Apr 30, 2016

Strawberries and Mending Water Hoses



I've been busy mending the water hoses today and trying to find out why the left side of my strawberry patch is so much smaller than the right. Join me won't you.



I used to watch my mama mend water hoses and wonder why is she doing this when she could just go buy another.  I now know why because that can get expensive.

We had a little puppy here that loved chewing up my water hoses.  It was like the best treat in the world when he was out running around to chew them into and then chew up the gardening nozzles.

Today I saw that one very expensive long hose was leaking at the connection to another.  I thought maybe a little washer might stop the leak, but no such luck.  I replaced with a female repair kit.




All it took was (yeah) cutting that end off that was leaking with my pruning shears and putting the mending part on with a phillips head screwdriver.  Truthfully I think I found that part at the dollar store but have others stored in a bag in a drawer that were purchased from Lowes.

It is good to have these things on hand for emergencies so you don't have to stop what you're doing to clean up and go to town.


Now, on to my next gardening problem. You may remember that something ate almost my entire
patch over the winter. Critters in My Patch

The other day I noticed the strawberries I had recently put in were not responding in the same way. Granted the left and right sides have different varieties but something is wrong.  I have a small path in the middle of the patch so that I can get in there and pick.


Can you see the difference in the plants? 

I found the problem, the soaker hose had a massive leak and the right side of the patch was reaping the benefits.  Left side was dryer.  I chose to replace that soaker hose.  It was pretty fragile.  Does anyone know if you can repair those flimsy things?




These little beauties are getting some water now!  I hope they survive out here.  If not I may plant in a raised bed on legs to prevent the voles, moles, rabbits and groundhogs from eating them up.  The covering I will add will hopefully prevent damage from the deer and birds we have out here. Otherwise I have no idea as to what else to do out here in animal kingdom!




Look at them makes me think of Oliver and Lisa Douglas of Green Acres.  You know the plants coming up out of the ground 'shoosting' up to the sky!






8 comments:

  1. Our landscaper accidentally ran over my hose and shredded the end of it. I went to walmart the other day to buy a repair kit for it and they were all out. :-(

    I think my daughters bunny would love those strawberry plants.

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    Replies
    1. I'm sorry about your hose!

      Kim, You are a nut I'm laughing! My daughter has two beautiful bunnies too!

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  2. Glad you got things figured out! This year I got a pack of 10 white strawberry plants from a fundraiser - I've never even seen white ones before, have you? The description said they could taste like strawberry and pineapple. I hope they grow.

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    1. Thank you. I have seen those and wanted to plant some myself. I wonder how they taste. I'll bet they're delicious! Let me know how they do please.

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  3. You are one smart gal! Excited for your plants to grow and I admit that I was humming to Green Acres.

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    1. Ginger you know you have the ability to make all smile! You are so cute! Thank you and I know what you mean with the Green Acres!

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  4. I'm glad the strawberries have started coming back, I'm sure the ones on the right are loving it! I don't know what you do about a soaker hose leak, maybe there is some special tape for it?

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Kathy. I was so sad to lose all of the old plants to whatever and then when these new little plants seem stunted that was upsetting. Soaker hose isn't too bad to replace to keep them going. Maybe there is a special tape, I do know that electrical tape wont' hold but so long, LOL! Have a great week!

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