How About Those Expandable Hoses?

Friday has come around again and I really haven’t accomplished what I wanted to do in my garden. I still have to get some hanging baskets decided upon and planted. Hypertufa ones, some of them.

I am anxious to see my first hummingbird. I am sure they will be here soon here in Ohio, but I am so anxious for my first instance of seeing one in my backyard garden feeder this year. Wow, the year flies by, doesn’t it?

But let’s talk about some garden hints and tips.

You may do your gardening in the early morning hours like I do, but I hate the little “biters” that are out there too. Mostly mosquitoes and maybe some of those No-See-Ums too.

But I have heard that rubbing a little Vicks VapoRub on your arms, neck, etc will repel the little annoying critters. The reason given was that they don’t like the smell of eucalyptus.  I am ok with that.

I usually shower after gardening so I don’t have to go around smelling like that all day. Oh, who am I kidding. I usually go around a lot of days smelling like BenGay. These joints cry out for it after gardening!

I have learned about a weird gardening method and want to try it this year. I am not going to go crazy with it. Just one bale of straw and one tomato plant. I am not good at vegetables, my tomato plants usually resemble the Charlie Brown Christmas Tree.

But I am interested in seeing how this will work. So I will do a full post when I have something to report. But I am planning to plant a tomato plant into a hole in a straw bale.

Have you done this? Have I gone off the deep end? We shall see.  I don’t have much hope but one never knows!

Stay tuned.

I have seen some lively discussions on Facebook about the Expandable Hose. The hose that shrinks and swells depending on whether the water is on or off?  And I had planned to put my opinions in this post as a garden hint to get one.

But, my oh my, some people really get all hot under the collar at these hoses!

First of all, but I have to admit I LOVE mine. It is so light and easy to pull through the garden. When I turn the water off, I don’t have to wrestle and wind a big ole Fire Hose back into the container or rack. Just put the nozzle on open and gather it up like string….not kidding.

It fits in a tiny round flower pot when stored. I have this one in the photo in a giant hose basket made for those big rubber Fire Hoses. Love the light and small one so much better.

Do they burst? Yes, they do. Do I get another one? Yes,  I do. We have exchanged for a new one when the old one burst, but I can usually get one season out of it. If it burst at the end of the season, I get a replacement and then finish out the season and have it for the new year.

How many have I bought?  Probably about 4.  How many have I had to return for replacement?    All 4.

But I still love my Expandable Hose.