>> When the hose fills with water, it is difficult for me to move the hose around the yard due to the weight.
>> I have 6 beds.
>> Three of the beds are within a gated and fenced area.
>> Anyhow, it was getting to be very tedious to maneuver the hose so that I could be almost on top of each plant as I watered
I also have several small beds scattered around the yard, and hated dragging a hose around corners and trying to avoid knocking down plants. My solution was to lay down the "mainline" part of a drip irrigation system and add several "Tee" fixtures with garden hose threads, then add a garden hose or better, a "Y" with two valves and then a hose.
That gave me a spigot near every bed, and the parts were as cheap as $4.75 for each spigot (not counting the 1/2" mainline, which was $14 / 100 feet.
http://garden.org/ideas/view/R...
That might be one way for you to ease into drip irrigation. Lay down the mainline one year but mostly use that as a way to put the spigots where you want them. Next year, experiment with drip tape and sprayers. When you move, unscrew each length and coil them in a big box (it will be big but light). Or tie them together into one big coil, like garden hoses.
Closeup of Compression Tee with Male hose thread
+ Brass 2-Valve Y
+ EZ-Loc connector to ½" mainline
+ cut garden hose with brass Female Hose End from Home Depot
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The 2-valve brass Y was $10, but the plastic version was only $2.50.