The trees have shed their leaves, the perennials have gone dormant and the garden beds have been dressed for the winter as we celebrate the season’s harvest and blessings. But, it’s not time for gardeners to put their feet up just yet! Winter is a great time for cleaning and maintaining lawn and garden tools. Join us at the Garden Tool Show-and-Tell at Satoyama Homestead to see how, with some common household items, you can invest in some up-keep now to save time and effort next gardening season.
All tools should be cleaned and disinfected before storing for the winter. Remove dirt and disinfect with a bleach or rubbing alcohol solution. Stuck-on debris and rust can be removed with wire brushes, steel wool or emery paper.
Sharpen digging and cutting blades with a file or honing stone (yes, you can sharpen shovels, spades and trowels). Apply penetrating oil to metal surfaces to preserve the edge and seal out moisture. Re-purpose used motor oil by adding some to a five gallon bucket mostly full of sand, an instant garden tool polisher. For servicing serrated and other specialty blades, locate a professional sharpening service in your area.
Disassemble, lubricate and tighten pruning tools. A quick cellphone photo of the disassembly process can come in handy during reassembly! Lubricate moving parts as you reassemble.
Service power equipment according to manufacturer’s instructions. A common recommendation is to remove fuel from the engine, or add a fuel stabilizer. Inspect and inventory all tools to take advantage of off-season sales and replace or upgrade for next year.
Proper tool maintenance can prolong the life of your favorite lawn and garden tools, allowing you to work smarter (not harder), create clean landscaping cuts and prevent the spread of disease. The Garden Tool Show-and-Tell on Saturday, Dec. 5 from 1:30 to 3 p.m. at Satoyama Homestead will feature a tool maintenance demonstration with information for creating your own tool servicing plan. We invite you to bring your favorite or unusual yard and garden tools to demonstrate to the community, and get some unique gift ideas for the gardeners on your shopping list!
The Garden Tool Show-and-Tell is part of the Satoyama Presents! series in support of sustainable, residential-scale agriculture and horticulture. Admission is free; donations are gratefully accepted. For more information about the workshop or the series, please visit satoyamahs.org.
