Watering

With good watering you keep your lawn, borders, vegetable patch and pots in shape even in a dry summer, without walking round with the watering can every evening. On this page you compare water butts and rainwater tanks, garden hoses and hose reels, sprinklers, drip systems and water timers and garden pumps from brands such as Gardena, Garantia, Harcostar, Hozelock, Kärcher, Rain Bird and Talen Tools. For every product you see the specifications and the current price at the shop.

What does your garden need?

• Collecting rainwater: a water butt at the downpipe, with a rain diverter that fills the butt and sends the water back down the pipe once it is full.
• Water to the far end of the garden: a hose that is long enough, on a reel or hose cart so it does not tangle.
• Watering the lawn: an oscillating sprinkler for a rectangular lawn, a rotating or sector sprinkler for corners and round areas, or pop-up sprinklers for a fixed installation.
• Borders, vegetable patch and pots: a drip system or drip hose delivers water at the roots without wetting the leaves.
• Watering while you are away: a water timer on the tap switches the water on and off at set times.

Water butt: capacity and position

Water butts range from about 100 litres for a small butt on a balcony or against a shed to 500 litres and more for a rainwater column or wall tank. The Capacity in litres filter quickly shows the sizes available. Flat wall tanks and columns suit a narrow spot along the house wall; a classic round butt is usually the most affordable. Put the butt on a stand so a watering can fits under the tap and you get more pressure. A diverter in the downpipe collects the water and lets it pass once the butt is full, so it does not overflow.

Garden hose and hose reel

Choose a hose slightly longer than the distance from the tap to the furthest point of the garden. The diameter is usually given in inches: 1/2" (13 mm) is the standard for most gardens, while 5/8" (15 mm) and 3/4" (19 mm) carry more water over long runs or to a thirsty sprinkler. A hose reel, hose cart or automatic wall-mounted reel keeps the hose neatly wound; with an automatic reel the hose rewinds itself. The Hose length and Hose diameter filters make comparing easy.

Sprinklers, drip systems and water timers

For a lawn you usually choose a sprinkler. An oscillating sprinkler covers a rectangle, a rotating or sector sprinkler a circle or part of one. Pop-up sprinklers only rise when the water is on and are part of a fixed system with pipes in the ground. For borders, hedges and pots a drip system uses water more sparingly, because it goes straight to the plant. A water timer or controller on the tap decides when and for how long to water; the With timer or controller filter shows them quickly. If you water from the mains, fit a non-return valve or vacuum breaker between the tap and the system so water cannot flow back into the supply. If in doubt, check what your connection requires.

Garden pumps and water butt pumps

A water butt pump hangs in the butt and sends the rainwater to a hose or sprinkler, including cordless models when there is no socket nearby. An irrigation pump stands next to the butt or well and is meant for larger volumes and longer hoses. Check the specifications for the flow rate in litres per hour and the delivery head.

Safe and worry-free

• Rainwater is not drinking water. Use it for the garden, not for drinking or for washing vegetables you eat raw.
• Cover the water butt. A lid keeps children and animals safe and stops mosquitoes from laying eggs in the water.
• Think about winter. Frozen water can damage a butt, hose or pump. Empty the butt before the frost or disconnect the diverter, and store hoses, sprinklers and timers somewhere frost-free.

Compare prices

The prices on this page are updated daily. For every product you see the current price at the shop and, where available, the price history. Set a price alert on a product if you want to wait until it gets cheaper. You always order directly from the shop itself. More tools for the garden can be found at garden tools, and for growing there is greenhouses and growing.