Simple cleaning and sharpening can keep garden tools in shape for years and even decades

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- My article a couple of weeks back mentioned that this is a good time of year to clean your garden tools. You probably shrugged and thought the winter weather would be here before I had a chance to check up on you. But with November upon us and not a snowflake in sight, did you clean your garden tools yet? Because there is no excuse not to, and you will thank yourself (and maybe me) come spring.

If nothing else, take all of your favorite garden implements—shovels, trowels, rakes, hand tools, wheelbarrow, and the like—lay them out on a warm sunny spot like the driveway or patio, hose them down, and let them dry completely before putting them away. You can shorten the drying time by wiping them with old towels or rags, but to prevent rust, the tools should air dry completely before storage. Caked-on mud may need a wire brush to remove. The best part? It is pretty easy to get a kid to help out when using a hose is involved.

Simple cleaning and sharpening can keep garden tools in shape for years and even decades

The next step is attending to the blades on hand tools like pruners and loppers. I like to keep mine clean throughout the growing season by wiping them down with cleaning wipes and occasionally hosing them off, drying them with a rag, and squirting some WD-40 on them. Even so, sap and grime can accumulate on the blades and should be removed now with steel wool, a cleaning agent like Brasso, or my dad’s favorite, Nevr Dull.

If you have a sharpening steel for your kitchen knives, you can gently run the same steel along both sides of the blade, which will help to straighten the edge and remove tiny burrs and knicks. Start from the inner part of the blade and sweep the steel outward several times on each side.

To actually sharpen the blade, a sharpening stone—again, the same one used for kitchen knives—can be used. Examine the blade carefully and draw the beveled side of the blade along the stone at the same shallow angle as the blade. Have a soft twig or stem handy for testing the cutting power and repeat sharpening until the cuts are clean and crisp. Wipe clean with a rag when done.

Read all of Susan Brownstein’s gardening columns here.

It is also helpful to examine your tools in the closed position and ensure that there are no gaps between the blade and the anvil side. If there are, adjust the bolts to realign the blade and restore the cutting power of your tool. Sharpening and calibrating tools is not everyone’s idea of a good time, and if you have better things to do, local nurseries and hardware stores can provide referrals for professional sharpening services.

I get it, advice for garden tool care can get complicated and overwhelming, but all things being equal, it is better to keep your tools clean with water than to lubricate dirty tools. By keeping your tools clean with water, ensuring they dry completely before storage, and sharpening your blades once a season, the average home gardener can keep quality tools in good working condition for a long time.

Consider these online retailers for your gardening needs:

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