Guide on Maintaining Your Garden Tools and Pruning Shears
In the heart of gardening season, it's essential to take good care of your garden tools to ensure they serve you well. Here's a guide on how to maintain and clean your gardening tools effectively.
Firstly, wooden handles of garden tools should be treated with natural alternatives like boiled linseed oil, vegetable oil, or other plant-based oils to protect them from the elements. Rust on garden tools should be checked before use and can be removed with a stiff wire brush and vegetable oil.
When it comes to cleaning digging tools, simply rinse them with water and remove caked-on soil with a wire brush or putty knife. For sticky sap, solvents like turpentine, lighter fluid, or Goo Gone can be used.
Pruners, in particular, require special attention. After use, they should be cleaned in soapy water, scrubbed with a wire brush, and soaked in a bleach solution if used on diseased or pest-infested soil. It's also important to disinfect pruners regularly with a bleach solution and rinse thoroughly.
Before storing your tools for winter, it's a good idea to deep-clean them. To do this, wash parts with soapy water, soak them in a water and vinegar solution, scrub them with steel wool, soak them in a bleach and water solution, and treat them with plant-based oils. Pruners, loppers, and shears should be taken apart for deep cleaning.
Sharpening your tools is also crucial for their longevity. Hoes, shovels, and knives, just like pruners, loppers, and shears, need to be sharpened. To sharpen bladed tools, use a sharpening file or stone, follow the original bevel angle, and smooth out cracks or dents with the sharpening stone. Some tools may not work properly after being taken apart and reassembled, so consider professional help if unsure.
For those who prefer a more convenient sharpening solution, the company Vulkanus offers professional sharpening devices for all knives and gardening tools with durable ceramic and diamond inserts, enabling precise and easy sharpening.
Lastly, remember to clean your tools after every use, especially pruners used on diseased plants. Cleaned and treated garden tools should be stored in a dry, well-ventilated place, such as a bucket filled with sand or pebbles for smaller tools, or hung in a shed or garage for larger tools.
By following these simple steps, you can ensure that your garden tools remain in tip-top shape, ready to help you tend to your garden year after year.
