Don't throw away your old garden hoses there are many uses for them.
By Ann Winberg from Loup City, NE
Add your voice! Click below to comment. ThriftyFun is powered by your wisdom!
Cut a 6 inch length, split it. Use it on bucket handles to avoid hurting your palm.
There is a blog about buckets that shows how to use hose over your bucket handles without splitting the hose to cover the handle.
Two ways I use the hoses are as "siphoning" hoses. The one way I use it is to siphon from a rain barrel to plants that require watering. The hose can be as short or long as you want. I will often use a 50' hose to reach plants far away.
Do not "dump" the balance of the hose into the barrel. (No looping - air trap will occur in the hose.) The purpose is to have the complete hose filled with water. When both ends are into the barrel place your thumbs on both ends (we don't want the water to leak out and air to replace the water in the hose), placing one end of the hose at the bottom of the barrel (which may need a weight to keep the hose in place), and pull out the other end of the hose - still with your thumb over the end- and place it lower than the water in the barrel and the water will begin to siphon out. Don't worry if you see some air - there will be more water pushing a little bit of air out of the way. Place the end of the hose at the plants you want to water.
Water will continue coming out of the hose until the end of the hose is lower than the level of water in the barrel (and/or the other end of the hose). The second use is the same as above except to remove some of the water from my aquarium. (I live outside of the city so this works great for me. Fill the hose as above.) I place the hose outside of the window for drainage. It does not matter if the hose slacks (even on the floor - so long as the hose outside is lower than the aquarium -or even placed at the level you want the water to drain to - to save from taking too much water from the aquarium).
This is a bit tricky the first several tries, so don't be discouraged. It is easy to splash water on the floor or window sill. Keep some towels nearby for spilled water, or more importantly empty all of the water from the aquarium - so stay near the aquarium as to not injure your fish. When the level of the aquarium reaches the level you want just remove the hose from the aquarium and let the excess water run out of the hose and place the hose outside via the open window. Then fill the tank with fresh water. I like not needing a pump for watering or removing water from the aquarium :), nor electricity to power the pump.
Redbeard
I have seen a garden wreath made with a length of hose (about 6') held together with some wire. Add a bow (maybe burlap) and add some silk flowers and vines for interest and you have a unique and lovely decoration for your garden shed or fence. I would put hose ends on a length that I cut off a longer hose to make it look finished.
Like the idea for hanging tools..
Get a bit about 3'' long, slit it lengthways and fit it over the top bridge (where your foot goes). Saves on boots.
Marg from England.
Of course I meant to say the top bridge of your spade or garden fork!
Not with it sometimes!!
Marg from England.
Please to see that you still remember this :
www.thriftyfun.com/
Good ideas
Add your voice! Click below to comment. ThriftyFun is powered by your wisdom!
