How to protect your garden hose this winter – experts say this is what you need to do to avoid serious damage

It’s not just the living things in your garden (i.e. your plants and wildlife) that need to be taken care of during winter. It’s your tools too, some of which are more susceptible to the freezing cold than others - your garden hose being the perfect example. So what’s the best way how to protect a garden hose in winter?

Similarly to the plants you need to bring inside in winter, your garden hose should also be stored away to protect it from the frost. But before you do bring it in, there are a couple steps that should not be skipped on.

However, if you insist on leaving your hose outside because you continue using it throughout the winter months, there are some expert-recommended precautions you can take to protect it from freezing and becoming unusable in the future as a result.

How to protect a garden hose in winter

Bringing your hose inside, whether that’s a garage or a shed, is a good winter gardening idea. Otherwise, if left outdoors exposed to the elements and low temperatures, the hose can freeze in the process and become cracked as a result. Which is something that a hose cannot recover from.

‘Leaving a garden hose outside during winter isn’t recommended because the freezing temperatures can damage it,’ says Petar Ivanov, Fantastic Gardeners' gardening expert. ‘If there’s any water left inside the hose, it’ll expand when it freezes and it’ll cause cracks on it.’

Steve Chilton, garden expert at LeisureBench, agrees, ‘Here in the UK, we can get some pretty cold, harsh winters which would cause havoc on our garden hoses. For this reason, I don't recommend leaving the hose outside during winter, and instead I recommend keeping it somewhere that won't get below freezing.’

But before storing it away this is what you need to do.

Petar Ivanov

Petar Ivanov is one of the company's top-performing experts and manages over six teams of gardeners, delivering stunning landscape results and fostering a deep connection with nature through his work.

How to prepare your hose for storing during winter

Much like you store your garden furniture in winter, your garden hose should be put away too to extend its lifespan. 

‘Unhook your hose from the outside tap and drain it, before coiling it up,’ advises Fiona Jenkins, garden expert at MyJobQuote.co.uk, the UK’s leading trades matching site. ‘You should take care to remove any kinks and avoid twisting or straining the hose too much as this can damage it. A reel will help you with this. Then move it into your shed or garage.’

Don’t forget about the nozzle though. Open it too to release any remaining water from it. This should be done right before temperatures drop below freezing. So right about now in other words as night time temperatures are forecasted to drop below 0°C this week.

Steve Chilton

Steve is a passionate and knowledgeable garden expert with several years of experience within the field. As the director of LeisureBench, an industry-leading garden furniture company, Steve has developed strong expertise for all things nature and plants. 

Protect the tap

‘Don’t forget about your outside tap too. Pop an insulating cover over the top to help protect it from frosts,’ Fiona recommends.

Steve adds, ‘You should ensure that the tap where the hose is connected is covered and insulated. If it isn't, it's likely to freeze up and you won't be able to use your hose in the first place.’

And that’s not what you should be doing to look after your garden in the winter. Quite the opposite. So make sure you pop a cover like this Amazon thermal tap jacket on your garden tap this winter.

How to insulate a hose if kept outside

If you must keep your garden hose outside over winter due to regular use, then you need to protect it even more so. Firstly, you need to drain any remaining water in the hose after each use to prevent it from freezing.

And secondly, insulate! 

‘I recommend using foam pipe insulation as this is the most widely available material and generally the most effective,’ Steve says. ‘Measure your hose correctly. This will help you determine how much insulation material you'll need. If you're unsure, always opt for more as you can cut down. Cut the insulation material. It should match the length of the hose.’

‘Carefully slip the pre-slit foam tube over the garden hose, ensuring that it covers the entire length. To keep the insulation in place, you could use anything from zip ties, adhesive tape, to electrical tape to secure the ends. Just make sure that the insulation is snug and doesn't move easily along the hose.’

Lastly, elevating your hose by hanging it on a hanger or hook will also help greatly.

‘If you're storing the hose outdoors, place it on a hose reel or hanger to keep it off the ground,’ Petar advises. ‘Keeping it on a hanger will also prevent the hose from getting tangled. This combination of using insulation and protective covering will be the most effective at preventing freezing and will extend the lifespan of your garden hose.’

FAQs

Whatever you do, just don’t let your poor garden hose freeze outside in the blistering cold this winter.