Anyone interested in maintaining a lush garden or beautiful lawn knows the importance of owning the right hose. To be a success, large amounts of water must be moved from one place to another, and owning the right hose makes life a whole lot easier.

Buying the correct length of hose is key. When in doubt, buy the longer hose. Hoses typically come in 50, 75 and 100-foot lengths. Measuring your space from the spigot to the furthest point often tells most homeowners that the 100-ft length is the right choice. Stretching short hoses to their limit tends to promote kinking and unwanted pressure to your spigot. Each spigot around your home should be outfitted with the correct length of hose.

Today's hoses are made of plastic, rubber or vinyl and often have several plies combining these materials. Vinyl or meshed jacketing is common for increasing the strength and flexibility of the hose. Rubber hoses remain more flexible during the colder months than the other materials, and bounce back from kinking better than vinyl varieties.

Hoses typically come in 3 different diameters: 1/2, 5/8 and 3/4 inches. Smaller yards only require the 1/2-inch diameter, but 5/8-inch is standard for most homes. Choose the commercial 3/4-inch diameter hose if you need to fill ponds or pools. The larger diameter hose moves 65% more water than the 5/8-inch diameter hose.

New soaker hoses, flat reel hoses and recoiling hoses are coming out each spring, as well as every kind of spray attachment nozzle possible. Have fun experimenting with them according to your needs.

Jim Barnard is a freelance writer living in Minneapolis. He has been writing about home improvement and popular culture since 1995.