Keep your new gardening tools in top notch condition

Rain equals tool cleaning, at least according to Alys Fowler, who reports being brought up this way by the RHS!

The TV gardener who writes for the Guardian confesses to loving a good old tool sort – especially to escape an overdose of the Christmas festivities recently.  And she has gathered many of her beloved tools from car boot and jumble sales.

Knowing how to restore them with a dab of oil and a stiff brush, she expects them to last many years.

Alys’s training with the RHS included the discipline of taking apart and sharpening the blades of her secateurs, checking the alignment of her pruning saw and oiling a spade and fork to prevent rusting.  It really helps next time you come to do some gardening if the tools are left clean.

One of Alice’s tips is to tie a brush to your water butt for a quick dunk and scrub before putting tools away.

For details of oils to use on different tools, maintaining both wood and metal, and replacing worn parts, see Alys’s article at http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/dec/21/alys-fowler-old-tools

Author: Robert Smith