Kitchen Garden Forum

Dear All,
don't forget to drain all your hose pipes and put them away in a dark place. This will keep them safe from splitting and help to prevent them from degrading. Also make sure that any sprinklers or trigger hose ends are also drained before storage.
Regards Sally Wright.

Dear Sally, what wondeful advice indeed.

You've needed to use a sprinkler this year

Dear Tony,
watering in bedding displays in May and June.
Regards Sally Wright.

Tony Hague wrote:You've needed to use a sprinkler this year

Why? Haven't you?


Thanks Sally,

My OH will be very impressed when he sees that I've 'remembered' to prepare the hose etc for winter storage this year

VPM
x

Dear vpm, if cook packed our hosepipe away, i would be very suspicious.

I'm not sure I have anywhere dark to store it. I coil it as a figure of eight and chuck it on top of the shed. (No room inside the shed)

Perhaps I may use this thread to remind members to remove or protect their fruit cage netting against snowfall. Mine's a bit of a fag to remove, so I've slid the runner bean canes across the frame to support the net. Somewhere to store the canes, as well!
A leaf blower is useful to remove snow.

Our hosepipe is wound up on a wheel and I'm afraid that I've never actually bothered to empty and drain it before packing it away in the garage for winter. Perhaps that's why it feels so heavy to carry !! To be honest, I'm not sure exactly how I would empty it, short of unravelling the whole long length from the wheel and holding the part attached to the wheel it up higher than the end bit so that it all drains out.

Dear Primrose.
here is how to empty a hose on a reel. You disconnect both ends from taps and triggers etc. Then lift the short piece (that connects the reel to the tap) up and drape it over something to keep it held up. Then you wind the hose as you would to put it on the reel until no more water comes out - simples! You feel a little stupid if someone spots you but it will extend the life of your hose and it makes it easier to move about.
We have a humoungus reel at work with around 30m of 3/4in and two 25m lengths of 1/2in. Emptying that baby can reduce it's weight by about 20lbs or more!
To empty a hose which does not have a reel it is done by lifting one end and walking along running through your hands and keeping this section lifted until you get to the other end.
Having no water in the stored hoses also lessens the risk of rodent damage as they will be less inclined to chew them to get at the water inside.
Regards Sally Wright.

Mine is on the wall Sally. I've never thought to try and empty it, is it possible without taking it off the wall.?

Beryl,

Dear Beryl,
if you can undo the pipe from the wall tap end without taking off the whole reel and it will still turn then this method will work. There has to be air going into the pipe so that water can come out of the other end.

If this is not possible then cover the whole reel with a couple of layers of bubble wrap taped into position and then over the lot tape an old compost sack for a weatherproof cover.

I should have mentioned that all outdoor taps and fixed pipes should be insulated as well. If there is a shut off valve inside then it should be used and the outside tap left slightly open to allow for some expansion of water and ice to occur.

Fixed outdoor pipe systems that are above ground should also be drained if possible. Systems like these should have really been designed with a tap at the lowest point for winter draining.

Now is a good time to order all those extra pipe fittings etc that you will need before you have to go racing round the local DIY sheds in the summer.

Do you all know I see an article here for a future edition of KG; perhaps entitled winter service checks.

Regards Sally Wright.

Many thanks Sally. I think the bubble wrap would be the easiest option for me. I do have an inside tap and always turn the water off durng the winter. (much to my window cleaners disgust - they now have to ask for water)

I agree with you a good subject for the TKG.

Beryl.