There is nothing more unsightly in a garden than a hose lying in an unorganized mess. And it’s a safety hazard too so the problem has to faced. Every gardener knows how important it is to get the hose to the right location and get the needed water to the plants but these tasks often are complicated by bruised plants, kinked hoses, and hoses crushed by car tires. Avoiding these pitfalls while watering the garden makes hose holders seem appealing.
When shopping for a hose holder there are several points to take into consideration. These can be broken down into those pertaining to the hose and those related to the holder.
Hose
Length of hose: The more hose you need the bigger and sturdier the hose holder you will need.
Size of the hose: Hoses come in various sizes with 3/8” being small. A small hose is generally more flexible and manageable than a comparable one that is 5/8”. You may be easily able to wind a 3/8” hose into a pot type of hose holder but will not be able to stuff a 5/8” hose of the same length into the same pot. The diameter and length of the hose determine the amount of water the hose can deliver in a given time period so influences the amount of time that is needed to water a specific area.
Hose malleability: Some hoses are easier to wind and manipulate than others. This can be due to the diameter as mentioned above but it is also dependent on the material the hose is made of. If you have trouble moving the hose around when you water, expect to have the same problem when putting it in or on the hose holder.
Hose Holder (All illustrations of hose holders are from Amazon.com because they have a large and varied inventory. Click on the image for more information.)
Location of the spigots relative to the area needing water: You want the water source to be as close and convenient as possible but sometimes neither is possible. If the garden is far from the water source the hose and hose holder requirements will be different than if the two are close together. More distance means bigger hoses and bigger hose holders or a portable house holder.
Location of the hose holder: If you have a large garden a large hose holder can easily fit in and be part of the scenery but most gardeners have relatively small lots and giving up garden space for the hose holder is not a pleasant prospect. For these gardeners a wall mounted hose holder is probably the best kind. There are many styles available and most are relatively unobtrusive, attractive, and space saving.
You might want help reeling the hose onto the wall mounted hose holder.
Assuming you have space in the garden,you might consider a free standing hose holder. Free standing models will have some degree of stability issues; the smaller and lighter the holder the more likely it will be to fall over.
Pots for use as holders come in many shapes, sizes, materials, and styles from this casual looking wicker basket,
To this elegant copper pot. If you like this container style holder make sure it has holes in the bottom so excess water can drain out and that it has a central core to help organize the coils of the hose.
For a more heavy duty holder with a reel to help wind the hose, this one might appeal.
Material: Holders may be made of a variety of materials including metal and plastic. Good quality will increase durability.
Assembly/Installation: If you are handy with tools, this might not be of significance but to those of us who are not handy, assembly/installation can mean the difference between a good and bad experience. A wall mounted holder does not jump up on the wall by itself but a simple pot can be put in place by almost anyone.
No matter what kind of hose holder meets your needs you still have the choice of it being decorative of purely functional. There are many very attractive hose holder in all kinds from wall mounted to free standing, with and without power reels. Go back over the illustrations above and look at them with a view to aesthetics and how much each might add to or detract from the appearance of the garden.
Chuck