Care For Your Gardening Tools

[kevinkimers]

The one thing that gets neglected the most is the gardening tools. Aside from putting them away, there are steps you should take to extend the life of your tools and help prevent future problems.

In an article in written by Joe Lamp in The Seattle Times, Joe goes over these steps on how to care for your gardening tools.

Using the perfectly broken-in spade or trusty pair of pruners can make pleasant work of even the toughest gardening chores. And just like old friends, garden tools have to be taken good care of.

Important steps to take before retiring garden tools for winter

 

[gata montes]

To be honest I think that looking after your gardening tools is something that should be done all year round not just before you put them away for the winter - especially as dirty ill cared for gardening tools can transport diseases to many plants as well as be expensive to replace - but also as lot of gardeners generally get very attached to the many implements they use to garden with - as they are either just the right weight or cut at just the right angle - they are unique to them and therefore - its not always that easy to find a replacement.

 

[Cereus]

I tend to clean mine often and oil them down if I'm going to store them for a long period of time. The oil keeps wood limber and also keeps rust off of metal tools. A lot of people don't oil their tools, which is why most end up rusting away in storage. I learned about oiling because new tools that I used to do some maintenance on my car always rusted. I clean my scissors vigorously because I use it to prune and trim a lot and don't want to transfer disease.

 

[Rodney]

Clean your tools each time after use, dry thoroughly, wipe them thoroughly with help of a cloth

It’s often recommended to place tools in bucket of sand moistened with motor oil.

Always keep the tools hanging up indoor, use mineral spirit to remove residues.

 

[marlingardener]

Let me tell you from sad experience, that bucket of sand and motor oil thing doesn't work. All you get is a tool with sand and gooey oil stuck on it!
I try to clean my tools after each use just by dunking them in a bucket of water and drying with a paper towel, then tossing the cleaning water and towel onto the compost heap. Notice I said I try--sometimes I'm in a hurry, or tired, or just don't do it. I still have the garden rake my grandfather used, and the shovel and spade my daddy used. Also a pair of hedge trimmers (manual, I think they were bought before the advent of electricity!) and a digging fork with slightly bent tines that we purchased 40 years ago. Good tools can stand a bit of neglect--the cheap ones, no.
Wooden handles, in my opinion, are easier on the hands than fiberglass. I give my handles a linseed oil bath once a year, and never leave them outside.

 

[MrsJones]

Being new to gardening I have never done cleaning in such detail but I don't leave my tools exposed to the elements. I don't spend a lot of money on my tools because I can get them easily and reasonably priced at a flea market. I check out the brand name and the condition and ask how much.

 

[muddyfingers]

After gardening, all I do is wash those that need to be washed and wipe them dry after, especially the metal gardening tools to prevent them from rusting. As for the others, I make sure that they are not left with dirt and I always store them in proper places.

 

[kevinkimers]

LOL My boyfriend is the worst about this. He just leaves tools laying in the yard. Not to long ago I found our lost hoe... it had been missing for months. Funny thing is it did not rust. LOL