In midsummer, your plants have reached the point where they need water frequently, but their roots are long enough to reach deep into the soil for it. You may not have to water as frequently, but you still have to hand-water occasionally, and your hose and your inferior watering wand have reached the end of their lives. Nothing is more frustrating than trying to find a replacement for your best hose or watering wand mid-summer. If you go to the big-box stores, they’ve already long since put away gardening tools, and are moving on to Halloween.
Your best bet for summer replacements of garden tools is Gardener’s Supply
, a mail-order and Internet gardening company from Vermont. I used to live in Vermont, and the Gardener’s Supply one and only retail store was always on my list for a visit. Here are a few tips about some of their most popular watering products.
Self-Coiling Hose
I actually owned this hose, or at least I bought one myself for one of my gardeners who was older and always complained about dragging the hose around! We quickly learned that she was the only one that could use the hose, because she was the only one that would take care of it. The self-coiling feature is great if you are really careful about how you store the hose. However, if you let it coil on itself, it becomes intertwined: think slinky. There is absolutely NO uncoiling it. Also, the stream of water is not altogether powerful. This is a great product if you have a patio or small garden, and you can leave the hose hooked up to the spigot. My Mom has one and loves it, but she doesn’t have to move it around far.
Self-Watering Hanging Baskets
Containers, especially hanging baskets, have to be watered a LOT. Now is a good time to pick up self-watering containers for next summer, or for the fall, at sale prices. Once plants become established in the container, they suck up all of the water so fast that you can end up needing to water every day. Self-watering containers buy you a little bit of time, and make it possible to go on vacation without returning to a bunch of dead plants.
Rain Catcher Urn
Rain barrels are always a good idea. With rater restrictions in so many areas of North America, and fresh water resources dwindling, saving your own water makes sense. However, most rain barrels are shaped like barrels! I haven’t seen too many houses that were aesthetically enhanced by a big barrel sitting out front. This rain catcher urn is effective, and fairly stylish at the same time. Two thumbs up!
Pivoting Watering Wand
Everybody needs a watering wand. If you currently water with a spray gun, do yourself, your carpel tunnel syndrome and your plants a favor: get a watering wand. This one from Gardener’s has a pivoting head, which makes it easier to water hanging baskets and taller planters. Remember, when watering, water the soil around the plant, not the plant! A watering wand with a breaker makes this task much easier, and you won’t wash away as much soil.
Hose Guide
My husband is generally the one to pick up odds and ends for the house. If it isn’t a plant, book or purse, I don’t much care about it. This spring, he came home with some hose guides and I thought “now, why on earth do we need those!?!” Simply put, they block your hose from trampling your plants when you move around a corner. I’ve always been dragging the hose around, developing hose-throwing, barely plant-missing techniques, etc. I have to say one thing: I love those hose guides! Mine aren’t as pretty as this one, but they work really well and make watering so much easier and faster.
Don’t let your plants hang out to dry! Re-stock your watering supplies
now, while you can steal some great deals!
Leave a Comment