Dramm’s brass hose swivel reduces kinked and twisted hoses when watering the garden. (C) Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp
When I worked fulltime at a garden center, one of my jobs was watering the plants. It was kind of a mindless, peaceful, relaxing job, cursed by hauling heavy hoses that kinked and got twisted. Of course, kinked, twisted hoses are not just a workplace problem. They are the same at home, and I’ve always said I’d pay good money for a hose that does not kink or twist.
Last summer, at the suggestion of several garden writer colleagues, I purchased two, pricey, 75-foot Flexzilla garden hoses, touted for their light weight and resistance to kinking and twisting. The hoses also were rated safe for drinking water. Most hoses are not approved for drinking water because they are made with lead and other toxins. The Flexzillas passed the lightweight test, but they failed the no-twist, no-kink test.
Last fall, Dramm gave garden writers a Brass Hose Swivel, which goes between the hose and an attachment, such as Dramm’s One Touch RainWand, one of my favorite watering tools. This 2-inch piece of solid brass does exactly what it promises – keeps a hose from twisting, which pretty much eliminates kinks. This swivel is a must-have for anyone who does a lot of watering, including garden centers. A lightweight hose that doesn’t twist puts the pleasure back into watering.
Corona 6-inch oscillating hoe. Photo courtesy Corona Tools USA
This year, the weeds have been particularly prolific. My favorite tool for weeding is Corona’s 60-inch oscillating hoe, sometimes called a stirrup or scuffle hoe. A 6-inch blade slices off weeds at or just below the soil line with a push and pull. You can’t really go wrong with any tool from Corona, including another favorite, its 7-inch Razor Tooth Pruning Saw. This folding saw makes fast work of pruning thicker branches.
You can’t go wrong with tools from Fiskars, either. I especially like Fiskars’ Pruning Stik. At 5-foot long, this is the best tool for reaching up into trees or down into shrubs to remove branches up to 1 ¼ inch diameter. It is rope-free, so you can control the pruner with two hands. A chain-driven gear enables cuts to be clean and precise.
Fiskars Pruning Stik. Photo courtesy Fiskars
This is the second Pruning Stik I’ve had. The first one broke after about 10 years. I called Fiskars customer service and, in accordance with a lifetime warranty, the company shipped me a new one. You can’t beat that.
