What did you do in the garden today?

[jerryse]

I need to plant out my largest Oriental poppy seedlings. Many things need planted now. Need to spot weed some more.

 

[LifeSimpleAndSweet]

Wow, what a beautiful property! What is the brick structure next to your table? Is it an old well?

It's the old cistern, I'm told. They used to catch the rainwater. I can't imagine.

I love old ways, but the idea of storing rainwater from a dirty roof in a hole in the ground and drinking it... Maybe they just used it for the garden?

We had a well in CA when I was growing up. Spoiled me. That water was so sweet and good. I've never had water I can stand since. It was pumped into a tank with a lid and we never had problems with cleanliness. But this looks like it would be hard to keep clean. I admit to not knowing much about it, though.

Ours was similar to this size, shape, and material.

 

[LifeSimpleAndSweet]

You have to keep untwisting as you are coiling, and it will coil up in a relaxed shape. My Grandpa had me lay it out flat, then pull in and coil each untwisted section at a time. He could flick the remainder and get it untwisted, but when I tried it as a 4-5 year-old, I had to keep running back to the far end to untangle it.
Geez my Grandpa was picky - and now I'm just as picky, LOL - but the hoses that came with this house when we bought it 14 years ago (and who knows how old they were then) are still in good shape with no kinks or leaks.

I used to do it that way (sometimes still do) but I've found the figure eight to be faster. It takes up more room, though.

I dearly love all the things my father taught me. He's almost 90 now and I'm still grateful to have his knowledge and wisdom in my life, even if he can't come and help me the way he used to.

My dad seemed to know everything and how to do it the very best way. I love that.
So glad you had a grandpa like that, too.

 

[LifeSimpleAndSweet]

Hey, I just thought of an idea.
Tell me what you think about it, if you foresee problems, and how to head them off.

My wall hose hangers are never big enough and the weight of the hose crushes itself so water won't flow through. I have to remove the entire hose to get it to work and they are munched.

I first thought of hanging two wall-mounted hose hangers, side-by-side, so you could hang a long hose (I regularly work with 150 feet) in a figure-eight pattern.

But I was picturing myself trying to unwind the hose easily and I thought it would be too time-consuming. I'd like something that would pull off easily, yet not fall off when left alone.

So I started thinking of a shape that would hold the hose, but have an incline so you could pull away and it would ride up and off the hanger.

What is shaped that way? An empty car wheel.

So what problems do you foresee affixing two car wheels vertically on a wall or on a stand for a figure eight hose hanger?

I looked and didn't see anyone doing a double wheel.

 

[jerryse]

It's the old cistern, I'm told. They used to catch the rainwater. I can't imagine.

I love old ways, but the idea of storing rainwater from a dirty roof in a hole in the ground and drinking it... Maybe they just used it for the garden?

We had a well in CA when I was growing up. Spoiled me. That water was so sweet and good. I've never had water I can stand since. It was pumped into a tank with a lid and we never had problems with cleanliness. But this looks like it would be hard to keep clean. I admit to not knowing much about it, though.

Ours was similar to this size, shape, and material.

View attachment 3515695

.Everything I typed poof gone.

 

[BReeder!]

Hey, I just thought of an idea.
Tell me what you think about it, if you foresee problems, and how to head them off.

My wall hose hangers are never big enough and the weight of the hose crushes itself so water won't flow through. I have to remove the entire hose to get it to work and they are munched.

I first thought of hanging two wall-mounted hose hangers, side-by-side, so you could hang a long hose (I regularly work with 150 feet) in a figure-eight pattern.

But I was picturing myself trying to unwind the hose easily and I thought it would be too time-consuming. I'd like something that would pull off easily, yet not fall off when left alone.

So I started thinking of a shape that would hold the hose, but have an incline so you could pull away and it would ride up and off the hanger.

What is shaped that way? An empty car wheel.

So what problems do you foresee affixing two car wheels vertically on a wall or on a stand for a figure eight hose hanger?

I looked and didn't see anyone doing a double wheel.

View attachment 3515711

1st challenge I foresee is the hose will stack outward in the intersection of the figure 8 quickly, causing that section to be really thick and likely a challenge for 150ft of hose. Better off wrapping around one hose hanger until it it's full and then over to the second one.

2nd challenge I foresee is the wheels you are thinking of using. Most rims do not have a very tall wall where the tie bead makes contact. This lack of a wall means you'll only be able to contain one or two layers of hose and the rest could easily fall off potential.

Have you thought of a winding hose real. Mine has 100ft of hose on it and could probably hold 200ft if needed.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

My youngest son turned 15 yesterday. He helps me with all the birds (geese, chickens, ducks and peafowl) and sometimes in the garden.
Here's Justus after cooking his first steak a couple weeks ago.

 

[LifeSimpleAndSweet]

1st challenge I foresee is the hose will stack outward in the intersection of the figure 8 quickly, causing that section to be really thick and likely a challenge for 150ft of hose. Better off wrapping around one hose hanger until it it's full and then over to the second one.

2nd challenge I foresee is the wheels you are thinking of using. Most rims do not have a very tall wall where the tie bead makes contact. This lack of a wall means you'll only be able to contain one or two layers of hose and the rest could easily fall off potential.

Have you thought of a winding hose real. Mine has 100ft of hose on it and could probably hold 200ft if needed.

Thanks so much for the feedback!

I have thought of one, but they seem to fall apart so quickly and get hung up inside so easily. Perhaps if I spent money and got a really expensive one, it might function well?

 

[LifeSimpleAndSweet]

.Everything I typed poof gone.

Do it again! Do it again! LOL

 

[jerryse]

I will try again. On cisterns they had a diverter on the downspout. The first rainwater went on the ground then diverted to the cistern. Yes someone had to go out in the rain. Some had a block wall in the cistern to filter the water. Water was taken from the filtered half. We had a well and a cistern. Cistern water was used for laundry and baths. We bathed in a number 3 washtub. I was 5 years old in 1957 when water, sewer and gas came through our neighborhood. So gone was the outhouse, coal furnace, well and cistern.