There are a few “near zero effort” tricks people commonly use for a leaking garden hose—see if it matches what he shared:
1. Electrical tape quick seal
If it’s a small pinhole leak, wrapping tight layers of electrical tape around the damaged spot can temporarily stop the spray. It works best on dry hose and low pressure.
2. Zip tie + rubber patch
A small piece of rubber (like from an old glove or inner tube) placed over the leak and tightly secured with a zip tie can seal surprisingly well.
3. Hose connector bypass
If the leak is near the end or a damaged section, cutting it off and reattaching a cheap hose repair connector is often faster than patching.
4. The “inner sleeve” trick
In some cases, people shove a short piece of smaller tubing inside the hose at the leak point and clamp it—low effort, decent durability.
If your grandpa’s version is especially clever, I’m curious what it is—share it and I’ll tell you how well it actually holds up long-term (some hacks are genius, others are “good enough for watering plants today”).