Time to geen up outside. Whether it's cleaning the patio or watering the grass and flowers, we all have plenty of uses for our garden hoses. But what about those leaky connectors, the splits or damaged fittings? You don't want to waste a perfectly good hose - but think of the mess and all that water wasted at the leaks.

A quick trip to the hardware store and just a few dollars can make you're hoses perform like new. If the leak is at a fitting and the connectors are in good shape, just replace the washer in the fitting.

A hard, cracked or grooved washer will always leek no matter how much you tighten the fitting. The new washer will seal between the two mating surfaces and make the connection watertight.

If a hose section is split, you can purchase a splice. Sizes vary from 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch. Cut out the bad section and take it to the hardware store to find the correct size. Splice the remaining good section with a short tube splice and simple clamps.

If a hose end connector is bent or damaged, but the correct size fitting, cut off the old fitting and slip a new one into place. Tighten the clamps and you are good to go.