Are your garden tools in good condition?
Did you know that keeping your garden tools in good condition is one of the best ways to keep your garden looking beautiful?
It’s true! A beautiful garden doesn’t happen overnight. It takes hours a week of upkeep and maintenance.
You need the right tools to make it a beautiful reality, including the basics like spades, lawnmowers and even accessories for destroying weeds. The troy bilt 4 cycle trimmer review is a good place to start for a very handy tool that can make your gardening life much easier.
You don’t want your garden accessories to wear out too quickly, especially if they are expensive!
So, how do you keep your garden tools in good condition?
Keep your equipment away from moisture and heat
Store your tools in a cool, dry place. Moisture will cause rust spots to appear on metal equipment and can cause the wooden parts to rot. The sun and heat can also warp your gear and crack the handles.
When it comes to power tools, such as a lawn mower, or outdoor power equipment, it is also important to keep them away from sun and rain.
Rubber and plastic garden tools do not tolerate heat well. Moisture will cause rust to appear and may damage the engine.
Your equipment will end up needing to be replaced much quicker than you may have initially expected!
Clean your tools
One of the most basic – yet, important ways to keep your garden tools in good condition is to clean them after every use.
Before putting your garden tools away, try to remember to remove all traces of mud and accumulated dirt. Rinse your tools and scrub them (every time) with a wire brush to remove excess dirt.
Tip: You can use vinegar to remove rust stains, as well as linseed oil on the wood to protect it from moisture and prevent it from cracking.
Cleaning your garden tools also stops critters from nesting in them (and getting into your home). Spiders’ eggs and other nasty, unwanted inhabitants can gather on your equipment so it is better to be safe than sorry!
Store your garden tools the right way
It is advisable to store garden equipment at a height, preferably on the walls if possible. If this is not possible, you can always just lean them up against the wall too.
Most tools have a hole in the end of the handle to insert a string and then hang them up. If they don’t have one, you can always make the hole yourself. You can also purchase mounting clips and wall brackets to hang them on the wall.
Never just lay your tools flat on the floor as this can cause unnecessary build up of dirt – and again, unwanted critters.
Try to make the most of the space available in your garage.
If you are lucky enough to have a large garden, the best solution would be to install a garden shed that you can devote entirely to storage. This is because, stored in a garage, shovels and rakes are mixed with other objects that can easily fall onto you, your children or your car.
This can cause damage to your car or could even endanger you or your children, therefore you must think wisely!
Storage Ideas
- Use a wooden pallet that you have previously attached to the wall to store bulky equipment
- Reuse an old rake without its handle to make a tool holder that you can keep handy
- Use pegboards or hooks on the walls of your garage or garden shed to hang your garden equipment
- Put your shovels and rakes in a large trash can, upside down. And if they are too heavy, put a brick at the bottom.
Photos by David Rangel and Eco Warrior Princess on Unsplash
