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Why you should never throw out an old garden hose

<p><strong>Make a snake decoy to scare birds</strong></p> <p>If flocks of birds are making a mess of your pool (or stealing from your backyard veggie garden), try replicating their natural predator to keep them away. Cut a short length of hose, lay it on the grass – poised like a snake – and the birds should steer clear.</p> <p><strong>Stabilise a tree</strong></p> <p>A short length of old garden hose is a good way to tie a young tree to its stake. You’ll find the hose is flexible enough to bend when the tree does, but at the same time, it’s strong enough to keep the tree tied to its stake until it can stand on its own. Also, the hose will not damage the bark of a young tree as it grows.</p> <p><strong>Cover swing set chains </strong></p> <p>To avoid kids getting hurt on a backyard swing, put a length of old hose over each chain. This will prevent little hands from getting pinched on the swing chain. If you have access to one end of the chains, just slip the chain through the hose. Otherwise, slit the hose down the middle and slip it over the swing-set chains. Close the slit hose with a few wraps of duct tape.</p> <p><strong>Protect your handsaws</strong></p> <p>Keep your handsaw sharp and safe by protecting it with a length of garden hose. Just cut a piece of hose to the length you need, slit it along its length and slip it over the teeth. This is also a good technique to protect kitchen knives when you pack them for a camping trip.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/food-home-garden/diy-tips/why-you-should-never-throw-out-an-old-garden-hose" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.</em></p>

Home & Garden

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"Get off my lawn!": Man cops spray for hose-based deterrent

<p>A man has gone viral on TikTok for showing his controversial way of preventing people from cutting across his front lawn. </p> <p>Thomas Lyons' house is located on the corner of two streets, with many using his unfenced front yard as a shortcut to the adjoining street. </p> <p>Thomas was sick of people trespassing on his property and trampling all over his perfect grass, so he devised a cunning plan to stop people using it as a thoroughfare. </p> <p>Thomas has repeatedly asked those who frequently cut across his lawn to stop and use the footpath, but his warnings have since gone unheeded. </p> <p>Taking matters into his own hands, Thomas installed sprinklers that go off whenever they detect any motion, leaving trespassers soaking wet and having to run to the footpath as quickly as possible. </p> <p>Thomas shared a video of his unique methods to his TikTok account, after also posting videos of people trampling on his perfectly maintained lawn at all hours of the day and night. </p> <p>Many people have divided opinions on his tactics, as the video has quickly racked up an impressive 40 million views. </p> <p><span>Many of his followers have praised his efforts, with one person commenting, "There's a sidewalk 10 feet away... constantly walking over the grass will kill it."</span></p> <p><span>"I was always taught not to walk on people's grass but I never knew why," another person says.</span></p> <p><span>"Also, if they tripped and fell on the grass and broke their leg, I'm assuming they would sue the owner," says another understanding user. </span></p> <p><span>While many commenters were quick to praise Thomas' efforts, there were also a lot of comments wondering why he went to such extremes to install a sprinkler system when he could've built a fence around his property instead.</span></p> <p><span>"The level of petty," says one person.</span></p> <p><span>"These are school kids," comments another. "You could just put a stone path. It's just grass, kindness means so much more."</span></p> <p><em>Image credits: TikTok @tgunz81</em></p>

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Goodbye kinked hoses

<p>We’ve all been there: you’re ready to tackle the big task of watering the whole garden only to find out when you turn the tap on, there are a few kinks in the hose. No matter how expensive your hose is or whether it bears the optimistic “kink-free” label, if we don’t treat our hoses correctly, they will kink. Sometimes a good old yank can set the hose free but more often than not, we have to retrace our steps, find the kink, straighten it out and start again.</p> <p><strong>Why hoses kink</strong></p> <p>Hoses kink because they’ve been stored rolled or looped up in a tight coil. Old, rigid hoses are also more likely to kink. A kinked hose can lead to cracks and leaks, as well as impede the flow of water from the tap which has led many a hose to burst apart from the tap. More expensive hoses are generally thicker so less likely to bend but you can ensure a permanent kink-free hose if we store it properly. Here’s what to do:</p> <ul> <li>Don’t store hoses in a reel or wind it up tightly. Keep the hose straight when not in use. Stretch it along the path, edge of lawn or perimeter of patio and then loop the end back to the tap.</li> <li>If you prefer to keep your hose out of sight, look for a bracket that stores the hose in large loose loops. Wound up hoses can be straightened by lying them out in the sun before they are used.</li> <li>Spiral hoses don’t kink and are a great option for those with small gardens as they are easy to store and carry around but aren’t very long.</li> <li>When looking to buy a new hose, coil about two rulers back on itself and bend the hose at a 90 degree angle to see if it kinks. Generally, the thicker the hose, the less likely it is to kick. Reinforced hoses made with a thermo plastic rubber outer case are built to last and resist kinking, although more expensive.</li> </ul>

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