Fall is here! This is a bittersweet moment for me. Harvest has hit its finale, and I am beginning to accumulate a stack of books that will keep me growing while my garden begins to take a snooze.  Before I cozy up on the couch, and have a cup of tea- I always take care of my end-of-season garden tool maintenance. Garden tools should have regular TLC, especially after use, but in reality, this may not happen. I will detail daily care at the end of this article for your convenience.

End-of-Season Garden Tool Maintenance:

Deep Clean and Oil Pruners:

This is imperative to reduce disease and rust on your snippers, prolonging their use.

• Pruners should be taken apart and deep cleaned at least once each season.
• Unscrew any nuts/ bolts that hold the pruners together. 
• Wash all parts separately in soapy water.
• Soak all parts in vinegar, then rinse with water.
• Rub with steel wool to remove any rust, then rinse and dry.
• Soak in diluted bleach water to sanitize, then rinse and dry.
• Buff with linseed oil and reassemble.

Sharpening:

Both pruners and Hori knives, as well as long-handled tools (hoes and shovels), need to be sharpened every season. Keeping pruners sharp helps produce clean cuts on plants, reducing the entry of any disease.  Other tools benefit from a sharpening, making your life much easier. Digging a hole to plant with a dull shovel is no fun!

• Anything you are going to sharpen should be cleaned first. Long-handled tools may not need the vinegar/ bleach/ oil treatment unless there are concerns about rust.
  • Push the sharpening file in the same direction across the blade and follow the original blade angle. Do not rub the file or stone back and forth, this does not sharpen but dulls the blade further.
  • Smooth these newly filed edges with a sharpening stone.
  • We recommend wearing eye protection and gloves when sharpening to protect against metal slivers.

Care for Wood Handles:

With long-handled tools, it is important to take care of wood handles. Utilize durable tape (think athletic tape or other heavy-duty tape) for minor cracks. Anything that is more compromised should be replaced immediately to prevent injury.

• Wipe down the handles with a damp cloth.
• Inspect for cracks or any weak spots between the handle and the tool head. Address with durable tape or replace the wooden handle if damaged. 
• If needed, lightly sand the handle to smooth splinters, and rub linseed oil to condition.

Daily Garden Tool Care (when you have time!):

Generalized care:

• Rinse any digging tools, then use a wire brush or something similar to get rid of any stuck dirt or debris.
• Scrub snippers down with a brush and soapy water.
• If any tools were used with diseased plants or infected soil, make sure you disinfect them before any other use. Soak the infected tools in a diluted solution of 2 cups of bleach mixed with 1 gallon of water. Then rinse in plain water, and follow with a generous wipe of rubbing alcohol.
• Before storing tools, rub them dry with a rag.
• To help prevent rust on digging tools, mix a bucket of sand with plant-based oil, like linseed oil (avoid any petroleum oils, as this reduces plant vitality). The sand should be damp with oil, but not wet. Plunge any blades, tines, or teeth into the sand a few times for a quick clean, or do this following regular maintenance once the tools have been wiped dry.
• Store your tools in a dry and well-ventilated place. Small hand tools can be stored directly in a dry bucket of sand or gravel, and larger tools should be hung so as not to dull their blades in a mad scramble.

Removing Sap:

• Wipe blades with a rag dipped in mineral spirits or turpentine.
• Submerge and clean the blades in soapy water. Rinse and then wipe with linseed oil.

Preventing and Removing Rust:

• Soak any tools showing signs of rust in a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water overnight.
• Scrub the affected areas with steel wool.
• First, wash in soapy water, and then rinse.
• Rub dry and then buff with linseed or a mineral oil.

All tool maintenance requires is a little elbow grease and time. Sometimes we neglect our tools throughout the season, but I can tell you the reward of pulling out a clean, sharp, and shiny tool in the spring never ceases to make me smile.  Happy fall, everyone!

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