Few garden tools are used as regularly as a watering can. From giving newly sown seeds their first gentle drink to keeping pots going through a hot summer, it’s a simple tool with an important job.
But not all watering cans are the same. Size, balance, spout length and the type of rose can make a surprising difference – both to your plants and to how comfortable the can is to use.
The best watering can isn’t necessarily the biggest or most expensive. It’s the one that suits what you grow, where you grow it and how much water you’re comfortable carrying.
Choose a size you can comfortably carry
It can be tempting to buy the largest watering can available, particularly if you have a large garden. Fewer journeys to the water butt or tap must surely make life easier.
Until you have to carry it.
A litre of water weighs approximately a kilogram, so a 10-litre watering can holds around 10kg of water before you’ve added the weight of the can itself.
For borders, vegetable plots and established plants, a larger can can be useful if you’re comfortable carrying it. For pots, balconies, greenhouses and smaller gardens, a 5-litre can may be much easier to manage.
Don’t judge a watering can by how it feels empty. Imagine carrying and controlling it when it’s completely full.
Two smaller cans can sometimes be more practical than one very large one, particularly if you carry one in each hand and distribute the weight evenly.
Look for good balance
Capacity is only part of the story. A well-designed watering can should feel balanced as you carry and pour from it.
The position and shape of the handle make a considerable difference, especially as the water level changes.
Some traditional designs have a large curved handle running over the top of the can, allowing you to change your grip as you pour. Others have separate carrying and pouring handles, which can give useful control with larger capacities.
If possible, try holding a watering can before buying it. Check whether there’s enough room for both hands, whether the handle has any uncomfortable edges and whether you can tip it easily without twisting your wrist.
A can that’s comfortable to use is likely to become the one you reach for every day.
Think about the length of the spout
A long spout isn’t simply a matter of appearance.
It allows you to reach beneath foliage and deliver water close to the soil rather than pouring it over the leaves. This is particularly useful for densely planted borders, containers and plants where you want water to reach the roots with minimal disturbance.
A longer spout can also make it easier to reach pots at the back of a greenhouse bench.
Shorter-spouted cans tend to be more compact and can be convenient in confined spaces, but may offer less reach.
Think about where you do most of your watering. The right spout can save a surprising amount of stretching and manoeuvring.
Pay attention to the rose
One of the most useful parts of a watering can is also one of the smallest.
The rose – the perforated fitting at the end of the spout – breaks the flow of water into droplets, creating a gentler shower.
This is especially important when watering seedlings, newly sown ground and young plants. A heavy stream of water can wash seeds out of position, flatten delicate growth and disturb the surface of compost or soil.
For established plants, pots and shrubs, you may prefer to remove the rose and direct water slowly towards the base of the plant.
If you’re choosing a can for propagation or seedlings, look for a fine rose that produces a soft, even spray rather than large, forceful droplets.
A removable rose gives you the flexibility to do both jobs.
Plastic or metal?
Both can work perfectly well, so the choice largely comes down to weight, durability and how you use and store your tools.
Plastic watering cans are generally lightweight and easy to handle, which can be a considerable advantage with larger capacities. A good-quality plastic can can give many years of service, although prolonged exposure to sunlight and weather can eventually make some plastics brittle.
Metal watering cans have a traditional appearance and a satisfying solidity. Galvanised steel can be durable when properly looked after, although a metal can is heavier before you’ve added any water.
Whatever the material, don’t leave a watering can full of water indefinitely, particularly during freezing weather. Empty it after use when frost is likely and store it somewhere sheltered to prolong its life.
Match the can to the job
For many gardeners, one watering can will do almost everything. But if you grow a wide range of plants, having two different types can be useful.
A larger outdoor can with a long spout and removable rose is a good all-round choice for borders and vegetables.
For seedlings and greenhouse propagation, a smaller can with a fine rose gives much greater control. Houseplants benefit from a compact can with a narrow spout that can reach the compost without wetting leaves, furniture and windowsills along the way.
You don’t need a collection of watering cans – just the right tool for the watering you actually do.
Make use of rainwater
Where possible, position a water butt somewhere convenient and use collected rainwater around the garden.
Rainwater is a valuable resource and is particularly useful for plants that prefer more acidic conditions, as mains water in hard-water areas can contain relatively high levels of calcium and magnesium compounds.
Convenience matters here too. If your watering can fits easily beneath the water-butt tap, you’re much more likely to use the water you’ve collected.
It’s a small detail worth checking before buying either.
Water wisely
Even the best watering can is only as effective as the way it’s used.
For established plants, a thorough watering that reaches deeper into the soil is generally more useful than frequently wetting only the surface. Direct water towards the roots rather than routinely soaking the foliage.
Containers need closer attention because compost can dry out quickly, particularly during warm or windy weather. Newly planted trees, shrubs and perennials also need regular watering while their roots establish.
During hot weather, watering in the morning or evening can reduce losses through evaporation.
And before automatically reaching for the watering can, check the soil. The surface may look dry while there’s still plenty of moisture a few centimetres below.
A garden essential worth choosing carefully
A watering can is one of gardening’s simplest tools, but good design matters.
Choose a capacity you can comfortably carry, a handle that feels balanced and a spout and rose suited to the plants you grow. Look after it, keep the rose clear of debris and store it out of severe weather when it’s not in use.
Then all that’s left is the important part: knowing when your plants really need a drink.
Further Reading: My Garden Journal & Notes
