Half inch garden hoses are good for light gardening applications. 1/2" garden hoses have a rating of about 9 gallons per minute. The primary uses for these size hoses are watering plants and shrubs in residential settings. The overall efficiency of a hose is determines by the inside diameter. The larger the diameter of a hose, the higer the GPM (gallons per minute) rating will be. Other factors to consider when selecting a hose are the length of the hose, and the water pressure of the spigot that you are connecting it to.