Are you wanting a cover for hose storage purposes?

I had a huge terracotta pot that I placed near the faucet.I started from the faucet and curled it into the bottom and left the end coming up at the top....works great from me in the back yard.

Yes, Im interested in keeping the hose covered. I live in the HOTTEST, DRYESS part of the country with the most intense sun. Not only does the hose look bad but, exposed to the it will be toast within a couple months. I have all new plantings in this bed that are small and spaced a couple feet apart. The bed is in the front of my property, which is really f-a-r away from the garden shed so it is "front and center" plus taking the hose to the shed is just not going to work.

Im thinking about maybe taking an old tire and applying stucco or cement to the outside of it with maybe broken dishes for tile then somehow make a lid for it?

Our hose has been under a pine tree and it got pine tar on it so I put it in a round wash tub and covered it. Not pretty but it works for me. You can't see it under the tree close to the deck.
It could be painted or broken tiles put on it to decorate it.
Please post a pic of yours when you decide what to do with it.

QUOTE: it will be toast within a couple months

Our hoses are short-lived here too due to heat/sun despite our unbearable humidity. Not to the extreme you seem to be experiencing but it got to the point I started only buying quality (read that *expensive & not in my budget*) heavy-duty hoses w/a 10 yr warranty & kept the receipts! I returned so many, I'm now on a 'watch list' lol...three national chains/big box stores now refuse my returns.

Here's the best solution I've found to date....whatever you reuse/repurpose, be it a clay pot, washtub or tire, BURY IT. Meaning, sink it in the ground then COVER IT. The ground acts as insulation. This has TRIPLED the life of my hoses. I can now buy cheap hoses that last longer than the high $ ones.

I'v tried disguising my hose hidey-holes in various ways. Some are 'less annoying' than others. None are ideal (still workin on that). I'd be interested to know what you decide to do and how it works.

~digger

I was thinking maybe one of those 'chimnea' terra cotta things...they look Tuscany! But after reading Diggery's comments above, it sounds like you need something in the ground ...so a chimnea wouldn't work. Would an insulated cooler or something like that work in the ground? I would think a 'tire' would attract heat & get too hot. Good luck! Jeanne S.

OK, this is not a repurpose, but I love my hose box with a crank. (we have one in the front and one in the back). They look nice and are a real blessing when it comes to winding it back up. But make sure it's a gear driven one that alligns the hose automatically as you crank. We have 150' of hose on one and 200' on the other. I cannot imagine coiling that up everytime we use it. They start around $50 and go up from there depending on size, but worth every penny. One of the best things we ever bought.
Arlene

@ Jeanne: Ha. Told hubs the end of last summer our cooler wouldn't last another season. Might just try your idea. Sounds like a winner to me. Thanks!

@ Arlene: Yes! The hose box w/crank is worth every penny. I have one in the front next to the house hidden behind shrubs & shaded by a huge magnolia tree which helps w/the heat/sun factor here. Unfortunately, that lil setup didn't work too well in my back yard where's there's no added protection from the sun (well, not in a convenient place anyway).My sunken hose storage is an improvement but still not ideal....or maybe I'm just lazy? lol

Out of frustation, I found another solution for my lil veggie plot in the 'back forty'. Not a repurpose but I'll share anyway in case it's helpful to someone. I borrowed a trencher & buried some pvc pipe from my hose bibb to the veggie garden then inserted a couple sprinkler heads in the line at the end. I have to unscrew the garden hose to connect to my home-made sprinkler but it sure beats wrestling with several hundred feet of hose plus makes mowing the lawn less labor intensive. I use a 6' jump hose hidden behind a trellis on the back wall of the house to connect the sprinkler line to the hose bibb.

Granted, this project only cost me ~$20 for a few fittings - the trencher was borrowed & the pipe was from a demo BUT pvc pipe is not expensive. It's do-able even on my limited budget.

All really good ideas! I knew this was the right forum :) Thinking it thru, I think what I will do is I have a 55 gallon metal drum with a lid. I think I will cut it down so it is only a foot or so high. Then dig down a little more then a foot into the ground. Then pour some rocks down and then set the cut top of the barrel on the rocks, backfill around the metal with more rock up the sides. I can hide my hose in there and use the lid on it as a stepping stone. Maybe even spray a little foam inuslation I have in a can under the lid to help keep the hose cool!!

Sounds like a plan. The lid will make a great stepping stone! I'd use another section of the drum in the same way you describe as a fire pit if that kinda thing appeals to you. I love sitting around a fire in early spring/fall when it's chilly out. Plus it's handy for making 'smores =] Let us know how it turns out.

blessings,
~digger