Review: Garden Essentials Watering Can

I'm going to start this off by saying that I don't have a whole lot of experience with watering cans- when I was younger and gardening, we always used the hose, or in the case of my grandfather he would just use an old coffee can and dip it into the 5 gallon bucket of water. For my mom, watering cans were pretty much decorative.

That said, I knew I needed a watering can- my aunt has one, but it's metal and it only has a single stream nozzle and I *knew* that with the "loose" soil in my SFG box, I would need a "shower" type head, which diffuses the stream into a lot of tiny ones- like a big shower head. This is a lot gentler on the soil, and exactly what I wanted.

I found the above watering can, which is labeled as "Garden Essentials" brand, at the local Target near the now-defunct Marketplace Mall. A quick Google search found a garden supply place selling the brand but I could not find the specific one I purchased.

It cost me around $8- I've already tossed my receipt so I don't know the exact price. It's made from fairly sturdy plastic and holds 2 gallons. There are lines on one side marking volumes- if you're worried about that sort of thing. I'm not. I just fill it up, take it out, and if there's any left over (which there generally won't be since I'll keep watering until the water is gone- the excess will drain) I would just leave it in the can or dump it on the grass depending on when I think I'll need it.

As for impressions? I *love* this watering can. The handle is nice and big, easy to hold. The 2 gallons of water doesn't feel terribly heavy when you carry the handle- it doesn't have edges that cut into you. The nozzle easily turns to adjust- the only complaint I would have is that it isn't super watertight around the edges- it does let a little extra leak out. As a bonus, you can tilt the watering can pretty far forward and it'll still have a nice gentle stream - again, this is great for preserving the soil.

I'm a little concerned that the "concentrated" stream might be a bit harsh given how big the can is, but I haven't tried it yet.

I think with proper care this watering can could last pretty much forever- it's plastic so it will not rust- the only thing I see breaking would be the adjustable nozzle on the end, but I'm optimistic that it won't be a problem.

Grade: A