When I planted my vegetable garden on the far side of my yard, I knew a water spigot extension was necessary. If you ever suddenly think a garden’s location is too far from the water source, there is some good news. I had this problem. The vegetable garden sits beyond my pool area, and to water these plants, I had to carry a 100-foot hose across the patio daily.
To my surprise, there were plenty of options available to help me. Several companies make hose extensions that easily allow you to connect the house hose spigot to another turn-on valve across the yard. It’s a brilliant idea and helps make planning gardens convenient.
What is an Outdoor Water Spigot Extension?
The hose extenders are auxiliary water turn-on points; you can still add timers or diverters to these extensions. However, the water turn-on valve is moved closer to the garden for soaker hoses, sprinklers, or an extra spigot for watering.
I bought the Yard Butler to solve two problems. First, it immediately moved my water source closer to where I needed it. Second, it eliminated the leaky fixture at the house. Oh, the spigot still leaks. But that water goes down the connected hose to the Yard Butler and waits to be used.
The fixture on a pole doesn’t detract from water pressure or damage the main water supply. However, as a more permanent solution, I’ll run PVC pipe from the house spigot splitter to the garden.
The Yard Butler
Lewis Lifetime Tools manufactures the original Yard Butler, which comes with a lifetime warranty and is currently on sale at Home Depot and Amazon. You connect an extension hose to the back valve from your water source, and a standard garden hose is attached to the front spigot. The Yard Butler supports a hose length of up to 100 feet.
The Yard Butler is 2 1/2 feet tall, 2 inches wide, and has a 5-inch footer that embeds in the soil or grass. It’s made of powder-coated steel and weighs just over 3 pounds. The standard installation involves pushing the 5-inch footer into the ground. However, I had to put a piece of rebar, a “T” bar, into Florida’s sandy soil and then slip the pole over it to make it stable enough. The installation instructions say you can mount the base in cement if necessary. Some reviewers even attached it to a garden post. It isn’t required unless you have extremely sandy soil. The 5-inch footer is usually strong enough for the two hose connections.
Liberty Garden Hose Holder Post with Faucet
I saw another manufacturer’s similar version at Home Depot. The Liberty Garden Americana Hose Holder Post with Bibb is identical, with a steel post 42 inches tall and a place to attach an optional hose hanger. I loved the added hose hanger idea, but I doubt it could support a 75- or 100-foot hose without being set in cement. Reviewers complained that the spigot attachments often leaked right out of the box, and at least for me, that was a deal killer. This garden unit does have a 3-year warranty and a support desk for questions and assistance.
Aqua Joe Hose Extender
Another contender is The Aqua Joe Freestanding Garden Hose Holder with Brass Faucet. The Aqua Joe has a well-respected line of hose attachments, and this one is available from Amazon or Home Depot. It is the same steel post design and costs about half the price. It is 42 inches tall, just like the Liberty Garden Hose Holder, with a 6-inch footer spike. Aqua Joe added a second anchor point on the front footer spice to address the wobbling issue. Over 5,000 people reviewed it on Amazon, and it gets 4 to 5 stars most of the time. The stability is still an issue when a longer hose is wound up on it, and some people experience leakage issues at the main valve.
The DIY Project Spigot Extension
All three spigot extension units can be set up in minutes by simply driving the footer into the ground and connecting the hose extension to the garden hose. However, this elegant solution from DragonBuilds is now my favorite. You can customize your plan using a fence post or a decorative post. The plumbing parts are available at any home store, and quality parts will last long.
DragonBuilds made this freestanding extender from plumbing parts. He made it look so easy that I think I could do it.
Why you may want a Spigot Extension.
Convenience. The spigot extension allows you to bring water to any garden corner. I buried a 15-foot extender hose in a trench to protect it from the sun’s UV damage. Now, a water source is conveniently in the vegetable garden. The trench also protects the hose from lawnmowers and edgers. I now have running water at the house and a working secondary spigot in the vegetable garden.
Leaking spigots. My house fixture cannot be repaired without damaging the stucco. I’ve capped the old fixture with a shut-off valve that works most of the time. The yard butler gave me a new valve with a tighter seal, which completely stopped the leaking at the house.
Although I’ll probably build my own custom solution next year, this Yard Butler will get me through this garden season.