For many years, I watered a handful of garden beds in my orchard using a 35-gallon leg tank. Gravity caused water to flow at low pressure through a 50-foot hose, allowing me to gently (but slowly) water corn and pumpkin plants.
This year, I’ve switched to running hoses from a yard hydrant, significantly increasing the water pressure available at my garden beds. But that increased water pressure has come with unforeseen side effects, prompting me to add a new watering tool to my collection: a watering wand.
A watering wand screws on to the end of a standard hose and provides a better means for controlling spray pattern and pressure. After testing a watering wand with my new hose setup, I can’t imagine getting along without one, because it readily solved all the problems I faced.
Intrigued? Here are four reasons why you need a watering wand in your garden:
1. Improved Control Over Water Pressure
Before I switched to a watering wand, I was using a simple shutoff valve at the end of my hose to control the flow of water. By opening the valve only a little bit, I could change the straight jet of water from the hose into a spreading spray of droplets.
Unfortunately, a basic shutoff valve offers minimal control over water pressure and spray shape. It worked fine when watering freshly planted beds. But once seedlings sprouted, I had only two choices:
- spray the whole bed from a decent height (which was gentle, but wetted and muddied the leaves of all the delicate seedlings)
- selectively spray around the plants close to the ground (which kept the leaves drier, but threatened to significantly disturb the soil due to the high water pressure)
A watering wand can remedy all these issues. Mine has two means of controlling water pressure. A knob broadly controls the amount of water flowing through the wand, and a squeezable lever further refines the amount, even shutting off the flow if the lever isn’t squeezed at all.
For lengthy watering sessions, a metal clip flips down to hold the lever in the “on” position so continuous squeezing isn’t needed.
With two options for controlling water pressure, my watering wand makes all the difference when caring for my garden beds. I can water the bases of the plants without pummeling the soil, leaving leaves relatively dry and roots undisturbed.
2. Long Handles Save Bending Down
Another benefit of a watering wand is its length. While designs vary, often the sprayer head extends far down from the handle (sometimes by a couple feet or more), which means you can water at the base of plants without bending down.
If you have a lot of plants to water, this can save strain on your back.
3. Handy On/Off Control Reduces Water Waste
Of course, any garden hose can be shut off at the source. But having a more convenient on/off control at the end of the hose is a big positive.
You can shut off the spray while you navigate between plants or garden beds, saving water while soaking only what you intend to soak. No more spraying water across the stone pathway, or the garden bench, or that jacket that you took off earlier because you were too hot.
4. Variable Watering Patterns Offer Versatility
Some watering wands further expand their capabilities by offering multiple watering patterns. If you want a pure jet of water like you’d get from a hose, that’s an option. Or you can opt for a mist pattern that’s even finer than a spray.
Whatever your needs, a watering wand with variable watering patterns ought to get the job done.
What are you waiting for? If you’re caring for a large garden, a watering wand is a must-have addition to your watering toolbox.
