The only thing better than a brass shut-off coupling is a Y fitting with two valves! Then you can have "both" instead of "either".

Well, in order to walk around with a spray nozzle or watering wand, you would have to unscrew from the soaker hose or dripline.

But if it were just a mini-spray jet or Antelco "Small Spinners" or a line of drip emitters on 1/4" tubing, you COULD leave both attached and walk around with the hand sprayer or wand.

http://www.dripworks.com/produ...
http://www.antelco.com/usa/spr...
http://www.sprinklerwarehouse....
http://www.sprinklerwarehouse....

I usually put a "Y" wherever I want either a hose spigot or a branch or valve in my irrigation tubing.

Plastic or zinc Ys can be just $2-4, and they give you many options.

I also use the plastic end caps to protect garden hose male threads when nothing else is attached. It keeps the grit off them and makes them easier to seal tightly.

Rick, I put the Y valve on the actual spigot and run two hoses. That way I can hook one to a soaker hose and the other to a sprinkler or a different soaker in a different bed.

I should add that I leave the soakers permanently in the various beds, buried under the mulch.

I use a similar shut-off that our local hardware store sells and have them on ALL of my hoses. My garden is strung out all over the place and the faucets are few and far between, so these valves are really a life, er make that "leg", saver! They're also great for adjusting sprinklers from a safe distance.

I also add quick connects in addition to Y-fittings and shut-off valves. (Think of air-tool quick connects...the same thing but for water hoses). Now switching an attachment is super quick and efficient.

You know, Rob, I was looking for quick connects for water for a few years before they became readily available. I thought, if they can make them for air, surely water would be even easier!
Harbor Freight sells brass ones fairly inexpensively; they aren't the best quality, but they're cheap enough that I don't mind buying them every year if I have to!

All my hose ends have this shutoff valve. I have an older home with only 1 faucet in the back. I no longer use spray nozzles either; the shutoff valve can be adjusted to a spray or a full stream. Not having to hold a spray nozzle handle in makes it easier on my carpal tunnel issues also,

I noticed one day about being able to adjust the flow with just the shutoff valve. These are really cool things, aren't they Sharon?

and welcome to ATP!

Great tip, Mary.

I have a bit of difficulty gripping the small levers on most, but shutoff valves can also be found with oversize levers. The ones I've been using are plastic, but as long as I put them away for winter they last very well.


Welcome to ATP, Sharon!

>> the shutoff valve can be adjusted to a spray or a full stream

I agree - that "naked valve" is the best full-bore sprayer all by itself. Watering that way restricts the water flow the least, so I can water a wide area much faster.

See you around ATP!

Oh, funny - I use it on the *other* end so I don't have to walk back and forth to turn the water off.... now I have to get another one!

Just remember: If one's good, more is better, and too much is just right!

woofie said:Just remember: If one's good, more is better, and too much is just right!

Woofie's got the truth of it, as usual.

That little gizmo can also be used as a hand held sprinkler or a little soaker for one plant, just turn it most of the way off until the flow suits your purpose. And if you need to spray the bugs off some plant, just barely on will produce a fairly hard spray to blast the bugs without hurting your plant. Play with it, you'll probably find other uses.

Good advice, Mary! I had planned to play with it, but given that we've had 3+ inches of rain in the last couple days, I've not really had the chance yet.

If you're using a hose-end valve or "Y" valve as a soaker, you might want to park it inside a flowerpot laid on it's side, or wrap some burlap or window screening or an old sock around it, to soften the spray and turn it into a dribbler.

I like the valves they put in these hose fittings better than any flow control valves I've gotten for "irrigation" kits. Even the plastic hose hose Ys work better than the valves "for irrigation" that I've seen. They move easier and are easier to set to an exact flow rate.

Plastic: OK
Zinc: good
Brass: great!