4 Items You Need to Maintain Your Gardening Tools

How are you beating the winter blues? We are thinking warm thoughts and preparing for spring by cleaning, sharpening, and maintaining our gardening tools. The best way to have a good maintenance session is to start with the proper tools.

Steel wool and WD-40 are two key items you need to help you clean your tools. photo credit: R. Robert

You will need:

• Steel Wool or Wire Brush: A stiff wire brush is an ideal tool to remove rust and other caked on dirt.

C-clamps hold tools in place to allow you to create the proper angle for a sharp edge. photo credit: R. Robert

• C-clamps or vice: This tool allows you to secure a sharpening stone or file and glide the pruner or gardening tool over its surface for consistent sharpening. It also allows for greater ease in maintaining the proper angle on the edge of the tool.

Vice holds the oil stone while sharpening a pruning blade. photo credit: R. Robert

• Sharpening stone: Oil stones are ideal for pruners and knives while an 8-inch mill fill with a bastard cut works well for shovels and hoes.

Oil is key to opening, cleaning, and preventing rust on tools. photo credit: R. Robert

• Oil: Oil (motor oil, linseed oil, or WD-40) is key for several reasons. A small drop or two on your pruner while you are disassembling the tool makes the task easier. A small amount should be applied to your oil stone when sharping as well. After washing and drying your tools, it should also be applied to prevent rust.

Keeping warm by cleaning and maintaining our gardening tools. photo credit: R. Robert

These are the tools that will allow you to maintain your garden tools and prepare for the spring season. Happy sharpening and think warm thoughts!