Before you close up the garden shed, follow this checklist. You'll thank yourself when you find your tools and gear in working condition next spring!
HAND TOOLS
- Clean every metal surface—scrape and scrub away soil, using water if necessary.
- Once the surface is clean and dry, coat the metal with a layer of spray-lubricant, such as WD-40.
- Sharpen pruners, loppers and shears with a whetstone.
- Sharpen the edges of shovels and hoes with a bastard mill file.
- Store short-handled tools together in a box or bin.
- Hang long-handled tools on the wall of the shed, cellar or garage.
POWER TOOLS
- Clean all surfaces and spray-lubricate any bare metal.
- Run 4-cylinder engines until they are warm, then drain and replace the oil and clean the air filter. Run the engine until it is out of gas, or add a gasoline stabilizer to the tank.
- Sharpen the lawn mower's blade.
- Charge the lithium-ion batteries of battery-powered equipment to about 50 percent and store them in a dry space that will maintain a moderate temperature over the winter (between 40 and 70 degrees F is ideal).
CHEMICALS
- Store any kind of chemicals (fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, etc, organic or not) in a cool, dry place (always out of the reach of children).
- Synthetic fertilizers, especially those that contain calcium nitrate or ammonium nitrate, will absorb moisture from the air and lose nutrients unless tightly wrapped in plastic.
WATERING TOOLS
- Drain hoses and coil them loosely.
- Store nozzles, valves and other attachments together in a nearby box.
POTS AND POTTING MIX
- Clean empty containers with a scrub brush and soapy water; stack them and put them away. Related: "Removing White Crust from Clay Pots"
- Pots can be sterilized by dipping them in a 5-percent solution of Clorox bleach in water.
- Tightly roll the tops of opened bags potting mixes and amendments to prevent them from drying out.
Meghan ShinnAuthor