Sauk County Gardener: Prepping garden tools for winter storage

“Tools of many kinds and well chosen, are one of the joys of a garden.” — Liberty Hyde Bailey

This past weekend I was really putting my garden pruner to work. I have eight large perennial garden beds that I maintain on my acre-size lawn. I don’t typically cut down things that provide winter habitat for beneficial insects, food for the birds and provide some winter interest. However, there are a few plants that I try to remove every fall as they tend to get be a little more prone to harbor disease or insect pests and I don’t want to provide a nice winter bed so they get a head start next year. I cut back my tall garden phlox and monarda (bee balm) because mine are prone to powdery mildew. I also cut the tall, bearded iris to help prevent the iris borer. By removing and destroying old iris leaves, it helps remove and kill any eggs, thus removing the risk of iris borers next year. Pruning my peonies back to about two inches helps prevent the fungal diseases such as botrytis blight. Cutting back and remove hosta leaves eliminates a potential home for slug eggs, protecting the hostas for next season. I also try to cut back things that won’t provide any winter interest such as tall stalks from my various lilies and the dying foliage from my hundreds of daylilies. It’s a lot to clean up in the spring and it helps me get a bit of a head start.

With that many perennials beds to maintain, having garden tools in good shape is essential. Throughout the season, my husband and I use several types of spades and shovels, trowels, weeders, pruners and more. Once the garden season is done, it’s time to clean, sharpen and store them. Not only does it get them ready for next year’s season, it also helps prevent the spreading of disease from one plant to the other.

The easiest thing to do is to simply clean the soil, sap and other residue off them. It’s best if you do it after each use, but that doesn’t always happen. Take the time this fall to completely wash them off with soapy water, using a stiff brush for a more thorough cleaning, and then dry the tools to prevent rust.

Disinfect your tools with using bleach (5.25 percent sodium hypochlorite at 10 percent solution rate), rubbing alcohol (70 percent concentrate or higher) or a disinfectant with the active ingredient .One percent alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium saccharinate.  There are variety of disinfectants that have this ingredient, so check the labels closely. Each disinfectant has its pros and cons so read this article from the University of Minnesota-Extension for more details on disinfectants for your gardening tools: https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/clean-and-disinfec....

Take a good look at the blades of your garden tools and sharpen them if need be. I have a couple garden tools that really take a beating throughout the summer and sharpening at the end of the season really helps prolong their life. This is the main reason I bought my husband a grinder for Christmas one year – so he could sharpen my garden tools. If there is any rust on your tools, use a steel wood pad or wire brush to remove the rust prior to sharpening it. You really only need a mill file if you’re not handy with a bench grinder or other grinder tools. Remember to only sharpen on the beveled side(s). It’s also helpful to use a vice to hold the tool in place as you sharpen it and always wear protective eye gear.

Finally, wipe the metal components of the tool with a lubricant such as linseed oil, mineral oil or Tung oil. You can also wipe down any wooden handles as well. If your oil has had a small amount of solvent added to it to prevent it from hardening, allow your tools to dry about 24 hours after application to allow the solvent to evaporate. Take care to only wipe along the side of the blade and not on the newly sharpened edges. Finally, hang your tools up; don’t let them rest on your garage floor as there can still be moisture on the floor.

Take a little time this fall to prep your garden tools and come next spring you’ll appreciate a sharp edge that makes it easier to dig holes and cut-up lawn debris.

Remember to contact the University of Wisconsin Madison Division of Extension Sauk County staff if you have any gardening questions.  Please send an email to haley.weisert@saukcountywi.gov or call the University of Wisconsin Madison Division of Extension Sauk County office at 608-355-3250.

Jeannie Manis is president of the Sauk County Master Gardeners Association (SCMGA).