Garden Tool Care

If you speak to any avid gardener about his or her favorite tool, the gardener can be passionate in describing this hoe, those pruners or that little garden cart that has become a great buddy. And it’s no wonder; using good tools makes gardening work much easier.

A few years ago, I bought some gardening tools at a discount retail store (I won’t mention the name) for what I thought was an inexpensive price at the time. I thought I had made a great buy until I went to use them. The hand pruners would not cut anything. They were too dull for small stems and too weak for woody thicker branches. The hand trowels bent immediately after digging into soil that had been well amended. They turned out to be no bargain at all once I had to throw them all away. On the other hand I bought similar tools about 20 years ago (ones I considered very expensive at that time) and I still use them today!

Lesson learned is always buy the best tools you can afford. Look for blades constructed with steel for strength and durability. Stainless steel will never rust. I also prefer fiberglass handles on all long-handled shovels and rakes, although some people just simply prefer wood. If you're one of those folks, take my advice and always buy Ash wood. It is the strongest wood for the job and it will not splinter or crack.

Quality tools are designed for hard work and should last for years if properly maintained.

Caring for all your hand tools is a quick and easy process if you have everything you need close at hand. Always store your tools together in one space so you know where to find them, and keep your cleaning and sharpening items in that same area.

After each use:

Remove all the dirt from your tools. I use my hand trowel to scrape off all the caked-on soil from my shovels and rakes, then a putty knife to clean off the hand trowel.

Dry all your metal parts with a soft cloth, then wipe them with an oily rag or spray them with a light coat of penetrating oil such as WD-40. For extra protection and ease of use, fill a 5-gallon bucket with clean builder’s sand and pour a quart of new motor oil into the sand. Plunge the metal parts of your tools in and out of the oily sand several times after each use. This process will clean, lubricate and prevent rust all in the same motion.

Other tips:

Sharpen the edges of shovels, spades and hoes with a file. Run the file flat on both sides of the edge to smooth out any nicks, and then sharpen the inner edge of the blade. Place the file at a 45-degree angle on the edge of the blade. Pull the file at the same angle in one direction only, not back and forth. A few good strokes should do the trick.

For wooden handles, sand away any splinters with fine grit sandpaper. Dust off any wood dust, and then wipe the handle with a rag dipped in mineral or linseed oil to lubricate.

Help your tools, your plants and yourself:

Well maintained tools reward you by easing your gardening chores. Sharp, well lubricated shears will trim hedges with ease. A sharp edge on a pruner, saw or mower leaves a very clean cut, allowing plants or turf to heal quickly. A sharp hoe chops weeds without much effort at all.

Do yourself, your tools and your garden a favor by caring for your tools properly.