Winter Garden Tool Maintenance

Winter is a good time to make sure your gardening tools are in good repair. You spend a lot of time using your tools, so show them some love as you put them away for the winter. Here are some tips to make sure they are ready in the spring.

Clean Tools

Before putting your tools away, clean them well. Use water and a stiff bristle brush to get mud and grass or other foliage off everything. Dish soap will help remove the dirt from your hand tools. Take note of any rust on the tools. Put tools with rust on them to the side to work on when repairing your tools. Rubbing alcohol or mineral spirits will remove gummy sap from your tools. After washing the tools, make sure they are very dry. Any moisture will cause rust to form.

Be sure to empty any fertilizer out of your spreader. The fertilizer will swell with water and cause the metal to rust. Empty garden hoses and roll them up. Store flat on a shelf to prevent cracking and leaks. Empty sprayers and wash well with water.

Empty Gas And Oil

Drain the gas and oil or other fuel from your mower and other gasoline powered machines. Drain all tanks because the fuel can go bad over the winter. Using it in the spring can clog the carburetor and damage the other parts of the engine. Dispose of the drained fuel and oil responsibly. Many oil change stores will take the oil and recycle it for you. It is dangerous and illegal to dump oil or gas on the ground or in storm drains. They poison the ground and water when they are dumped out instead of recycled.

Repair Tools

Now is a good time to repair any problems with a tool. If the wheel on the wheelbarrow is loose, tighten it. If you find rust while cleaning your tools, use steel wool or sandpaper to remove it. You may decide a tool is too damaged to repair. Make sure you purchase a replacement now so you will have it ready in the spring. Starting a garden project only to find you don't have the tools to complete it is frustrating and can be expensive.

Disinfect Tools

Disinfecting tools between uses can prevent diseases from spreading between plants. It is best to disinfect the tools after every use, but not everyone does that. Make sure you are not going to infect your garden with an unnoticed disease by disinfecting them before storage. I use a solution of one part bleach and nine parts water. Bleach is cheap and readily available. Let tools sit in disinfectant for thirty minutes. Use bleach in an area with good ventilation as the fumes can be a problem. Since bleach can be corrosive, wash the tools off well and dry them thoroughly.

If you do not want to use bleach, ethanol or isopropyl alcohol can be wiped on your tools to disinfect them. You can also dip the tools in alcohol. Alcohol works instantly, so you do not have to soak the tools. Let the alcohol dry before storage. The disadvantage of using alcohol is that it is very flammable. Use it in an open area with good ventilation. Do not sharpen tools around it as a spark can cause it to explode. Be sure and store it properly so it is not exposed to extreme heat or an open flame.

Sharpen Edged Tools

Sharpen the edges of your shovels and spades with a metal file. Do the same with any other edge tools you have. Sharpen pruning tools so they cut the branch instead of crushing them. Your plants will heal more cleanly from sharp tools. You can sharpen mower blades, but I usually wait until spring and purchase a new mower blade and new spark plug. Many hardware stores will sharpen tools for you if you are not confident you can do it properly.

Oil Tools

It is advisable to coat your edge tools with a thin coat of oil to prevent corrosion over the winter. You can fill a five-gallon bucket with sand and a quart of oil, then mix well. Push your shovel and other tools into the sand. They will be covered in the right amount of oil when you pull them out.

For spreaders and sprayers, oil the metal parts to keep them rust free. You can rub oil on the deck of your mower to protect it, as well.

Handle Care

Handles tend to be ignored when getting tools ready for storage. You spend a lot of time holding your tools, so make sure the handles are in good shape. Sand any rough spots that have developed in wooden handles. Oil the wood with linseed or mineral oil. Continue oiling the handles until the oil no longer soaks in but stays on the surface of the handle. Wipe the excess oil off with a dry cloth. Store any cloth with oil on it correctly because improperly stored oily rags can spontaneously combust.

Protective Gear

Clean and store your protective gear like gloves, boots, and safety glasses. As you sweat on them, they get very dirty. Follow the manufacturer's instructions to launder gloves and other cloth protective gear. Wash them separately from the family laundry because they may have pesticides or other toxic materials on them.

Storing Tools

Storing tools so they do not touch the ground helps prevent rust. Do not store wooden handles where they touch the soil or concrete floor of the storage space. That can cause rot to attack the wood.

Big box stores sell pegboards and holders. Put one up in the shed or garage where you intend to store your tools so you can hang them up off the ground. Make sure that water will not leak into the building where your tools are stored. Humidity is not good for your tools. Dry, warm areas will best protect your tools while you are not using them.

Order Stuff To Plant

After you get your tools settled for the winter, you deserve some fun. Now is an excellent time to order bare root plants and seeds to plant. At Garden Plants Nursery, we ship our bare root plants in the winter so you can plant them before it gets too cold, or in early spring, depending on your location. Whether you are planting evergreens like pine trees, deciduous trees like white oaks, or perennials like purple coneflowers, our dedicated staff can help you find the best plants for your needs. Call us at 931.692.7325 today to get started.