Ready to rest

Tools should be properly cared for before they are put away for winter

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Ready to rest Illustration
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Ready to rest Illustration

Although we have finally gotten a break in the weather and fall seems to have arrived, many gardeners struggled through September and early October and are ready to throw in the trowel.

If your gardening season is coming to an end, take time to winterize that trowel before you stash it.

A little extra time spent prepping your garden tools for storage will reward you in the spring when you are eager to start gardening and your tools are in great working order.

Many gardeners have had the experience of dumping things in the shed at the end of the season only to find that, come spring, the lawn mower or tiller won't start or the blades on their pruning shears are rusted, dull and won't cut a twig. They fall behind while waiting to get the tools fixed, or find out they can't be fixed -- or, even worse, just give up and buy a new one.

Just take a few simple steps of maintenance for each tool and instead of frustration, you can garden as soon as you're ready to next spring.

POWER TOOLS

Any garden tools that use oil and gasoline need special attention. These typically include lawn mowers, tillers and some weed trimmers.

• During your last use of the season, try to run the tool until it's out of gas. If gas sits in the mower all winter unused it can absorb water, which will make the motor run rough.

Some recommend funneling leftover gas out of the tool and using it in your car, but that can be tricky. It's easy to slosh the gas around or contaminate it. So just keep mowing to let the machine run dry.

• Also, drain the oil before you store your equipment for the winter. Oil becomes thick and sludgy when it is unused and cold, and your equipment won't run as well. Most equipment has a plug under the motor. Just put a catch basin under it and pull the plug.

• Clean your equipment well before storing. Dirt and clumped-on grass left on wheels and blades lead to rust.

• If you sharpen your own mower blades, do that before storing, or take them to a repair shop for sharpening. This will save you time next spring when you need to mow for the first time.

• Check your lawn mower and replace any worn parts. Clean the spark plugs or replace them. Over time, they become crusted with dirt and debris.

IN THE TANK

Just as happens when it sits in the tank of a machine, gas left in a can can absorb water and won't be as good for your equipment next spring. Use all the gas in your gas cans at the end of the season, or add the leftovers to your car's tank.

Gas cans are designed for pouring, so sloshing isn't a concern.

Buy fresh gas right before you need it next spring.

HAND TOOLS

In a perfect world, shovels, pruners and other garden tools should be cleaned each time we use them, but in reality we often stack them in the shed and move to other tasks, week after week.

Before they rest for the winter, clean them thoroughly. Some gardeners keep a bucket filled with sand into which they dump spent motor oil or linseed oil. (Linseed oil is more garden-friendly than motor oil.) They jam their shovels into this sand to clean off residue and oil the blades at the same time.

It's best to clean and dry the shovel first, then dip it in the sand/oil mix.

If rust has accumulated, use either steel wool or a fine sandpaper to get the rust off, then coat the bare metal with oil.

If you don't have a bucket of sand, simply clean the tools and dry them, then lightly coat the metal parts with oil -- linseed oil or even vegetable oil will work. A light coating can prevent rust on the metal portion of the tool and also stop drying and cracking of the wooden handles.

• If you have tools whose wooden handles have already cracked or are rough, sand them down and then liberally apply linseed oil.

• If they are too far gone for sanding but the metal is in good shape, replacement handled can be bought at the local hardware store. This is much cheaper than buying a new tool.

SHARP IDEA

By the time we have been snipping and pruning all season, many of our cutting tools are quite dull. While some gardeners sharpen their tools periodically throughout the season, others do so once a year.

Why not get this done at the end of the season so you can hit the ground running next spring?

Whether you want to sharpen a hoe or a pruning device, you can find aids created for the home gardener to sharpen tools at home. Whether you use a whetstone or a file, or a specialized tool, always start at the outer edge and move toward the center.

Once they are sharp, oil the blades lightly and store.

GARDEN HOSES

Last but not least are your water hoses. As winter sets in, empty them of standing water, coil them up and store in a protected spot (out of the weather).

If you find any leaks or tears in the hoses, fix them using one of the inexpensive repair kits available at a hardware store.

We occasionally need to water plants in the winter when it is really dry, so keep one hose ready for use if needed.

Good gardening tools are expensive. With just a little bit of time and care, they can last for years.

Janet B. Carson is a horticulture specialist for the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service.

HomeStyle on 10/21/2017

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