Archive for August, 2010
3 Simple Tips For Buying The Best Garden Hose
For anyone who is planning on having a garden the importance of having a good quality garden hose to water shrubs and plants is well known. But if this is your first time buying a garden hose there are a few things you need to know to get the best possible product for your money.
A garden hose may look very simple but there is actually quite a bit of work required to manufacture a quality one. So what exactly should you look for when you buy a new hose?
Consider the length that you need
The first requirement of the garden hose you purchase should be the length. Hoses come in a variety of lengths and many times people overlook the importance of measuring the distance they will need to cover from the water spout to the farthest point in their garden. Choosing one that is less expensive but does not give you the ability to water the entire area comfortably is not a bargain at all. It is much better to purchase one that is longer than you need than one that is shorter.
Think in terms of durability
The construction of a garden hose will determine its durability in use. If you purchase one that is well constructed it can give you many years of service without problems. As you go through the selection process you should look at those which are made with brass connectors. These will never rust or rot give you the highest level of leak control and are sturdy enough to be used every day. Garden hoses with good burst strength can be made of sixply rubber which are good but eightply rubber hoses are ideal.
Another important feature that is always nice to have in a hose are 6 inch kink guards. Just as the name implies a kink guard prevents your hose from becoming tangled or “kinking” when it’s pulled from the water spigot.
Quality materials
Because this is an item that you will use on a regular basis you will want it to last for many years. It makes sense to spend a little extra money to ensure that you get a good quality product. Although the price depends on where and when you purchase generally you can expect to spend about 35 for 50 foot hoses that are usable for approximately seven years.
The problem with cheap garden hoses is that they are poorly constructed; they constantly leak kink up or cause other problems. This makes your gardening tasks more tedious than necessary and more than likely you will find yourself at the store buying another one next year.
Once you have selected one that you want to purchase you should also consider how you will store it when it’s not in use. A garden hose reel is an ideal way to keep the hose in perfect working order when you need to use it and conveniently stored out of the way when the work is done.
Remember these tips when you need to buy your next hose. They can save you some money as well as a lot of frustration around your home.
About the writer: You can find out more about Garden Hoses as well as much more information on all types of garden hoses and garden hose accessories at http://www.GardenHosesAZ.com
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Your Local Hosta Society
Looking for your local hosta society? This may be a little difficult especially if there does not seem to be one in your local area. There is no rhyme or reason as to why a particular area seems to have one and others don’t. Sometimes there are more local ones in rural areas and sometimes there is more in urban areas. Usually you can find a cluster of them in a place where hostas are common and the soil is ideal for growing them. In other areas hostas might simply be all the rage.
One of the best ways to find your local hosta society is to go on the Internet and look. All you need to do is type in the key words “hosta society” and then the name of your town into a popular search engine like Google or Yahoo. The search engine pages should then turn up scores of results for your local hosta society if there actually is one.
What should you do if your search engine results turn up nothing in your city? If this happens then you should try typing in different city or town name when you are searching for it on Google or Yahoo. This is because not all hosta societies identify themselves by a town. Some will use the county or even the name of the town that is nearer to you. Your local hosta society might also be named after the next largest city next to you and also after your province if you live in Canada or your state if you live in the United States. For instance there is both a Michigan and an Ontario Hosta Society.
A local society is a good thing to join as very often they use newsletters and phone calls to phone you about local hosta shows breed competitions sales and social events. However joining a local one is most valuable when it comes to helping eradict diseases and pests from your hostas in the garden. Often you will be advised by email snail mail or even over the phone if pests or a virus such as the deadly Hosta Virus X is a problem in your area.
If there is no local hosta society for you to join in your area then you can also consider joining an excellent national one such as the American Hosta Society which keeps everybody connected through its online E Yearbook and round robin email that help answer questions and provide advice to members. They may also be able to find your local hosta society through their listings. Searching their website might also give you the name of the ideal one for you to join in terms of both membership cost and proximity to where you live.
About the writer: The author Jerry Van Der Kolk has been involved directly with the Horticulture Industry for over 20 years. He now devotes his time to growing hardtofind hostas for hosta collectors via his popular website http://www.DirectSourceHostas.com.
Your Guide To Fire Extinguisher Safety
Fire can cause devastating damage to property and even result in the loss of life. Fire prevention in the home and work place is vital to ensuring your family colleagues and property are kept safe from fire. Fire extinguishers are ideal for tackling small fires before they spread provided it’s safe to do so. Emergency equipment can save lives but it’s important to know how to use this equipment properly and safely to avoid causing more damage or putting your own life at risk.
There are four main types of extinguishers for fires which are power water carbon dioxide and foam.
Unfortunately no one extinguisher can combat all types of fire to find out the differences check out the guide below.
- Powder
Powder extinguishers work by separating the three elements needed to create and sustain fire heat fuel and oxygen by blanketing the fuel with powder it can no longer burn. This type of equipment can deal with common kitchen fires as it can tackle wood paper gas and electrical fires.
- Water
Water extinguishers work by cooling the fuel by absorbing the heat so the fire can no longer burn. Wood paper or cardboard fires can be handled with a water extinguisher. It’s dangerous to tackle an electrical fire with water as the water could conduct the electricity and electrocute you.
- Carbon dioxide
CO2 fire extinguishers work by displacing the oxygen surrounding the fuel as carbon dioxide is a heavier gas than oxygen. CO2 extinguishers are designed to put out electrical and oil fires and are particularly useful for office equipment such as servers and computers as the CO2 doesn’t cause the systems to short circuit and damage other equipment.
- Foam
Foam smothers fires by covering the fuel with a film which separates the fuel from the oxygen needed to create the fire. The foam also cools the fire as the water content evaporates under the heat. Foam extinguishers are best suited to burning liquid fires such as petrol. Although they can be used on electrical fires this is not advisable as the foam itself can cause extensive damage to electrical equipment.
Top tips to use your extinguisher safely
Extinguishers are designed with safety in mind but if you don’t know how to use one correctly you could end up at risk from the fire or the extinguisher. Make sure you and everyone in your family or workplace know how to use the equipment correctly and are familiar with the instructions so they are prepared in an emergency. Investing in a huge fire extinguisher which no one can lift is useless so make sure you opt for easy to carry models and install them in key risk areas such as kitchens or in hallways so they can be carried to the fire. When you fit the equipment make sure it’s out of reach of children.
Remember that you should only use a fire extinguisher when it’s safe to do so and if the fire is too large or in danger of rapidly going out of control then you should contact the fire brigade immediately.
About the writer: Steven Holmes
