There’s that moment. The sun is shining. The air feels warm. Soil has been dug. That moment–when the garden has bloomed.
The number of people who gardened from spring 2013 to spring 2014 was 113.5 million. It’s a hobby for some, a craft for those who put the work in, and a field of study for those that do the research. But the end result is that moment when all the hard work, the digging, the planting, observing which areas have the most sunlight…all pays off.
The flowers that can be planted:
- Geraniums
- Daisies
- Phlox
- Hibiscus
- Roses
- Pansies
- And many others
Growing a garden free of weeds, with the correct sunlight, the strongest soil, the most nutrient rich compost…all takes a strong effort, caring after the flowers day after day. Then there is that unenviable task. Rain can ease the burden. But still it’s time to water.
Watering keeps plants from wilting. It provides nutrients for the plants to thrive. It combats the hot southern days or humid northeastern climate. It takes time. It takes deliberation. Water pot or water hose. Some statistics:
- Experts say the optimum amount of lawn watering is one inch per watering session.
- To provide your lawn with one inch of water takes over half a gallon per square foot.
- Optimal lawn watering with a sprinkler system takes from one hour to 90 minutes.
Method lessens the burden. A rusted metal garden spout takes time. It hits the spot, but demands more trips to the faucet. Watch out for sprinklers. Great for lawn watering. Sprinklers will soak a garden, however. They may miss certain flowers. There is one answer. It is the garden hose.
Statistic 1: You can buy a garden hose as short as 25 feet to as long as 100 feet.
Length. Garden hoses have length. That makes them more mobile than a garden spout, more capable of hitting spots than a sprinkler, and stronger at hitting spots 75 feet or farther than either.
One hose. Two gardens. You maintain a flowerbed on one side of the residence and a produce garden on the other side. There’s sun shining out. The length between the two gardens is 50 feet. You can take the hose and reach them both. That’s the length of a garden hose.
Statistic 2: A good garden hose should last five to ten years.
Durability. Longevity. Acquired from a reputable location, the garden hose you bought should last five to ten years. Durable material. Capable of being left out in a severe thunderstorm. Resistant to scrapes and bruises.
If you’re unsure about the durability, attempt this. Try taking your garden hose and pinching it. Dig as hard as you can with your nails. Fold it over, again and again. Twist it till it screams out in agony. Oh wait, it doesn’t. Cause it’s that durable.
Statistic 3: Typical garden and utility hose have a diameter from .5 inches to .75 inches
Diameter. It’s the distance between two ends of a circle. In a cylinder, the wider the diameter increases the amount of liquid in the cylinder, whether that cylinder has a base like a cup or is open like a channel.
The typical garden and utility hose moves only so much water. The larger the diameter, the more it’ll move. A .75 inch hose will move three times the water than one of .5 inches.
Water your plants. Keep them marching on.