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Wrangling the Garden Hose

070208hosecontrol.jpgSee that photo up top? That's our apartment's communal hose and it almost always looks that unruly. It's about time we get that black mamba in check, but we're not quite sure which hose organizing solution we should turn to. Anyone out there with advice about this simple organizational issue? We're currently leaning toward a simple wall-mount hose hanger due to cost (our favourite is this one, but it's priced out of our range), but we're open to any suggestions out there.

 
 

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gardening, organizing, gardening, garden hose, hose holder

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Comments (16)

Does anyone know of a good hose that doesn't kink but also coils nicely? I got a "kinkless" hose and the f*cker constanty whips me in the face when I try to coil it up.

posted by Nikita on July 2nd 2008 at 12:17pm
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You're missing the other option - a hose reel. Those pots/boxes are attractive but it's hard to corral the hose in there and usually a frog family will set up shop in there and then you feel bad about disturbing them. The wall option makes it hard to move the whole hose if need be.

I have something like this
http://www.idealtruevalue.com/servlet/the-155949/2385575--HOSE-REEL/Detail

posted by Szig on July 2nd 2008 at 12:20pm
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those wall mounted hose hooks are much easier to deal with if you hang them waist high and coil the hose very loosely, letting each coil almost reach the ground.

posted by mrs yow on July 2nd 2008 at 12:23pm
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I have a wall-mounted hose reel that works nicely. And I have a reel with a knob I'm supposed to turn to wind it up, only the knob broke off, so it's not easy.

Coiling a hose into a circle and then laying it on the ground or in a pot or over a hook isn't a great method. When you coil a rope or hose or chain, you twist it. Instead, lay it on the ground in a sort of figure 8. Or coil it with an over-under maneuver, which is functionally equivalent to a figure 8 bent over at the middle.

posted by mxjohnson on July 2nd 2008 at 1:04pm
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When I built my back deck I worked in a hidden compartment off to the side with the faucet installed below deck level. I used one of those "coiled" hoses that I can just toss into the compartment and cover up.

posted by dollarvines on July 2nd 2008 at 1:05pm
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Yeah a wet pot full of hose seems icky, and a great place for a big spider to make a home.

posted by EP on July 2nd 2008 at 1:14pm
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This beehive holder is just so cute-
http://www.wisteria.com/prodinfo.asp?number=W2436

posted by LoriSF on July 2nd 2008 at 1:34pm
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K.I.S.S.

The pots and the boxes may seem nice, but the boxes can bind up unless rolled up just right (I have one) and are you really going to artfully place the hose back in a pot after you are done?

I say stick it to the wall, and coil it up.

posted by tallguylehigh on July 2nd 2008 at 1:48pm
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I bought a vintage hose cart kind of thing with a wheel/roll and I couldn't figure it out! The only way it'd work was to unhook it from the water source each time you roll it up, not v. efficient. Is there some trick I'm missing? It does look great...

posted by marfa on July 2nd 2008 at 2:17pm
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Ditto on the figure-8 configuration. It prevents kinks.

posted by ddg425 on July 2nd 2008 at 2:27pm
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We have one that came out of the box coiled up small (like a green slinky), and those small coils remain in the hose always. I can stretch it to reach all over our small backyard, and when I toss it back to its corner it recoils and bunches to a much smaller mess. :-)

posted by MelissaLeigh on July 2nd 2008 at 2:47pm
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Mine hangs on the wall - less opportunity for spiders to hide...

posted by LilyC on July 2nd 2008 at 2:49pm
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The figure-8 things works nicely, but nobody else will do it, ever! You will be the only one in your building! :D

posted by neutopian on July 2nd 2008 at 4:53pm
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Dollarvines, that is an ingenious idea! I am a few weeks away from rebuilding my deck and will ask my uncle to incorporate a "trap door" for the hose.

Thanks for sharing!

posted by Seaside on July 2nd 2008 at 8:00pm
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I sprung for a Rapid Reel a couple of years ago and it works well - much better than any plastic reels out there and easier and quicker to stash my 100' of hose than a hanger or box or trap door (have had them all over the years).

Recommended in spite of the sticker shock.

posted by Poster on July 2nd 2008 at 10:29pm
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My hose is in constant use so I bought one of those ubiquitous metal stakes with a large curve at the top - it's about 4 feet high and makes it easy off and easy on for the hose. Of course it's not hidden, but life is too short to wind hoses into a box. Also important - my hose is black as is the stake so it is discreet.

posted by Bo Placebo on July 3rd 2008 at 3:10am
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