High-quality gardening tools such as shovels, rakes, pruners, hand trowels, mowing, trimming, and weeding equipment costs are significant but will also last longer than their less expensive counterparts. Purchase the best tools you can afford and take care of your investments! By cleaning and storing tools correctly, your investments will serve you many years, extending each tool’s life span (image courtesy: www.ruralsprout.com).
By John Green, Certified Texas Expert Gardener, Orange County, TX
Summers’ blistering conditions remain, it’s hot…enough said! Last week we discussed how to make our gardens ‘friendlier’ by adding feeding stations and respites for travel weary, migrating hummingbirds as they journey through SETX. They will be traveling across the Gulf of Mexico, heading South, towards Mexico and other warmer locations for winter.
We have the good fortune to live in a region where the temperate climate affords us the opportunity to grow plants through every season. Many of us have planted fall vegetable gardens, added colorful blooming plants to flower beds, or both! Typically, top-dressing beds with an inch of composted manure, then adding a 2 to 3-inch layer of mulch provides warmth and nourishment in preparation of cooler weather…which will eventually arrive!
The arrival of cooler weather is a signal for gardeners that it’s time to begin other (often overlooked and neglected) gardening tasks. Lawn and garden tool maintenance, garden hose inspection and repair, and winterizing tools. Some gardeners (okay, probably better to read this as all gardeners) “conveniently and selectively” forget the importance of caring for garden tools and lawn equipment. In fact, most of us (me included) choose to simply “knock the soil off the tool” and store it in an out of the way place until its needed again, without giving it too much thought…therein lies the problem!
Gardeners, this is a ‘bad habit’ and is not good practice. Take it from me, improper maintenance of lawn and gardening equipment will be financially impactful…not in a good way! Perhaps now is the time to make garden tool maintenance a high priority, before our weather patterns turn. We are all burdened by the elevated costs of living and unfortunately, there doesn’t seem an upper limit to anything! High quality lawn and garden implements are more expensive now than ever before, and prices continue increasing due to an over-abundance of foreign and domestic influences at play.
Consistent care is essential to keep garden tools in peak operational condition, and makes gardening easier while extending equipment life. Daily, post-use equipment and tool care is beneficial, and we need to provide our garden tools with some much needed TLC. A modest effort can prove to be cost-effective, since a bit of tool and equipment maintenance will ensure garden tools are in good working order, sharpened and ready-for-use, and will last longer. These daily, seasonal, maintenance, and storage tips are certain to extend the useful life of lawn and gardening tools.
Daily Care- lawn and garden tools will deteriorate over time- due to use, moisture, and when combined with soil (forming oxidation- rust). Thorough cleaning and proper care will keep them in good working condition, while increasing useful longevity.
- Remove soil, clay, leaves, and grass clippings to prevent rust.
- Scrape off any ‘caked-on’ mud and remove stubborn debris with a wire brush. This might require a bit of soaking in warm water.
- Remove sap from pruning tools using isopropyl alcohol known as rubbing alcohol, turpentine, or a specialized solvent which can remove sap.
Seasonal Maintenance– is the annual ‘tune up’ time and should occur at the end of the each gardening season, to provide tools for more thorough maintenance treatment.
- Remove light rust using steel wool or sandpaper. For heavier rust, soak the tools in vinegar overnight before scrubbing.
- Sharpen blades to maintain a sharp cutting edge which provides for a cleaner cut, that requires less effort.
- Pruners and shears need to be sharpened using a mill file or sharpening stone, holding the blade at its original angle. File in one direction, following the bevel.
- Shovels and hoes need a clean edge which is maintained using a mill file. Using a vise to secure the tool for safety.
- Protect metal parts by applying a light coat of boiled Linseed oil or other lubricating oil to all metal surfaces to inhibit rust formation.
- Tools with wooden handles require close inspection, looking for splinters. If noted, sand lightly with fine sandpaper, then remove dust once completed. Apply boiled Linseed oil or paste wax, by applying a thin, light coating to the wooden handles which will preserve them and prevent cracking, splitting, and splintering.
- Use fine grit sandpaper and steel wool to remove rust. Once rust is removed, coat the metal surfaces with vegetable oil.
- Sharpen dull tools (shovels, hoes, bypass pruners, loppers, etc.) using a file or whetstone. Working at a 45-degree angle, beginning at the outer edge and moving toward the center.
- To deter rust from returning on garden hand tools, store hand trowels and other small tools in a bucket containing sand that has been saturated with vegetable oil.
- The hardest working garden tool is the lawn mower. Clean and sharpen the blades which can rust or replace the blades. Change the oil and oil filter. Avoid storing gasoline in mowers over winter, either drain the gasoline and use in another gasoline powered tool or add a fuel stabilizer to mitigate residual gums from forming in the fuel line, injectors and carburetor.
- Inspect all tools for loose bolts, nuts, or screws and tighten them as needed.
Proper Storage- store tools in a clean, dry area. Tools can be stored on shelves, racks, or simply leaned up against a wall. Do not store tools that have wooden handles with the wood in contact with soil, concrete, or outside environment.
- Select a dry location for tool storage, which is a well-ventilated space, such as a garage, barn, or shed.
- Hang tools on racks using hooks, pegboards, or clips to allow tools to remain off the ground and organized.
- Using an oil-sand bucket is a simple and effective rust-prevention method, simply use a bucket filled with sand mixed with vegetable oil. After cleaning a metal tool, plunge it into the sand a few times to clean and coat the surface.
- Garden hoses need to be thoroughly inspected for leaks and cracks while under pressure. Once inspected, drain, and relocate into an area out of the weather. Repair leaks using a hose repair kit or replace leaky fittings which can be purchased from a local home and garden center or hardware store.
Good garden tools are expensive. If you take good care of them, they will contribute to many years of productive gardening. So long for now fellow gardeners! Let’s go out and grow ourselves a greener, more sustainable world, one plant at a time! Gardening questions answered: jongreene57@gmail.com. PS- A personal “thank you” to all the readers who responded with kind words regarding last weeks’ article on Migrating Hummingbirds!
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