2 Minute Tips is a series I’m starting with each article designed to be read in 2 minutes or less. In it, I’ll explore simple ideas that can have a big impact as you’re learning how to grow more food at home, wherever you might live!
Using a Hose without a Spigot
There’s a good chance that when you imagine hooking up a hose to water your plants, you picture going to the little steel spigot on the outside of a building and screwing your hose directly to that. However, if for any reason you don’t have a water tap like this near where you want to water, hooking a hose to your sink could provide a solution! It’s easy, doesn’t require any tools, and only takes a single part from your local hardware store. Read this article for 3 easy steps to get watering!
Step 1: Buy an Adapter for Your Faucet
To attach your hose to your sink, the first thing you’re going to need to do is look at your faucet to determine the type of adapter you’ll need. Depending on your living situation, your faucet may or may not have an aerator on it. An aerator is a little cap that screws onto the end of your faucet to make the water more “bubbly” and less “splashy” as it comes out. If you have one, you’ll want to take it off like in the pictures below. If this is your first time doing this, it might take a bit of elbow grease, particularly if you have hard water which can cause the aerator to stick on.
Step 2: Buy the Right Adapter
When you have the aerator off of your faucet, you’ll need to take a look at the type of threading that’s on the end of the spout. Chances are, if you’re hooking to a sink in a kitchen or bathroom, you’ll see small threads on the outside of the little pipe that sticks down. If that’s the case, you’ll need a “female” adapter like the one here. If, however, the threads on your faucet are on the inside of the pipe that sticks down, then you’ll need a “male” adapter like the one here. Worst case scenario, if you can’t figure it out, then take few pictures of the end of your faucet from different angles and ask a worker at the hardware store for help. As long as they can see the threading at the end of your sink, they should be able to find you the right piece. Just tell them you’re looking for an adapter to hook a garden hose up to your faucet, and they’ll point you in the right direction.
Step 3: Hook Up the Hose and Spray!
Once you have the adapter on your faucet, it’s as easy as hooking up your hose and watering your plants! The end of your hose with threads on the inside should fit over the adapter and screw onto the course threads on the outside of the piece. From there, just turn on your faucet (use cold water if you’re watering plants) and use the hose like normal!
Bottom Up Permaculture 