When the season rolls around again and it's time to work in the garden, it's best to get your tools ready before you get started.

First, rinse the tools off with warm water. You can do this from a bucket. Warm water and a scrub brush remove more stubborn clods faster than using a garden hose. Once you've gotten the tools clean, assess them for damage.

Shovels, hoes, picks, and other common tools that have been exposed to the elements suffer a great deal of damage from the alternation of sun and cold. Check the handle on any wooden-handled tool first, to see if it's loosened. Wood can shrink and warp; if the handle is loose chock it into place or buy a new handle.

Using a soft cloth dampened with oil, rub down all the wooden areas. Linseed oil works well, but has a strong scent. Walnut oil is slightly more expensive but dries a bit faster, smells less, and works just as well. For wood that has seen a lot of wear, sand it lightly until the grain is smoothed out, and treat with tung oil.

For tools with metal components, treat with WD-40. Wipe the entire surface of metal, let dry, then wipe clean. This will prevent the oil from being transferred in quantity to the soil.

If you use hedge clippers or snippers for pruning, or garden scissors, take them apart at the pivot of the blades and replace the nut and screw that hold them together. You can use pliers and either an allan key or screwdriver to take them apart. These items have a tendency to rust together and make the tool harder to use. While they're disassembled, sharpen the blades. It's easier to sharpen these when the tool is apart. Sand off any rust with sandpaper meant for use on metal, and oil all the separate pieces with WD-40 before reassembling the tool.

For power tools like chainsaws and garden trimmers, check that all the parts are properly attached. Make sure chainsaw chains haven't rusted to the gear but are loose and movable all the way around. Open any cases on hedge trimmers and check that there is no rust inside them on any moving parts. This holds true for lawnmowers also-visually inspect all areas for rust, treat metal with WD-40, and then reassemble.

If you use a garden claw or other tool for hand-tilling, check that all the screws holding the tool together are firmly tightened. Many times these screws are in odd sizes and can't be easily replaced (as I have learned the hard way!) so check them before using the tool. Treat and oil as with other tools.

Check on your garden gloves now, too, and any kneepads or other accessory items you use. If your gloves are cracked or torn, or simply missing, you can replace them when you pick up other items for upkeep, instead of making a second trip to the store.

Now that the tools are ready, spring has finally arrived!

Learn more about this author, A.R. Marth.
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