Top 3 Spray Patterns to Make Your Garden Flourish

By Jane Milliman

When I moved into my most recent house I had to leave my gardening equipment behind for a few months. All there was in the garage was an ancient nozzle with one setting: brutal blast. I’m pretty fussy about how things get watered, so I was not pleased by this and spent much time deflecting the spray with my thumb, bending the hose just so to restrict the flow, etc.

My watering arsenal is now restored, and I have lots of tools for lots of tasks, but Gilmour’s Front Control Watering Nozzle gets a lot of use due it its versatility. Sure, it has a powerful jet setting for gardening cleanup tasks, but it also features seven other settings, each ideal for different flowers and plants.

While each pattern has a purpose, here are three that I use most when gardening:

1. Flower Pattern

You have to be gentle with seedlings and transplants. If you spray them with too much force, they can bend and break. The flower pattern allows you to take a lighter touch with your more delicate plants and flowers.

For best results, hold the nozzle above your seedlings and wave lightly back and forth. Water every day in this manner until they are established, at which point you can water every couple of days as needed.

2. Shrub Pattern

New plantings of trees, shrubs and perennials need a good dose of water during planting and regularly thereafter for at least a year. Drenching them at the roots is the most expedient way to go, and the shrub pattern is made for just this purpose.

The shrub pattern may make it look like you have a leaky nozzle, but that’s for good reason. This setting delivers a consistent stream of water, ideal for plants that require a thorough soak. Simply turn it on, use the clip to hold the handle open and leave it at the base of the plant. It will deliver all the water your thirsty trees and shrubs need, without requiring you to stand there, straining your hand.

3. Soft Wash

Need to water a lot of plants at once? Certain plantings, including annuals, perennials and vegetables, require watering that mimics the spray of a sprinkler (but with manual control, which is great if your garden bed is an odd shape.)

The soft wash setting delivers a wide swath of water exactly where you want it. It gives you the precision you need, while a curtain of water gets the job done a lot more quickly than hand-watering every single plant.

What About the Powerful Patterns?

You may notice a few patterns on your nozzle and wonder what flower can take the power of “clean,” “jet” and “rinse”? I like to think of these patterns as my before and after settings.

When I need to clean planters before adding new flowers or seeds, the rinse setting is perfect for washing away last season’s dirt so I can start fresh. After potting on my patio, the jet setting gives me the powerful stream I need to blast away any soil that didn’t make it where it was supposed to go.

Remember—every pattern has a purpose. Use the best for your plants and have a Betterday.