watering can

[the big lebowski]

hi all ,its my mums b`day coming up (middle of may) and shes mentioned shed like a watering can ,id like to get her somthing abit special/different so i thought id ask you lovely people for ideas ,i`d like it to hold around 5 -10 liters (not be to heavy to carry when full ) and look abit different ,the main thing is that it works well but if its cool too then that would be great ,any ideas welcome ,cheers

[veggiechicken]

My favourite is one of these https://haws.co.uk/collections/all
I have the plastic one but the metal ones are lovely.

[nickdub]

Sometimes you still see the old galvanised-iron watering cans at car boot sales and second-hand shops - if not abused they will last a lifetime - and if you feel like it you can let out your "inner hippy" and paint some flower-power decorations on them.
They come in different sizes from 1/2 gallon up to 3 gallons - so a set of 3 is possible though you'd be lucky to find them quickly, I suppose a trawl through Ebay might get you some faster.

[Snoop Puss]

Some lovely watering cans there, VC.

[Jungle Jane]

This has nice words & you can personalise it but it’s well expensive,about twenty pound more expensive than a non decorated similar one,I think it’s really special though gifts are different to what we’d buy ourselves,talking of stuff to buy ourselves tesco sell a small handy one for £1.50

https://www.notonthehighstreet.com/j...e-watering-can

[nickdub]

PS forgot to say for anyone buying old cans from a boot sale or wherever - always hold them upside down and point the bottoms towards the light - then look inside and you'll be able to tell if there any bright spots which will reveal pin-holes in the metal - almost 100% of the time its the bottom or the seam round it which goes first.

You can do a bodgy repair on leaky ones by putting a 1/2 " of wet cement in the bottom of the can - letting it dry for a couple of days, then pour in a good dollop of bitumen and put it out in the sun to heat up.

[DannyK]

Don't know if this is still a live site but I've got couple of these, which I've had for years and they're very useful in the greenhouse.https://www.miraclewateringcans.co.u...watering-cans/

[veggiechicken]

You can do a bodgy repair on leaky ones by putting a 1/2 " of wet cement in the bottom of the can - letting it dry for a couple of days, then pour in a good dollop of bitumen and put it out in the sun to heat up.

I have one with a cement repair bottom. When full of water, its so heavy I can hardy lift it.

[nickdub]

I have one with a cement repair bottom. When full of water, its so heavy I can hardy lift it.

Yes I have a couple - one advantage though is they are easier to dip fill from a water trough, as the weight in the bottom causes that end to sink first.

[veggiechicken]

True, but if you lose your grip you have to lean in and haul it out. It has become my "last resort" watering can!!

[Jungle Jane]

Maybe for a repair use some glue they use in pond repairs,safe for fish & pond plants or take a bottle of water to the car boot sale & accidently pour some in when you look at it

[nickdub]

glue that I tried wouldn't work - bitumen is perfectly safe once dry - they used to use it for coating drinking water tanks when those were metal I believe.

[ESBkevin]

Another vote for Hawes range of cans. I got one with a long spout and fine rose for seedlings. Plenty of cheap watering cans for general use, but seedlings need something a bit special (like mums too).

[4Shoes]

I have one with a cement repair bottom. When full of water, its so heavy I can hardy lift it.

It is the "bodybuilder" model.

Alternate arms as you water the garden.

also prevent blowing away in the wind

[JustPotteringAbout]

Haws have good design but poor quality so consequently are priced way too dear.
In their favour it's far easier to direct the flow of water with a long straight spout and with both the handle and spout brace the cans are better for switching between carrying and constant flow than a single-handled.
Injection moulding seams come apart, there's often not good sealing between rose and spout, and the rose connectors split.
I've to take back yet another plastic indoor Haws can this week because it's leaking from the base -bought new last Sunday. Just as well it was on the kitchen drainer and not the windowsill.

The best cans common in UK were made by a company that Haws sadly acquired.
I'd look for a brand from Germany, Switzerland or Japan.
I think Haws like so many British manufacturers has the British disease of getting 80% there, then petering out thereafter with "that'll do, 100% is gilding the lily" attitude whilst trading on a heritage that's meaningless without quality being thought through. Every single can should be fit for purpose and cans not holding on to water is tbf a showstopper wrt

A slim-bodied can allows one to carry the can nearer to one's body and therefore carry a heavier load