We’re well into gardening season throughout most of the United States. How is your garden hose
holding up? If you’ve been following the best practices for taking care
of your hose, chances are it’s in pretty good shape. If you end up
replacing your gardening hose more often than every five years or so,
you’re spending too much money. These tips can help you take care of
your garden hose to prolong its life and save yourself some money.
Buy a High Quality Hose from the Start
A
better quality garden hose will stand up to the rigors of daily use far
better than a cheap, thin hose. Expect to pay $30 to $50 for a good
hose for your gardening and outdoor work. In addition to lasing longer,
it will perform better than a cheaper hose. Choose one with solid brass
fitting that won’t crush out of shape if you step on it or a car runs
over it.
Choose the Right Size Garden Hose
The best size
hose for most gardening needs is either a 1/2 inch garden hose or a 3/4
inch garden hose, both of which will deliver water at good pressure and
flow without overpowering your plants with high pressure. As far as
length goes, choose a garden hose that’s long enough to reach where you
need to go but not so long that you end up with lots of extra length
that can fold, kink and trip you up.
Drain Your Hose Every Time You Use It
Excess
water inside the garden hose contributes to decay, corrosion and
bacterial growth. One of the easiest ways to drain the hose is to coil
it over your shoulder and let water drain as you roll it.
Get It Out of the Sun
Obviously,
you’ll be using your garden hose in the sun, but don’t leave it sitting
out in the sun when it’s not in use. UV rays weaken the material and
make your hose more prone to damage. After use, get your hose out of the
sun and store it in a shady, cool area if possible.
Coil Your Hose After Each Use
The easiest way to store your hose out of the sun is to roll it up on a garden hose reel after each use. Garden hose reels offer other benefits as well: they’ll keep your hose off the ground where it can be damaged (or trip you up) and look a lot neater. You can even choose garden hose reels on wheels that you can easily move to wherever you need.
Monday, August 19, 2013
Monday, August 5, 2013
How to Diagnose and Fix Common Garden Hose Problems
How is a garden hose
like a chair? They’re both simple, everyday items that we use every day
– and that we simply expect to work. When they don’t work right – when
your chair wobbles or your garden hose leaks at the faucet – most people
simply resign themselves to living with it. When they fail more
dramatically – such as when your chair collapses when you sit or your
garden hose bursts in the middle of use – few people attempt a repair.
Instead, they throw out the offending item and replace it with a new
one. We don’t know a lot about chairs, but we do have some suggestions
for dealing with common water hose problems.
My Hose Leaks At The Faucet Connection.
Check the connector on the hose first. Many cheaper garden hoses use plastic or soft metal garden hose fittings that can warp out of shape or strip when they’re tightened down. Plastic garden hose fittings are also prone to cracking – sometimes even invisibly. The best prevention for this is to make sure you buy a high-quality hose with solid brass fittings. If the fitting is warped or cracked or the threads are stripped, you can either replace the hose with a new one, or replace the fitting. Many places that sell garden hoses also sell garden hose fittings and repair kits. The repair is a fairly simple one. You just cut off the old fitting, making sure you have a clean edge, and follow the instructions to attach a new one.
If the garden hose fitting looks fine, the problem may be a worn washer. You can find replacement washers for garden hoses at your local hardware store or many websites.
My Garden Hose Has a Split in the Body
The simplest way to repair a split, hole or cut in your garden hose is to remove the damaged section. You’ll need an inexpensive hose connector and a sharp razor knife. Just cut out the damaged section, making the cuts as clean as possible. Slide both ends of the garden hose into the connector and tighten the screws.
My Garden Hose Kinks in All the Wrong Places
Of course, there’s never a right place for your hose to kink. The problem with most hoses is that a kink or bend often becomes a permanent crease, which means that the hose is likely to kink in the same spot again and again. You can strengthen it by applying a “splint” made from a short length of hose. Slice the splint lengthwise on one side. Soften it in hot water until you can open it up. Wrap it around the section of hose that kinks. When it cools it will harden again, and reinforce your garden hose at the weak spot to prevent it from bending.
My Hose Leaks At The Faucet Connection.
Check the connector on the hose first. Many cheaper garden hoses use plastic or soft metal garden hose fittings that can warp out of shape or strip when they’re tightened down. Plastic garden hose fittings are also prone to cracking – sometimes even invisibly. The best prevention for this is to make sure you buy a high-quality hose with solid brass fittings. If the fitting is warped or cracked or the threads are stripped, you can either replace the hose with a new one, or replace the fitting. Many places that sell garden hoses also sell garden hose fittings and repair kits. The repair is a fairly simple one. You just cut off the old fitting, making sure you have a clean edge, and follow the instructions to attach a new one.
If the garden hose fitting looks fine, the problem may be a worn washer. You can find replacement washers for garden hoses at your local hardware store or many websites.
My Garden Hose Has a Split in the Body
The simplest way to repair a split, hole or cut in your garden hose is to remove the damaged section. You’ll need an inexpensive hose connector and a sharp razor knife. Just cut out the damaged section, making the cuts as clean as possible. Slide both ends of the garden hose into the connector and tighten the screws.
My Garden Hose Kinks in All the Wrong Places
Of course, there’s never a right place for your hose to kink. The problem with most hoses is that a kink or bend often becomes a permanent crease, which means that the hose is likely to kink in the same spot again and again. You can strengthen it by applying a “splint” made from a short length of hose. Slice the splint lengthwise on one side. Soften it in hot water until you can open it up. Wrap it around the section of hose that kinks. When it cools it will harden again, and reinforce your garden hose at the weak spot to prevent it from bending.
Monday, July 29, 2013
Take a Break with Some Garden Hose Fun
A good garden hose
is a serious gardening tool, but once in a while, it’s nice to take a
break and have some fun. Enjoy this collection of garden hose humor and
fun things to do with your garden hose.
What Kind of Socks Does a Gardener Wear?
Garden hose, of course! If he’s feeling really fancy, he might opt for a coil garden hose in a bright color. For every day wear, he’s got a choice of 1/2 inch garden hose, 3/4 inch garden hose or even 1 inch water hose.
You might be a gardener if you can amuse yourself for more than an hour with a garden hose. In fact, we’d posit that you can’t possibly be a gardener if you can’t think of at least a dozen ways to amuse yourself with a garden hose. Here’s a list of fun things to do with your garden hose, either instead of or while watering your garden.
Investing in a new garden hose for your actual gardening tasks? Don’t throw your old hose out. Cap the end and poke a dozen or so holes in it with a nail. Lay out a curving trail on the lawn and turn on the water. Let the kids go nuts in the spray from your makeshift sprinkler. For even more fun, encourage them to play patch-the-hose with duct tape while the water is spraying, or stomp-the-spray.
Liven up your next pool party with a game of water limbo. Use a high quality garden hose fitted with a variable trigger spray and keep the stream in a tight, focused spray. It’s a great way to encourage people to get wet and have fun.
Got two garden hoses and a Y-attachment? Connect them both to the spigot, break out a couple of beach balls and mark out a finish line at the other end of the line. The object is to propel the beach ball from the start line to the finish line using nothing but the stream of water from a garden hose. You can add multiple variations to the rules. If you’ve only got one garden hose, use a timer to see who can keep the beach ball up in the air the longest, using just the spray from the garden hose.
If you’re going to be using that old garden hose to amuse the kids, you’ll need to replace it with a new hose. Check out the newest styles of garden hoses available, including polyurethane garden hoses, heated garden hose and the coil garden hose that’s ideal for small spaces.
What Kind of Socks Does a Gardener Wear?
Garden hose, of course! If he’s feeling really fancy, he might opt for a coil garden hose in a bright color. For every day wear, he’s got a choice of 1/2 inch garden hose, 3/4 inch garden hose or even 1 inch water hose.
You might be a gardener if you can amuse yourself for more than an hour with a garden hose. In fact, we’d posit that you can’t possibly be a gardener if you can’t think of at least a dozen ways to amuse yourself with a garden hose. Here’s a list of fun things to do with your garden hose, either instead of or while watering your garden.
Investing in a new garden hose for your actual gardening tasks? Don’t throw your old hose out. Cap the end and poke a dozen or so holes in it with a nail. Lay out a curving trail on the lawn and turn on the water. Let the kids go nuts in the spray from your makeshift sprinkler. For even more fun, encourage them to play patch-the-hose with duct tape while the water is spraying, or stomp-the-spray.
Liven up your next pool party with a game of water limbo. Use a high quality garden hose fitted with a variable trigger spray and keep the stream in a tight, focused spray. It’s a great way to encourage people to get wet and have fun.
Got two garden hoses and a Y-attachment? Connect them both to the spigot, break out a couple of beach balls and mark out a finish line at the other end of the line. The object is to propel the beach ball from the start line to the finish line using nothing but the stream of water from a garden hose. You can add multiple variations to the rules. If you’ve only got one garden hose, use a timer to see who can keep the beach ball up in the air the longest, using just the spray from the garden hose.
If you’re going to be using that old garden hose to amuse the kids, you’ll need to replace it with a new hose. Check out the newest styles of garden hoses available, including polyurethane garden hoses, heated garden hose and the coil garden hose that’s ideal for small spaces.
Monday, July 22, 2013
Getting Your Garden Hose Under Control
Now that we’re a couple of months into summer, there’s a good chance that you’re getting a bit fed up with your garden hose
If you’re like a lot of folks, you’ve probably spent almost as much
time untangling the blessed thing as you have using it for its intended
purpose, whether that’s transporting water to your thirsty plants,
giving the kids a good soak-down on a hot afternoon or washing the car
to keep it looking spiffy-clean. In the worst case scenario, you may be
in the market to replace your garden hose after running over it with the
lawn mower or because it’s sprung more leaks than your kitchen
colander. If you’re as tired of wrestling with your garden hose as we
are, here are a few tips to help you get it under control and keep it
that way.
Wind It Up
Garden hose reels are a gardener’s best friend. A good quality garden hose reel gives you a place to store your hose when it’s not in use – which actually does a lot more than just keep your garden hose from tripping you when you’re on your way to the car. When you keep your hose on a hose reel, you minimize its contact with the ground, which reduces the chance that it will rot. You keep bugs out of it, and, bonus – you automatically drain the hose so that standing water isn’t soaking up all the nasty chemicals the inside of your hose may be treated with. (Of course, if you choose a drinking safe garden hose to begin with, you don’t have to worry about lead and other nasty stuff in your vegetable patch.)
Prevent Kinking
Kinks are hazardous to your hose’s health, and not just because they drive you crazy enough to stomp the silly thing into the ground. Inexpensive garden hoses are the most prone to the problem, but even higher quality hoses can end up with their kinks set into them as if you’d pressed them in with a hot iron. There are a few ways to prevent kinking. The first is to choose a portable garden hose reel that you can wheel around with you. The less length you’re dragging around with you, the less likely it is to get doubled on itself and get kinked up.
Your other option is to choose a garden hose that is less prone to kinking in the first place. A good coil garden hose, for example, is specifically designed not to kink up on you, so you can expect it to last longer.
If you’re tired of a garden hose that kinks up and fights with you whenever you turn on the water, check out the selection of garden hose reels you can buy online and get your hose under control once and for all.
Wind It Up
Garden hose reels are a gardener’s best friend. A good quality garden hose reel gives you a place to store your hose when it’s not in use – which actually does a lot more than just keep your garden hose from tripping you when you’re on your way to the car. When you keep your hose on a hose reel, you minimize its contact with the ground, which reduces the chance that it will rot. You keep bugs out of it, and, bonus – you automatically drain the hose so that standing water isn’t soaking up all the nasty chemicals the inside of your hose may be treated with. (Of course, if you choose a drinking safe garden hose to begin with, you don’t have to worry about lead and other nasty stuff in your vegetable patch.)
Prevent Kinking
Kinks are hazardous to your hose’s health, and not just because they drive you crazy enough to stomp the silly thing into the ground. Inexpensive garden hoses are the most prone to the problem, but even higher quality hoses can end up with their kinks set into them as if you’d pressed them in with a hot iron. There are a few ways to prevent kinking. The first is to choose a portable garden hose reel that you can wheel around with you. The less length you’re dragging around with you, the less likely it is to get doubled on itself and get kinked up.
Your other option is to choose a garden hose that is less prone to kinking in the first place. A good coil garden hose, for example, is specifically designed not to kink up on you, so you can expect it to last longer.
If you’re tired of a garden hose that kinks up and fights with you whenever you turn on the water, check out the selection of garden hose reels you can buy online and get your hose under control once and for all.
Monday, July 1, 2013
Things to Look for in a New Garden Hose
When it’s time to replace your garden hose,
it’s tempting to just pop into the nearest big box home improvement
store and buy the cheapest hose on the shelf. If you do that, prepare
yourself to make that trip an annual pilgrimage. A cheap garden hose may
not even last out the entire season. If you wnt to get the most out of
your money – and the best for your garden and outdoor chores – take the
time to find the best kind of garden hose for your needs. Here are a few
of the important things you should consider when buying a new garden or
water hose.
Environmental Conditions
Will your new hose be baking in the sun for hours and hours? Keep in mind that heat and ultraviolet rays contribute to the decay of most materials. Look for a polyurethane garden hose or a drinking safe garden hose that is guaranteed not to leach chemicals and heavy metals – used to treat many garden hoses – into the water you use to water your vegetables and fill your swimming pools.
Likewise, if you’ll be expecting your garden hose to deal with temperatures that routinely fall below freezing, choose a heated garden hose. They come in all sizes from a 1/2 inch garden hose to 1 inch water hose, and lengths from 25 to 100 feet, so that you can get exactly the size heated garden hose you need to water your animals, hose down vehicles and outbuildings and handle all the other outdoor winter tasks for which you require a hose.
Garden Hose Size
Pick the right size for your garden hose, both width-wise and diameter. Keep in mind that every foot your water has to travel from the faucet to the nozzle decreases the water pressure you’ll get at the business end of the hose, so it makes sense to buy a garden hose that is just as long as you need and no longer. In fact, many experts recommend that if you occasionally need to reach a further distance – say that once a season patio pressure washing – it’s better to buy two shorter hoses and attach the second one when you need more length. It will save you maneuvering an oversize garden hose most of the time to have that convenience once during the summer.
In most cases, a 1/2 inch garden hose to 3/4 inch garden hose will be the right diameter. Keep in mind that a 3/4 inch garden hose delivers twice as much water in the same time as a 1/2 inch water hose, and pick the one that works best for your needs.
Pick the right garden hose this year and you won’t have to buy another one next year.
Environmental Conditions
Will your new hose be baking in the sun for hours and hours? Keep in mind that heat and ultraviolet rays contribute to the decay of most materials. Look for a polyurethane garden hose or a drinking safe garden hose that is guaranteed not to leach chemicals and heavy metals – used to treat many garden hoses – into the water you use to water your vegetables and fill your swimming pools.
Likewise, if you’ll be expecting your garden hose to deal with temperatures that routinely fall below freezing, choose a heated garden hose. They come in all sizes from a 1/2 inch garden hose to 1 inch water hose, and lengths from 25 to 100 feet, so that you can get exactly the size heated garden hose you need to water your animals, hose down vehicles and outbuildings and handle all the other outdoor winter tasks for which you require a hose.
Garden Hose Size
Pick the right size for your garden hose, both width-wise and diameter. Keep in mind that every foot your water has to travel from the faucet to the nozzle decreases the water pressure you’ll get at the business end of the hose, so it makes sense to buy a garden hose that is just as long as you need and no longer. In fact, many experts recommend that if you occasionally need to reach a further distance – say that once a season patio pressure washing – it’s better to buy two shorter hoses and attach the second one when you need more length. It will save you maneuvering an oversize garden hose most of the time to have that convenience once during the summer.
In most cases, a 1/2 inch garden hose to 3/4 inch garden hose will be the right diameter. Keep in mind that a 3/4 inch garden hose delivers twice as much water in the same time as a 1/2 inch water hose, and pick the one that works best for your needs.
Pick the right garden hose this year and you won’t have to buy another one next year.
Monday, June 17, 2013
Stop Fighting Your Garden Hose
Every morning, it begins – the epic battle of the garden hose.
I want to pull it in one direction. It wants to go in the other. I want
to reach the front flower bed. It wants to curl around the legs of the
patio furniture. It insists on leaking at the faucet and spraying at the
garden hose fittings at the nozzle, dribbling water down my arm and
along the side of my shirt. And just when I think I’ve finally shown
that 3/4 inch garden hose who the boss is, the water stops dead in its
tracks, held back behind the kinky bend that the hose has somehow
managed to develop. On the other side of the garden.
If
the battle of the garden hose sounds familiar to you, it may just be
time to replace your unruly garden hose with one that will be docile and
helpful. While there’s no personality test to weed out homicidal garden
hoses – you know they exist! They’re the ones that wrap around your
ankle when you’re just trying to give your tomato plants a nice long
drink of water. There are some tips that will help you find the right
hose for watering your garden, washing your car, watering your animals
and filling your swimming pools.
Always Buy Quality
Remember
how your mother always said if you buy a classic, good quality blouse,
you’ll wear it for years? That’s true of garden hoses, too. If you
invest in a high quality garden hose made of superior materials, you
won’t have to replace it for years. Considering the amount of use you’ll
get out of it, that’s a considerably amount of service. Prices for
quality hoses vary depending on the length and diameter, but you can
figure on paying at least $40 for a typical 50-foot 1/2 inch garden hose
that will last you for up to 10 years.
Pick the Right Size
Longer
is not always better, and sometimes fatter gets the job done more
efficiently. If water pressure is a concern in your area, consider
getting a hose with higher diameter – a 3/4 inch garden hose delivers
twice as much water In the same amount of time as a 1/2 inch garden hose.
Always choose a garden hose that’s long enough to reach where you want
to go – but not a whole lot longer. The longer your hose is, the more
likely it will be to catch on furniture and house corners, not to
mention, wrap around your ankles and drag over your lawn, kinking and
twisting as it goes.
The right garden hose can make your life a lot easier around the outside of your home. Stop battling with your hose and start enjoying your gardening time so much more.
Monday, June 3, 2013
Tips to Extend the Life of Your Garden Hose
Dealing with a leaky or damaged garden hose
is annoying and can be expensive. If you’ve invested in a drinking safe
garden hose or a heated garden hose, you want to make sure that you get
your money’s worth. While it’s not difficult to repair a garden hose
that’s sprung a leak, it can cost you a pretty penny to buy garden hose
fittings and clamps to put it back together again. It’s so much easier
to avoid the problems in the first place – and it isn’t that difficult
at all. These tips can help you extend the life of your garden hose
through season after season of use.
Start with a Quality Garden Hose
There
are hundreds of cheap hoses on the market. Just walk down the aisles of
your local big box store or hardware store and you’ll see garden hoses
in all lengths and diameters in a range of prices starting at less than
$10 for a 1/2 inch garden hose with cheap garden
hose fittings to more than $80 for a good quality 1 inch water hose
with multiple layers of reinforcement to make the hose more flexible and
tougher. Which one is the right one for you? That’s something you’ll
have to decide, but in general, you’ll want a lightweight garden hose
with heavy-duty brass garden hose fittings. The higher quality you can
afford, the longer your garden hose is likely to last under normal
conditions.
Turn Off the Water
Don’t
just turn off the hose valve and leave the water running at the faucet
for long lengths of time. Constant water pressure inside the hose will
weaken it over time.
Coil Your Hose When You’re Done with It
It’s
tempting to just leave your hose where you last used it, especially if
you use it in the same place day after day. There are a couple of
problems with that. First, you’re letting water just sit inside the hose
where it can breed bacteria and weaken the inner walls. Second, you’re
offering a delightful, shady, moist, cool shelter for garden insects
that you’d rather not have nesting in your garden hose. Third, and worst
of all, it leaves your garden hose laying on the ground where it can be
walked on, driven over and, horror of horrors, become just one more
casualty of the lawn mower. If you invest in a good quality garden hose reel,
coiling your hose is a simple matter of turning a crank. As it coils,
the hose will automatically empty itself, so that you’re not letting water sit in it for days.
The
better you treat your garden hose, the longer it will last. Considering
how expensive a good-quality hose can be, it just makes sense to take
some precautionary care to keep it in good repair.
Monday, May 20, 2013
Garden Hose Accessories That Make Your Life Easier
Now that you’ve got the right garden hose,
do you have everything you need to make your gardening life easier?
There are a number of garden hose accessories that can help you store
your hose safely and extend its utility for all types of uses. These are
some of the most useful accessories that you can use with any 1/2"
garden hose or 3/4” garden hose.
Garden Hose Nozzles
The
nozzle you choose to use can turn your gardening and yard chores into a
piece of cake. You can choose from nozzles with pistol grips, straight
grips or textured grips to make it easier for you to hold and turn the
nozzle to different settings. High quality garden hose fittings make it
easy to use just about any type of nozzle that fits your needs. The best
of those available allow you to set the water anywhere from jet stream
to light mist.
Garden Hose Fittings
Garden
hoses are most likely to fail at the nozzle end, where the fittings can
wear through the hose material. Replacement garden hose fittings are
handy to keep on hand for quick repairs, or you can try replacing the
standard fitting on the hose with one that swivels or revolves when
you’re attaching it to the faucet, saving a lot of wear and tear on the
hose.
Garden Hose Reels
Garden
hose reels are among the most important of all accessories you can buy
to go with your garden hose. Keeping your hose off the ground helps
prevent rot and mildew, makes it easier to drain the hose after use and
helps keep bugs out of the hose body. There are dozens of different
styles of garden hose reels, including wall-mounted reels and portable
metal garden hose reels that you can roll with you to anywhere on your property.
Garden Hose Sheaths
Do
you get tired of green and blue garden hoses? These days, you can buy a
garden hose in any one of a variety of colors, including the typical
many shades of green, black and blue garden hoses. If that’s not enough
color for you, though, a couple of manufacturers have come up with the
ultimate garden hose accessory – garden hose sheaths. Made of thin
polyurethane that slips over any standard 1/2 inch garden hose or 3/4 inch garden hose,
the garden hose sheaths come in a variety of lively prints that are
guaranteed to bring some chic color and style to your garden or patio.
Monday, May 6, 2013
Three Features of a Quality Garden Hose
Spring has sprung and it’s time to get your yard in shape. Whether
that means planting rows of tomatoes, beans and peas or getting the
fertilizer out and whipping your grass into shape, you’ll need a high
quality garden hose to help you with your tasks. But
ask any experienced gardener and they’ll tell you that a bad garden
hose can make life on the lawn miserable, while a quality garden hose can make it bliss. Here are four features to look for when buying your next garden hose.
The Right Material
Just
like in most things, if you buy a cheap garden hose, you’ll likely be
stuck with a hose that kinks up, bends and cuts off the water, or has
leaks popping up all over it. What’s
worse, some hoses use toxic substances that make it dangerous to drink
water from it, fill up your kid’s pool or water your vegetable garden. When buying a garden hose, you’ll be able to choose from vinyl, rubber or one that uses both materials. You’ll
get more wear out of a rubber hose, but keep in mind that they are
heavier, so if you have to haul it all over the yard, that may not be
your best option.
The Right Fittings
Have you ever had a hose that sprung a leak at the fitting? It’s
irritating because when that happens, the person using the hose usually
ends up drenched by the time they’re done watering the lawn. The
right garden hose fittings are important, and in order for yours to
last longer and be more durable, look for a garden hose that uses solid
brass fittings.
The Right Reel
No
one likes to see a garden hose sprawled out all over the lawn, but
unless you have the right garden hose reel, storing your hose can be
more hassle than it’s worth. Look for one of quality that allows you to wrap the hose up easily. If you don’t want to have to store your hose, opt instead for a coil garden hose. When it’s not in use, it handily coils up and stores away neatly.
Don’t let a cheap garden hose spoil your gardening fun. Enjoy your time outdoors by making sure that you get the right hose for the job you’re doing. Whether that’s a coil garden hose,
a drinking safe garden hose, or just a high end hose that won’t kink or
break, you’ll reduce the hassle and concentrate instead on the pleasure
of your lawn.
Friday, April 19, 2013
Garden Hose Reels and Other Storage Ideas
Spring is springing up all over. If you haven’t already done so, it’s time to check over your trusty garden hose
and make sure it’s fit for another season of use. If it’s not,
springtime is the second-best time of year to find a great bargain on a
high quality garden hose – even specialty hoses like a coil garden hose,
a drinking safe garden hose or a heated garden hose. The only better
time to replace your worn-out garden hose is at the end of the growing
season – but that means you have to put in another season of fighting
with a hose that’s too short, kinks easily and tangles up with just
about everything. There’s an enormous variety of garden hoses on the
market these days, so it should be easy to find exactly the right length
and diameter one you need for your garden.
Whether
you buy a new garden hose or want to get a little more life from your
current one, you definitely should be storing your hose properly.
Whether you’re using a 1-inch water hose for heavy duty applications, or
a standard 1/2 inch garden hose or 3/4 inch garden hose , storing it
the right way will prevent a lot of the problems that can shorten the
life of one of your handiest, trustiest gardening tools. Here are some
tips on how to properly care for and store your new – or old – garden
hose.
Garden Hose Reels
A garden hose reel is the best solution for storing your hose when it’s not in use for a number of reasons.
- Coiling your garden hose onto the reel helps you empty its entire length, which prevents interior rotting.
- A
wall-mounted garden hose reel keeps your garden hose up off the ground
so you don’t accidentally run it over with your riding mower.
- A portable garden hose reel makes it easier to move your hose around your property without dragging the entire length of the hose behind you.
- Rolling up your garden hose on a hose reel gets it up off the ground, out of contact with dirt, mold and insects that might crawl into it for a cool place to rest.
There
are a number of styles of garden hose reels, including stainless garden
hose reels and brass garden hose reels. A word of caution: avoid cheap
plastic or aluminum garden hose reels that can bend, buckle or break –
and may puncture your garden hose.
The better you treat your garden hose, the more likely it is to last for many years, giving you your full money’s worth.
Friday, April 5, 2013
It’s Spring – Get Out Your Garden Hose
Despite
unexpected Midwest blizzards and a recalcitrant Punxsutawney Phil
giving out the wrong prediction – blame it on old age – spring actually
has arrived. It’s time to bring out your garden hose and get your house
and yard in shape for the upcoming season. Here are six things you
should do to get yourself, your property and your garden hose ready for
the warmer months to come.
Inspect Your Garden Hose
If
you’re a diligent, responsible gardener who takes good care of all your
tools, your garden hose probably spent the winter in a warm, dry cellar
or storage shed. Even then, there’s a chance that your garden hose
didn’t come through the winter well. And if you’re like many of us, your
hose may just have spent the winter under a blanket of snow. Either
way, it’s a good time to give it a good inspection and decide if it’s
worth using again this year. Look for cracks and breaks in the plastic
or vinyl and check the garden hose fittings for wear.
While
you’re at it, consider how well your trusty hose served you last year.
Did it reach everywhere you wanted it to go? Did you spend half your
gardening time tugging on your garden hose to get it around corners or
make it release kinks and bends? If so, it may be time to invest in a
new hose that meets your needs. A heavyweight 3/4 inch garden hose won’t
kink and curl, and is far less likely to be damaged if you happen to
run over it with your lawnmower.
Buy a New Garden Hose
Likewise,
consider how you use your garden hose to decide whether you need one of
the new specialty hoses on the market. If you water edible garden vegetables
or fill kids’ swimming pools with it, for example, you may want to
invest in a drinking safe garden hose just to be on the safe side. A
coil garden hose makes gardening in small spaces, like patio gardens and
container garden beds, much easier by making it easier to maneuver
around and store your hose when it’s not in use.
Invest in a Garden Hose Reel
Protect
your garden hose by investing in a garden hose real that you can mount
on the side of your house or roll with you wherever you need it. You can
buy reels in many different configurations and to fit hoses of all
sizes from a 1/2 inch garden hose to a one inch water hose.
Wash Your Siding and Windows
Get
rid of the grime left behind by the winter with a good hose down for
your whole house. There are a lot of attachments available that will
turn your garden hose into a great cleaning tool to spray with soapy water and rinse clean.
Clean Out the Gutters
Rake out your gutters and give them a good wash-out with your hose.
Wash Down the Walkways and Paths
Sand
and salt can leave stains and residue on brick and concrete steps and
pathways. Wash them down with a high-pressure stream of water from your
garden hose to make them look bright and new.
By the time you’re done sprucing up your property with the help of your trusty garden hose, you’ll have left the winter behind and be looking forward to a wonderful gardening season.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Five Garden Hose Facts to Remember This Spring
Is there any tool in your backyard that gets less attention and regard than your garden hose?
Even the most avid gardener and householder is prone to take the lowly
hose for granted. The recent spate of television ads for expanding
garden hoses and the coil garden hose notwithstanding, most people
simply expect that their garden hose will be there when they need it,
and will perform as expected. They accept the kinks and leaks as
inevitable and gamely soldier on, irrigating and sprinkling their
gardens with hoses that don’t quite live up to the job they should be
doing. The truth is that you have a right to expect good service from
your garden hose – that it will not break, kink or leak, and that it
will be light enough for you to move it from one place to the other
without breaking tender seedlings when you drag it over them. Whether
you’re keeping your current garden hose or looking for a replacement,
these facts will help you have a more enjoyable, easier gardening
season.
Length is Important.
It’s a commonly held assumption that longer is better because it gives you more reach. In
fact, a garden hose that’s too long is nearly as awkward and
ineffective as one that doesn’t reach where you want it to go. A longer
hose can be heavy and difficult to maneuver, and can reduce water
pressure at the business end. Choose a garden hose that’s just long
enough to reach the areas where you’ll use it most. If you occasionally
need more reach – say, to get to the driveway once a week to wash your
car – buy a second short hose that you can use to extend its length. It
won’t cost much more and your daily gardening chores will be much more
comfortable.
Diameter Makes a Difference.
The
difference between a 1/2 inch garden hose and a 3/4 inch garden hose is
twice as much water delivered to your target in the same amount of
time. If you have low water pressure, opt for a wider diameter hose to
increase water flow.
Proper Storage Increases Garden Hose Life
It
practically goes without saying that if you treat your garden hose
right, it will treat you right. There are many different types of garden
hose reels on the market that make it easy to drain your hose after
use, and store it out of contact with the ground, both of which will
decrease wear and tear on the material of which your hose is made.
It’s Worth It to Pay for Quality
The
aisles of your local home improvement store are chock full of cheap
garden hoses in many different lengths – but indulging your budget can
seriously cramp your style. A cheap hose may make it through one or two
seasons before springing a leak or worse. Invest in a high quality garden hose that will last you for years – and be much easier and more comfortable to use.
There’s a Garden Hose for Everything
If
you have a special watering or irrigation need, do a little research to
find the right garden hose to meet it. There are specialty garden hoses
for nearly any use you can imagine. If your hose will be transporting
potable water, choose a drinking safe garden hose. If you’re working in a
small space, choose a coil garden hose
that stays out of the way. You can find a heated garden hose for use in
cold climates and weather, and flat soaker hoses for irrigating
vegetable beds.
The
right garden hose can make a surprising difference in your daily
gardening chores. Shop around and find the best hose for your needs and
see how much more fun your gardening is this summer.
Monday, March 4, 2013
Is Your Garden Hose Safe to Use?
As
most of the country starts pulling out of the winter freeze and
preparing for spring, any gardener’s thoughts are lightly turning to
thoughts of seedlings, raised beds and equipment. If you’re not thinking
about replacing your garden hose,
you should at least be considering it. Among other things, recent
research and studies have suggested that your garden hose could be
hazardous to your health. Here’s what you really need to know to decide
if your current hose is safe to use and meets all of your needs.
Do You Or Your Kids Drink From The Water Hose?
The
inside of your garden hose may be coated with toxic chemicals that are
used as preservatives or to maintain flexibility in the rubber. Those
chemicals, including lead, can leach into water left standing in the
garden hose for as little as 5 minutes – and in amounts large enough to
cause problems. If you use your garden hose to fill toddler pools or if
you or the kids are prone to taking a drink from the hose, you should
consider replacing your hose with a drinking-safe garden hose. Not sure
if your garden hose is drinking safe? In most cases, drinking-safe hoses
will be stamped with the information you need to know.
Do You Water Edible Plants with Your Garden Hose?
Most
scientists agree that there’s no danger to watering your edible plants –
herbs, vegetables and the like – with a standard garden hose, but some
experts are uncertain about the effects. If you’re not using a
drinking-safe garden hose, always rinse produce from your garden well
before eating it. Even then, they point out that plants take up minerals
and nutrients from the soil. If you’re watering your plants with
lead-contaminated water, the lead will remain in the soil and could be
taken up by the plants. A drinking safe garden hose will eliminate that
concern.
All Sizes Available
As
more consumers become aware of the possible hazards associated with
lead and other chemicals in PVC hoses, manufacturers are responding by
providing drinking safe hoses in many sizes. You can usually find 1/2
inch garden hose, 3/4 inch garden hose, 50-foot garden hoses and other
popular sizes in drinking-safe options.
There’s
no need to fight the crowds or face confusion in the aisles of your
local big box home improvement stores. You’ll find great deals for
garden hoses of all types and sizes online at manufacturers’ and
distributors’ websites. Don’t take chances with your family’s health. Replace your old garden hose with a drinking-safe garden hose today.
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
What to Look for in a Quality Garden Hose
Buying a new garden hose
doesn’t sound terribly complicated until you get to the garden hose
aisle and see the enormous selection of specialty garden hoses available
for sale. Many people simply grab the cheapest garden hose that suits
their needs and flee, never realizing that they could have made their
lives easier – and saved themselves money in the long run – by buying a
high quality garden hose in the first place. Here’s what you should look
for when you’re replacing your worn-out garden hose with a new one.
Materials
Cheap
vinyl garden hoses will get you exactly what you pay for – cheap
materials and a garden hose that will kink up, bend and spring leaks.
Garden hoses may be made from rubber, vinyl or a combination of both,
and may be reinforced with other fibers. Rubber hoses are the most
flexible and the least likely to kink, crack or corrode, but they can be
heavy. Reinforced vinyl hoses are lighter in weight, and depending on
the materials used for reinforcement, can be as sturdy and durable as a
good quality rubber hose. If you’re looking for a garden hose that will
deliver potable water for humans or animals – or, some say, if you’ll be
watering plants that produce food – look for a drinking safe garden
hose made from materials that won’t leach chemicals into the water.
Vinyl or rubber reinforced with nylon or rayon provides strength and
lighter weights.
Quality Fittings
Garden
hose fittings – the metal or plastic ends that attach the hose to a
nozzle or a faucet – are another place where quality makes a difference.
Many manufacturers of cheap hoses use soft metals that bend and warp
with use or abuse. The result is poor attachment and leaks at the faucet
or nozzle. Look for a garden hose with solid brass garden hose fittings
that won’t bend or warp out of shape.
The Right Diameter
The diameter of your garden hose determines how much water is delivered and at what pressure it arrives. Most gardeners
find that a 1/2 inch garden hose or 3/4 inch garden hose are right for
their uses. For higher demand applications, a 1 inch water hose will get
the job done.
Easy Storage
Storing
your garden hose properly is important if you want it to last and
deliver high quality performance throughout its life. A coil garden hose
essentially provides its own storage, but most other garden hoses will
require a garden hose reel or jar to keep them neatly tucked away when
they’re not in use.
Choosing
the right garden hose will make your job much easier and save you lots
of time and frustration over the years – and you can expect years of use
when you choose a high-quality garden hose for your needs.
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Will Your Garden Hose Make Headlines?
It’s not often you find a garden hose
in the headlines of a major city’s newspaper, but it happens. The
Toronto Star reported on January 31, 2012 that a small tear in a garden
hose led to a criminal trial. Apparently, the garden hose in question,
belonging to neighbor A, was left lying in the driveway between the
houses. When neighbor B returned home from work, she attempted to move
said garden hose, which ran the length of the driveway and under the
garden fence into the yard next door. The hose caught on a patio chair,
causing a 6 mm tear. Neighbor A called the police, who arrested neighbor
B and took her off to the station, charged with property damage. Now,
setting aside the obvious that a torn garden hose is hardly a police
matter, the whole issue could have been avoided had neighbor A known a
few simple facts about hoses.
The Best Garden Hose You Can Buy
A
water hose is one of your most important gardening and home maintenance
tools, yet few people treat them with the respect they deserve. Many
homeowners search for the cheapest plastic hose they can find. The
results? Well, the hose could catch on a patio chair when a neighbor
pulls on it, but that’s only one of the problems with using a cheap
garden hose. Cheap hoses kink more easily, meaning you spend more time
pacing back along the length of your hose to unkink it and restore the
water flow. Whether you’re washing your car or watering the garden, it’s
easier to do and less frustrating when you use a high quality 1/2 inch
garden hose or 3/4 inch garden hose than when you’re using a cheap
plastic hose from the discount store.
A Coil Garden Hose Stores Itself
Had
neighbor A invested in a good quality coil garden hose, it wouldn’t
have been lying across the driveway when her neighbor returned home.
Instead, it would have been neatly coiled in a small area on the patio.
And since they come in several colors, it might even have added nicely
to the décor on the patio instead of catching and tearing on the leg of a
patio chair.
A Garden Hose Reel Would Have Solved the Problem
Finally,
had neighbor A invested in a garden hose reel to store her garden hose
when it wasn’t in use, neighbor B wouldn’t have felt compelled to move
it out of the way to safety. The hose would have been neatly rolled and
stored out of harm’s way.
Is your garden hose a criminal
case in the making? This is the time to check out your gardening
equipment, including your hose, and decide whether you need to replace
your worn garden hose with a brand new drinking safe garden hose, coil
garden hose or high quality 1/2 inch garden hose.
Friday, January 18, 2013
How to Figure Out Which Garden Hose You Need
Who knew that garden hoses
were so popular? If you watch television at all, you can’t help but
notice the number of new garden hose advances that have been advertised
over the past year or two. There are constant commercials for a coil
garden hose – perfect for gardening on patios and in small yards – and
expandable hoses, as well as for heated garden hose and soaker hoses
that irrigate your lawn without wasting water in the air. That’s a lot
of choices – and it’s not even taking into account the many different
lengths and diameters and materials you can choose from when you’re
picking out a new garden hose. If you’re buying a garden hose for the
first time or replacing one that’s worn past being useful, these tips
can help you choose the right kind of hose for your needs.
How Long Should Your Garden Hose Be?
It’s
tempting to buy the longest garden hose you can afford, but that’s not
the best idea. In general, you should buy a garden hose that’s long
enough to reach the places where you use it most often and no longer.
Extra length can get tangled and reduce the water pressure at the
business end of the hose. What if you usually only need a 25-foot hose
to reach the garden, but once in a while you need to reach the driveway
that’s 50 feet away? Buy two 25-foot hoses, suggest experts. You can
hook them together when you need the extra length and you won’t be
tripping over it when you don’t need the longer garden hose.
What Diameter Garden Hose Should You Choose?
Most
homeowners choose a 1/2 inch garden hose or 3/4 inch garden hose for
common household maintenance and gardening tasks. If you need a longer
hose to reach your garden or higher water pressure, opt for the wider
diameter – the higher the diameter, the more water can be delivered at
once. If you intend to use your garden hose for pressure washing or to
water livestock, you might opt for a one inch water hose, which will
make the tasks move more quickly.
Are There Special Features to Consider?
Will you be watering a vegetable garden
with your garden hose or providing drinking water from it? Choose a
drinking safe garden hose to avoid leaching lead and other hazardous
chemicals into your water. Do you need to use the garden hose throughout
the colder seasons of the year? Consider a heated garden hose, which will keep the water flowing even when the temperature drops below freezing.
Choosing
the right garden hose can make your maintenance and gardening tasks
considerably easier. Before you head off to the nearest home improvement
store, take stock of your needs so that you buy the right hose for your
needs.
Friday, January 4, 2013
When to Replace Your Garden Hose
Is your garden hose
still holding up to the job you need it to do? If you’re like most
gardeners, you keep your garden hose for years, long past the time it’s
ready to be replaced. Does your hose leak, kink or make your life
difficult in the garden and yard? A new garden hose could be the answer
to your problems. If your garden hose is more than five years old, it
may be time to think about replacing it with a new model.
What’s New in Garden Hoses?
Garden
hoses are relatively low-tech in the world of garden accessories so it
may surprise you to find out that there have been a number of advances
that make today’s garden hoses safer and easier to use than the one
that’s hooked up to your outdoor faucet today. These are a few of the
advances and advantages you should look for when replacing your old
garden hose.
Safer Materials
A
recent study by a major consumer safety group found that nearly every
one of the garden hoses they tested leaked some quantity of lead and
other unsafe chemicals into the water that ran through them. Lead can
cause major neurological and physical problems if it is ingested,
especially by children. If you water edible plants with your garden hose
fill a children’s pool with water from it or if you or your children
drink from the garden hose on a hot day, look for a drinking safe garden
hose. Originally developed for use in RVs and other applications that
would be delivering potable water, they’re now available for general
use. You can easily buy a 50-foot 1/2 inch garden hose or 3/4 inch
garden hose in any home improvement store or department store.
More Convenient Storage
Do
you garden on your patio or another small or enclosed space? A standard
garden hose can be difficult to maneuver in close quarters, and even
more difficult to store. A coil garden hose is designed for use in
small, enclosed spaces like patios and decks. Unlike a standard garden
hose a coil garden hose compresses itself into a coiled spring. When
it’s coiled, the hose takes up little space but it can be extended to
more than twice its coiled length when you’re using it. You won’t even
need a garden hose reel to keep it neat and tidy.
In
addition to these two innovations in garden hose technology, you can
also buy garden hoses that expand when you use them, high-volume garden
hoses like a one inch water hose or a heated garden hose that you can use outdoors throughout the coldest months.
If
your garden hose is ready for a replacement, do some research and find
the best options to replace your old, worn-out hose. If you choose well,
you’ll get years of service from it.
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