Our cold, rainy winter days are ideal for getting ready to do some serious gardening when the weather is better. This is the time to get in the habit of properly caring for our garden tools in order to prolong their usefulness as well and improve their efficiency.
Clean those shovels, rakes and other tools with water and a bit of detergent. Dry the implements and then rub oil in all the wooden handles. Keep rubbing oil into the wood until it begins to stay on top. If you haven't done this before, the wood is probably quite dry and will absorb much oil. Then, rub oil on the metal parts, as well. Check to see if your hoes need sharpening. Nothing is worse than trying to cut out weeks with a dull hoe. You may be able to do this with a file but a scissors sharpening service will do a great job.
Fill a plastic pail (I use one that kitty litter came in) with sand mixed with oil. Any kind of oil will do: used car oil, old cooking oil, whatever is handy. After you use a tool in the garden, dip it in the oily sand to clean and lubricate it. Next, dry with an old rag before you hang it up. After you cut out diseased branches, dip those shears in some form of diluted bleach solution before you use it on other shrubs or trees to keep from spreading the problem disease. Then clean those tools in the sand and oil mixture.
Take time now for tool maintenance and the tools will be ready for garden tasks when you are ready to work in the garden.
Joan Thorpe, Smith County Master Gardener
Texas AgriLife Extension Service
Landscape Index
Gardening Tips For NorthEast Texas Index
East Texas Piney Woods Gardening Home Page