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.