When it Comes to Tools, Sometimes It Is What It Isn’t

A guest post from Lou Manfredini, Ace Hardware’s Home Expert

The old adage says that when all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. However, you don’t always have to fit the need to the tool – With a little creativity, you can fit the tool to the need. Consider these safe, alternative uses for two common household tools.

Garden Hose

When your old garden hose starts leaking, you don’t have to throw it out. This is the perfect time to give it a new purpose in life.

One of the best uses for an old hose is to add protection to a sapling’s new tree trunk. First, use three wooden stakes and position them around the sapling’s roots in soil that has not been dug into. Next, measure the distance between the stake and tree trunk, then cut three pieces of hose that are twice as long. Feed rope through the center of each piece of hose, leaving a few extra inches of rope at each end. Wrap the hose around the tree trunk in a U-shape formation and tie both ends of the rope to the stake. Repeat this step with the two remaining stakes.

The rubber hose around the trunk will prevent the rope from digging into the tree trunk as it grows. Once the tree grows strong enough, typically after six to eight months, you can remove the rope and stakes and your tree will stand tall.