Sign-In Register Compare My Account My Wish List HOME SPECIALS ABOUT US CONTACT US HOW-TO-VIDEOS BLOG Home Blog Around The House Basic Garden Tool Care & Essentials Posted: June 04, 2020 Categories: Around The House Author: Alice Squires Basic Garden Tool Care & Essentials Proper care of gardening tools will help ensure your tools will last a long time and always work correctly when using them. We will go over how to clean, sharpen, oil and store your garden tools. Then we will go over some essential gardening tools that will help you obtain a stunning garden. Clean your tools: Garden tools get dirty and there is no way around that, so cleaning your tools, once you’re done using them, will help to preserve your tools for future use. If you allow your tools to get rusty, they can become dull, difficult to work with, unsafe to use and costly to replace. Clean tools are productive and safe tools. Keeping garden tools clean is as simple as a bucket of warm water and a bristle brush. When you’re done with your tools shake them off and use the bristle brush to knock off any dirt. After you get most of the dirt off use the warm water and give your tools a scrub and then rinse them off. Use a towel to dry your tools or let them air dry completely before storing them away. Sharpen your tools: After continuous use tools such as hoes, lopping & pruning shears, and shovels will need to be sharpened. When sharpening your tools always wear a pair of safety glasses to protect your eyes from any small pieces of metal and a pair of gloves to protect your hands. You’ll need a flat file and something sturdy to safely hold the tool while being sharpened. File with the angle of the tools blade. A sharpening stone (whetstone) can be used for finer edges. Oil your tools: Oiling your garden tools helps to reduce rust and keep smooth operation of tools with joints. Think about the oil that you will be using. Do not use an oil that can cause harm to your plants if transferred from the tool. Linseed oil is a natural product that can be used on both the metal blade and wooden handle. Wipe off any excess oil after application. Along with oiling wooden handles it would be good to also sand any rough or splinted areas. Have a spot of rust on your blade? Try soaking it in some vinegar and let it dry completely before storing away. While oiling your tools, if you notice that the handles are loose then go ahead and tighten them up. Store your tools: Proper storage of your garden tools will help protect them for future use and leaving them laying out in the yard until next time is not storing them. A dry area like a shed or garage is the ideal place to store garden tools. Garden tools stored in a dry, ventilated space are less likely to develop rust. Use a peg board to help easily organize your tools. Properly cared for garden tools make safe tools that can be used for years to come. Now if you’re new to gardening lets go over some essential gardening tools you will need. A three-piece garden hand tool set: Would include a trowel, cultivator, and trans-planter. Garden gloves: Protect your hands from the elements with a good pair of gloves. Hand Pruning Shears: For use on plants, trees, and shrubs for the removal of stems and not so thick branches. Hedge Shears: Used for trimming and shaping bushes, hedges and shrubs. Wheelbarrow: Save your back and use a garden cart of some sort for moving plants, trees, soil and tools around the yard. Rake: Easily gather leaves, grass, soil and other yard debris. Garden Hoe: Can be used to chop, clear, weed and harvest garden crops. Shovel: Square point shovel can be used for moving soil, loose debris, shaping garden areas and the round point shovel is best used for digging holes for transplanting but is also good for digging trenches, moving compost, soil and other garden needs. Water Hose: All plants need water to survive. So, a watering hose is a must. Of course, this is just a list of tools to get you started and can be adjusted to fit your gardening needs. ← Previous Next → Address: 542 East Steve Wariner, Russell Springs, KY 42642 Call Us At 270-866-3447 Click Here To Email STORE HOURS Mon - Fri_6:30am - 4:30pm Sat_______6:30am - 12:00pm Sun_______Closed FOLLOW US ACCEPTED PAYMENTS Copyright © 2020 Hubbard's Building Supply Inc All Rights Reserved.