It’s that time of year where we are pulling our garden hoses out in anticipation of the spring and summer planting season, filling pools, cleaning outdoor furniture, and so many other things. When you pull your old hose out, you may find that it didn’t weather the winter as you had hoped. So what now? Your hose should never be placed with your household recycling. It gets tangled in the sorting equipment and can cause dangerous situations for the workers. Instead, try to find a way to repurpose it.

1. Make a soaker hose- use a small drill bit to make evenly spaced holes along the length of the hose. Put a hose cap on one end and attach the other end to the spigot. Soaker hoses are more efficient because they deliver water directly to the base of the plant. That means less water gets wasted or evaporated. It can also protect plants from certain molds and mildews. The best part? It’s less work for you. You can turn your soaker hoses on and walk away while they work. Just don’t forget to turn them off, or use a timer to make it even easier. (You can also use this method to make a sprinkler for kids or dogs).
2. Make a sheath for sharp blades- measure the length of the blade you want to cover, cut a length of hose to match, and use a utility knife to cut a slit in the hose piece from end to end. You can then slide over the blade of axes, hatchets, saws, or other bladed tools to help keep them sharp and protected.
3. Organize the shed or garage- make a loop large enough to hold the handle of a rake/shovel/broom or whatever else you want to hang, screw the piece of garden hose near one end, then screw the other end of the hose into the wall. By hanging your tools on the wall, you can create more space as well as have easier access to them. No more rakes hitting you in the head while you navigate the shed or garage.
4. Make a door stop- cut a small section of hose and squeeze it under the door. Once it expands it will fill the gap and hold the door in place.

If you can’t find a way to reuse or repurpose your old damaged hose, it should be disposed of in the garbage.