Summer is coming to a close, the leaves are turning gorgeous oranges and reds, the garden is dying back and I can finally see the driveway again since all the corn is harvested. Taking a look at the tools I have used and slightly neglected through the growing season makes me want to cringe and walk the other way or throw them in the garage and forget about them until next spring.
Proper care of your tools can seem overwhelming if you let things get out of hand but with a few quick and simple tricks it can become manageable. With the cost of things these days it is also more economical to take care of what you have than to spend the extra money on new tools.
Clean and Dry
The most important rule to follow is to keep things clean and dry as you go. A little squirt with the hose on the shovel to remove the dirt after each use will prevent moisture from staying and causing rust and will save you time in the long run.
Hoses
Obvious things need to be taken care of first. The hoses need to be drained before the temperature drops below freezing. Check for leaks and replace any worn washers before coiling them up and storing them for the winter. Make sure they aren’t in direct sunlight as this will cause them to crack over time.
Cleaning
Wheelbarrows, fertilizer spreaders and garden carts can all be cleaned out with a hose. Sprayers should be washed out with laundry detergent and water. If you use any chemicals make sure you take the time to wash with soap and water anything that has come in contact with them. Fertilizer is especially corrosive to metal. Use soapy water or turpentine to remove sap from pruners or loppers, and oil pivot points with a light household oil or WD-40.
Look Your Tools Over Carefully
Any broken, weak or cracked handles on spades, hoes and other tools need to be replaced or repaired. Wood parts on any of these things should be painted or gone over with a coat of oil or linseed oil to protect it from drying out and cracking. Loose screws or bolts on handles need to be tightened and if they are worn or rusty they should be replaced.
Storing Tools
Baskets, storage crates, and umbrellas should be inspected for damage and repaired if possible. Things like this make a winter haven for rodents so they should be hung upside down to prevent any nesting by these critters. The same thing goes for the mower bag. I know this from experience. A tiny hole chewed in the bag will turn into a huge tear in no time and can be costly to replace. If it is impossible to hang them, plastic garbage bags will help a little in deterring mice but it won’t stop them if they are desperate to find a home.
Protecting Your Tools
There are many ways to do this, but one thing is clear, experts agree that a coat of oil on the metal parts of your tools will protect them from rust. The most common idea I found was a bucket full of sand mixed with motor oil. The formula is five pounds of sand to a quart of oil. Personally I think vegetable oil is more environmentally friendly and just as effective. Plunge your tool into the bucket after each use. The sand cleans the dirt off and the oil protects the metal from rust and makes a nice shine. You can also store your tools in the mixture for an extended period of time. When you’re ready to use them simply wipe down with a coarse cloth.
Various other ways to oil them include filling an old sock with gravel and oil and rubbing it on the metal parts. Also a few squirts with WD-40 will have the same effect. Another mixture is petroleum jelly and a light (vegetable) oil. Use a rag to coat the metal. Or you can just use a rag soaked in any kind of oil to wipe the metal down.
Hoes and spades usually see the most wear over the summer because of continuous contact with dirt. First, remove any dirt and rust. Fill an onion bag with soap chips to rub off any dirt and use steel wool to remove rust. For rust that’s harder to remove, a wire brush works well.
Rocks or metal can cause nicks on the business end of these tools and they just get dull after repeated use. A few strokes with a metal file will sharpen them and smooth out any nicks. Be sure to follow the original angle of the edge and file smooth.
Care of the handles is just as important in keeping your tools in tip-top shape. Sand any splinters or rough spots with a fine sandpaper. Tape larger cracks to prevent injury and to keep it from splitting. Rubbing the handle with linseed oil will keep the wood from drying out and splitting. A coat of varnish or paint will also preserve it. Using a bright color will help you find misplaced tools in the garden or lawn or a brightly colored band on all of your handles will make them readily seen and identifiable if they are borrowed. Metal can be painted, too, as long as any part that goes into the ground is not.
Even the old rusty tools can be restored to almost new condition. My hoe that was in the worst condition took five minutes to sand the handle, fifteen to twenty minutes to clean, file, and oil the metal. It took another twenty minutes to paint using a primer and then spray painting. The cost was nothing but the time I put into it. I got sand from the kids’ sandbox, vegetable oil I had, primer left over from painting the house, a small scrap piece of sandpaper left over from the same project, and a can of bright yellow spray paint I already had.
When storing your mower or rototiller there are a few simple rules to follow. Drain the gas or add a winter conditioner. You can find this at the hardware store … they should know what you need. If you wash the mower (or any other item with a small engine) with a water hose, be sure to keep it running. This way if water gets into a place it shouldn’t be, you will know as the motor will stall or quit, and you will know to have it fixed immediately. A better way would be to blow it out using an attachment on an air compressor. If you wash the deck with water make sure it is dry before storing. Grease the grease fittings after you wash and dry it. Be sure battery is kept fully charged or kept in a warm spot. In the spring you can change the spark plug and take it to a professional to have the blades sharpened or changed. Never, ever do anything to the blades while it is running.
Storing other odds and ends can be just as simple. Plug trays should be sorted, discarding any torn or cracked ones. Stack them and store them in a covered rubber tub. Re-usable row covers can be folded and also stored in rubber tubs. Wash off the hoop loops or ribs, making sure they are completely dry, bundle them together with zip ties and hang on a nail on the wall. You can always contact manufacturers for other specialty items for their recommendations for storage. Mice like to chew on cloth, plastic, paper, basically everything. They will nest wherever they can get to and they can fit about anywhere. In general, store chewable things in containers. Store nesting places hung on a nail high enough the critters can’t get to. And always make sure everything is dry before storing.
The main thing to remember when storing your garden tools is that they should be kept in a dry place. Make sure they are completely dry and heavily oiled before storing. If possible, keep them off the floor. Chemicals and salt used in the winter to de-ice roads can be brought into the garage on your car. They can be very corrosive. Hanging these tools on a rack or on nails will prevent this damage. These simple steps can prolong the life and maximize the efficiency of the tools of your trade.