since it’s inception, the garden hose has been a staple item of every person’s gardening setup. In this article, we’ll look back at the history of the garden hose, as well as some varieties that may aid you in choosing a proper hose to add to your shopping list should you be in need of one.
A Short History on the Garden Hose
The very first hoses appeared around 400BC, and were made of ox guts. One end had a bladder filled with water and was depressed to flow through the intestines. The documented uses of these primitive hoses have not been thorough, though one may have imagined the water transported through the organ being too dirty to drink, so using it to spray plants and crops could have been possible.
A more modern variation of the hose surfaced in Amsterdam in 1672, and was made of leather. This variation of the fire hose included many embellishments we still see today, such as brass fittings on each end of the hose which enabled ends to be directly attached to fire hydrants, more lengths of hose, among other things.
Hoses with sewn seams tended to rupture under pressure. In 1808, a group of volunteer firefighters in Philadelphia created the first fire hose with a riveting system that prevented leaks. It was patented in 1817. Many variations of this design were revised, but nothing quite did better than the leather hose until the late 1800′s.
Hoses made of circular, unlined, woven linen yarns slowly began to replace leather hose across the state in the late 1800′s. The hose fibers, made of flax, swelled up and tightened the weave when wet, in turn causing the hose to become watertight when the current flowed through. This hose was not entirely durable, though, ad was replaced by rubber hoses which were used by fire departments.
Garden hoses today use a variety of natural and synthetic fabrics, elastomers and rubbers which allow them to be stored without maintenance or having to replace different parts. They are now lighter in weight, more resilient to wear and tear in addition to new advancements which make them resist bacteria growth as well.
Features of Modern Garden Hoses
Garden hoses connect using a male to female thread connection which can typically be attached to any faucet. Most hoses have a captive nuts that fits the threads of faucets, which typically have male connectors.
The threads in the most common type of faucets available generally meet a US standard known as GHT, or “garden hose thread.” It has an outer diameter of 1.0625 inches at each end of a typical garden hose, and contain rubber seals to prevent leakage. Many varieties of garden hose have these standard connectors which allow multiple garden hoses to connect end-to-end for an increase in hose length.
It can always be considered a sound investment when you opt to buy an expensive, longer-lasting hose reel made for the avid gardener with a lifetime guarantee rather than a cheap soaker that you replace every other season.
You may have to take into account how large your garden is to be able to pick the right hose length. Luckily, garden hoses come in standard lengths more often than not, and usually range in multiples of 5, so picking out a hose with plenty of excess should be no problem. The fittings of more common hoses have a standard diameter of ½ or ¾ of an inch. Solid brass must be used for the fittings for them to be able to better withstand corrosion and rust.
Companies rate the ability for their hoses to withstand pressure as “burst strength” and is measured in pounds per square inch. Garden hoses are range from 100 to 600 PSI, and can vary greatly from brand to brand.
A garden hose comes on many colors, but is most commonly seen in dark green. Many customers found that a bright color is easier to make out when searching for a hose, though others tend to prefer their hose to blend in with its surroundings.
Varieties of Modern Garden Hoses
A vinyl hose is the most basic variety of a garden hose, but a good choice for the avid gardener on a budget. It’s lightweight paired with the inherent flexibility of vinyl makes it easy to use and store, and even comes in a variety of colors should you ever feel the need to deviate from the typical green hoses so common in the suburbs.
Soaker hoses are for the gardener who requires a deeper solution to the garden hose problem. A typical soaker hose is left on the surface, or sometimes partially buried of the soil for the water to seep into the roots sunken within the ground.
A heavy duty hose may be an option for the more serious gardener. Many of these overbuild garden hoses feature heavy duty rubber construction complete with multiple layers of spiral cord reinforcing. Extra wear-resistant rubber covering can be thrown in on top of the machined-brass couplings, with pressure resistance up to and sometimes past the 500-psi mark.