Before you conclude the gardening season and head indoors to take a well-deserved rest, ensure that all of your gardening tools are effectively cleaned up and kept for the winter season. Similar to all relationships, the more attention and effort you take into it, the longer and much better the relationship. Don’t be captured off guard next spring when you get your shovel, pruning shears, or garden fork just to discover that it’s rusted, splintered, and dull!

Fall is the very best time to assess the condition of your gardening tools. Some may just require a great cleaning, but others may require some maintenance or repair work prior to being put away for the winter.

Of course, it’s not always simple to find the time (or energy!) to do everything you “need to” do. Here are the things you need to do each fall if you want your tools to last, as well as a few should-dos and some nice-to-dos.

Should Do
Clean and Dry Your Tools
clean gardening toolsThis is the simplest thing you can do to keep your tools in good working order– however it’s most likely the task that the majority of us don’t do regularly. Prior to you put your gardening tools away for the winter season, make sure that they’re as clean as you can get them. Why? Due to the fact that there are elements in soil that can corrode metal and rot wood.

For tools that are available in contact with soil, get rid of all the dirt from the blade or tines. A strong jet of water from a tube need to do the trick. For clay or caked on dirt, utilize a stiff-bristled brush and a little bit of elbow grease. A tooth brush works well for smaller sized tools. Clean down the shaft and handle too.

For cutting tools (such as loppers, pruners, shears, and saws), make certain you remove any sap from the blades. Turpentine works well for this or you can purchase a solvent particularly developed for use on cutting tools (I like the ARS Tool Cleaner). Take care of those sharp blades as you clean them!

Dry whatever thoroughly. An old towel or cotton cloth is best for this.

A BUCKET OF SAND
One method to avoid rust build-up on garden tools is to plunge them into a container filled with sand and oil after each use. The sand scrapes dirt and rust off the metal surface and the oil secures it from oxidation.

Fill a large pail or pail (plastic is finest) with coarse sand, such as contractor’s sand or play ground sand, and place it in a secured area where it will not get damp (a shed or garage works well).
Dampen the sand with oil. Make sure all of the sand is gently covered in oil right down to the bottom of the container. The majority of people suggest motor oil (you can even utilize the oil drained pipes from your power tools) but I prefer to use boiled linseed oil; either will work.
After using your tools (and before keeping them for the winter season), dip the metal parts into the sand/oil mix. Move the tool up and down several times to eliminate dust and rust.
Store your tools in a dry place.

Remove Any Rust
As you clean your tools, make note of any rust that isn’t easily gotten rid of– these areas will require unique attention. Use steel wool or a wire brush to take off any visible rust. For greatly rusted tools, you might wish to attempt a wire brush attached to a drill bit– it’ll make fast work of removing rust from a big location, such as a shovel blade. Always be sure to use safety glasses as little bits of wire will often fly off the brush!

To prevent rust from returning, coat metal parts with a thin layer of oil. There are numerous choices here, such as WD-40 or a comparable aerosol lube, motor oil, cooking oil, and linseed oil. I prefer not to utilize petrochemical-based oils so I utilize boiled linseed oil, but any of these options would work.

Caution: Don’t wad up an oil-soaked rag and toss it in the trash; it might increase in flames! Leave it in the open to dry to prevent the risk of combustion.

Clean and Protect Wood Parts

Cold winter air can dry out wooden handles and shafts, resulting in splinters and even cracks.

After cleaning and drying your garden tools, give the wooden parts a light sanding with fine to medium sandpaper to remove any splinters. Wipe down the surface area with boiled linseed oil (apply it with a rag) to avoid the wood from drying out. Usage enough oil to thoroughly coat all surface areas.

While you’re doing this, check for any cracks in wooden handles or shafts. Consider changing any broken deals with now so your garden tools will be ready in the spring.

Winterize Watering Equipment
Cold weather causes water to freeze and broaden. If there’s water inside the enclosed part of a hose pipe, watering wand, or sprinkler, it could break, split, or fracture. Prior to freezing temperatures set in, drain pipes all the water from your watering tools and save them in a dry location out of the sun (sunlight can break down hoses).

Coil your hose pipe (prevent any kinks or folds) and shop it nicely. If you hang it on the wall, use a hose storage reel or two large hooks; don’t drape it over a single hook as that will cause the pipe to kink and potentially fracture.

Shop All Tools in a Dry Place
After all of your work to tidy and safeguard your gardening tools, correct storage is an outright must. A shed, garage, basement, and so on will do– just make sure it’s dry. And to make sure that no moisture will hurt your tools, hang or place everything off the ground.

Must Do
This might be a long list (there’s always something that you must be doing!) In the end it comes down to those things that must be done prior to you begin gardening in spring. You can do them now, over the winter season, or when spring shows up.

Hone all your tools
Oil or grease moving parts
Change anything that’s worn, broken, or ineffective (and let’s face it, we all have garden tools that we don’t utilize!).