I have a shovel obtained from a friend who inherited it from his grandfather. Since the 1800's this shovel has been used in many gardens, and it still sees regular action around my house. It is proof of the longevity of a high-quality, well-cared-for tool.
I've not always been the best at keeping my tools in optimal shape. But in recent years, I've begun to understand that taking a little time to care for your tools actually saves work time in the garden. Dulled, dirty tools add time to tasks. Besides, good tools are not inexpensive. So I'm taking action these days to treat my tools as the friends they are.
Late fall and winter are quieter in the garden, allowing time to look over your garden tools and giving them a little TLC. Here are four steps to follow:
First, clean that dirt off your tools. Use a putty knife or steel wool to clean off clumps of dirt and mud. Then wash with a hose. Turpentine works well to remove sap. Light rust can be removed with a wire brush or steel wool. If the rust is extensive, try soaking the blades or tines in white vinegar for up to 24 hours. Rubbing with crumbled aluminum foil or a rough cloth should remove the rusted crust.
Next, oil any metal parts to protect them from moisture. Pivots on shears, loppers and scissors should be given a light spray of WD-40. Fill a large container, such as a five-gallon bucket, with sand. Soak the sand with oil. Many gardeners have used motor oil, but I prefer using vegetable oil so I won't pollute my soil.
Push the blade in and out of the sand a few times. If your bucket is large enough, you can leave the tool in the oiled sand until the next time you use it. Wipe the blade with a rough cloth, such as burlap, when you remove it.
Now inspect your tools' handles. Replace any that have become loose or cracked. There is not much you can do to repair a cracked handle. Smooth a rough wood handle with medium-grade sandpaper if needed. Then rub the handle with linseed oil. Let the oil soak in for an hour and them wipe off before storing the tool.
Finally, sharpen any blades that have become dull or nicked. Be sure to don safety glasses to protect your eyes. One metal filing in your eye can cause irreversible damage. Wear heavy leather or cloth gloves to protect your hands. Using a vise is not necessary but can make the task much easier.
From a hardware store, purchase a high-quality mill file that is about one inch wide by about ten inches long. A handle is not essential but a nice feature.
When restoring the bevel on a shovel or trowel, stroke away from your body at the same angle that the tool had originally. A sharper angle is not helpful because it will usually dull quickly and is more prone to nicks.
Clamp your shovel in a downward position and push the file away from your body on the scoop side moving from the center across to the side. Once the bevel has been restored on the scoop, flip the shovel in the vise and remove any burrs created on the other side of the blade by lightly filing towards the handle or using fine sandpaper. For a hoe, use the same technique but create your bevel moving from the outside edge.
Finally, store those tool friends properly. Keeping them dry is critical. Hang them on a pegboard wall or insert them in a bucket of oiled sand. A horse trough filled with oiled sand could be an attractive addition to a rain-protected storage area and would hold a large number of tools.
Now sit back, relax and look at all those tools ready for your next garden adventure. Pat yourself on the back and enjoy the warm glow of another gardening task well done.
Master Gardeners are volunteers who help the University of California reach the gardening public with home gardening information. U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County ( http://ucanr.edu/ucmgnapa/) are available to answer gardening questions in person or by phone, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9 a.m. to Noon, at the U. C. Cooperative Extension office, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Suite 4, Napa, 707-253-4143, or from outside City of Napa toll-free at 877-279-3065. Or e-mail your garden questions by following the guidelines on our web site. Click on Napa, then on Have Garden Questions? Find us on Facebook under UC Master Gardeners of Napa County.
In preparing to write about basic garden safety, I researched what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had to say. Their recommendation for “dressing for success” in the garden looks a lot like what I wear to work in my garden: long-sleeved shirt, long pants, boots, hat and gloves. Although I am thinking about sun protection with my garden attire, my outfit also protects me from mosquitos and ticks and the possibility of contracting one of the diseases carried by these insects.
I wear gloves most of the time. My garden includes prickly plants, active compost, thriving insect populations and a lot of dirt. When handling soil, compost and other amendments, I use flexible gloves with Neoprene-coated fingers. In addition to keeping most of the dirt from under my fingernails, these gloves protect me from possible ant bites, smaller scratches and things I'd rather not touch such as dead gophers. They also help to prevent blisters when I am shoveling soil or amendments.
I switch to thorn-proof gloves when dealing with bramble berries or rosebushes. Thorn wounds are not only painful but a great breeding ground for some types of bacteria, including clostridium tetani, the organism that causes tetanus. Spores of this bacterium are widely distributed in ordinary garden soil. There are a few cases of tetanus every year in the United States. Almost all reported cases are in people who have either never been vaccinated, or who completed a primary series but have not had a booster in the preceding 10 years. You can be sure that I keep my vaccinations up-to-date.
If you use power tools, protect your hearing with plugs or head phones, and protect your eyes with safety glasses. Actually, safety glasses might be a good idea for some tasks that don't involve power tools. Once while I was pulling ivy down from an exterior wall, I managed to scratch my cornea with a wayward branch that slapped me in the face. I now borrow my husband's safety glasses when I work in brushy areas.
What about ladders? Ever know someone who fell from one? In the garden,a ladder can be particularly unstable, so use care when you need one for any garden task. If you are planting new fruit trees, plan to keep them small so that you don't need a ladder to prune or harvest fruit. If you do need a ladder in the garden, choose a three-legged orchard ladder, which provides more stability on uneven ground than a step ladder. Make sure the ladder is stable before climbing it, and move it rather than reach too far while you are on it.
Review your garden for tripping hazards. Put hoses away when not in use, and leave tools out of your pathways when you are not using them. Gopher holes abound in my yard, so I try not to back up but to always watch my footing, especially when I am carrying bulky garden items.
So far the most serious injury I've experienced in the garden is the aforementioned black eyes. The annoying thing is that I had been forewarned. Several years ago, a friend had to get several stitches in her lip after cutting it on her yard-waste bin. Yes, the yard-waste bin.
I was pruning dead canes from my boysenberry patch, wearing my best thorn-proof gloves while pitching the trimmings into the can. The lid was open, of course. I needed to move the can a few feet as I worked my way down the row. I did not bother to close the lid, and as I tipped the can back on its wheels and pushed it forward, I managed to step on the lid, trip, and smack my forehead on the edge of the bin. It was a very hard hit; I had a headache as well as a large goose egg that afternoon and evening. In subsequent days as the swelling subsided, first my left eye and then the right were encircled with colorful bruising. It was dramatic enough to scare my young grandchildren.
I love working in my garden. I love watching plants grow, bloom and produce food for my table. I alsowant to be able to work in the yard for many years, so I am careful out there. I dress for safety, not fashion, and so far the plants don't mind.
Upcoming event: The Napa County Master Gardeners' “Down the Garden Path” Garden Tour is Sunday, September 13. The second garden on the tour is the proud recipient of a new drip system. At that site, you can peruse a reference binder with step-by-step instructions for installing drip irrigation. Click http://bit.ly/1fqLJZe for information and tickets.
Workshops: Napa County Master Gardeners will host a workshop on “Good Garden Resources in Print & Tech” on Saturday, July 11, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at the University of California Cooperative Extension office, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Napa. Who do you trust for dependable gardening information? Where do you look for answers to your horticulture questions? Participants are invited to bring tablets or laptops. Master Gardeners will help you evaluate sources of gardening information, both online and in print. Online registration (credit card only); Mail-in registration (cash or check only).
Napa County Master Gardener will also host a workshop on “Dealing with Drought and Drought-Tolerant Plants” on Saturday, July 11, from 10 a.m. to noon, at Mid-City Nursery, 3635 Broadway, American Canyon. Learn what to do now to help your garden survive on very little water. We will discuss what kinds of plants do best with minimal water. Learn about easy-care, long-flowering, colorful plants for your garden and ones that will attract pollinators. We will also discuss fire-wise plants and gardens. Online registration;Mail-in registration.
Master Gardeners are volunteers who help the University of California reach the gardening public with home gardening information. Napa County Master Gardeners ( http://ucanr.org/ucmgnapa/) are available to answer gardening questions in person or by phone, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9 a.m. to Noon, at the U. C. Cooperative Extension office, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Suite 4, Napa, 707-253-4143, or from outside City of Napa toll-free at 877-279-3065. Or e-mail your garden questions by following the guidelines on our web site. Click on Napa, then on Have Garden Questions? Find us on Facebook under UC Master Gardeners of Napa County.
What now?
In the past I was at loose ends at this time of year. Not being an avid winter-garden person, I had too much time on my hands. Sure, the garden always needs some sort of upkeep, but it requires less of my time in the cold months. One can only look at so many seed catalogs.
I am fortunate to have a garden shed. When I opened it the other day to look for a tool, I thought, “Wow, this is a mess. Maybe I should clean up.”
What a concept. Whether you store most of your gardening equipment and supplies in a shed, in your garage or in another protected spot, the area could probably use some tidying up.
My first endeavor was organizing my collection of planters, containers and pots. After emptying them of soil, I sanitized them with a 10 percent bleach solution. Then I stored them upside down in a central location.
The lawn mower was my next project. My husband stressed the importance of removing the spark plug wire before doing any maintenance. As an additional precaution, he advised putting a piece of electrician's tape on the end of the wire to prevent any chance of a spark. I found the manual online. (I'm not a manual keeper.) Following instructions, I scraped out the underside of the mower, removing all the dried debris. Using a water hose with a pressure nozzle, I rinsed it and allowed it to air dry. With my husband holding one end, I sharpened the blade. Then I sprayed a fine coat of penetrating oil on the cleaned underside and blade. Voilà. All done.
After that I was on a roll. I washed out the wheelbarrow and spreader and stored them on end. You can hang them if you have room, or just store them upside down. The objective is to avoid accumulating rainwater.
Next I moved on to my fertilizers and pesticides. I'm not shy about trying new
things, so my supplies were considerable. I set aside all old products, any that I hadn't used in more than a year and any that didn't provide satisfactory results. I then consulted the County of Napa website to find locations for safe disposal.
I divided the remainder into categories like fertilizers, vitamins and pesticides. I found a dry storage area for them all, with the poisons in a separate location. I sorted my irrigation equipment and put small items like drippers in marked sealable bags. I coiled and tied my hoses and hung them on hooks. I was now ready to attack my garden implements and tools.
Being the proud owner of too many garden tools, I was hard-pressed to find storage for all of them. Keeping them clean and in good working order is an ongoing chore. I always intend to clean and sharpen them after each use, but I am not above just tossing and running. So I pulled all my tools out and lined them up on the garage floor, the only covered space available. As I walked down the rows, I mentally divided them into categories by needs and made a mental list. Hand pruner needs sharpening and oiling. Shovel handle split; needs repair. With an actual list in hand, I decided what supplies I would need to rehabilitate each item. Then I got to work. We had to park our cars in the driveway for about a week as I completed this task.
Although I do have a garden shed, I do not have a large expanse of wall to hang tools, nor do I have unlimited floor space. My solution was to store all the long-handled implements upside down in an old wire-framed laundry bag, a lucky garage-sale find. A50-gallon plastic garbage can will also work, with holes drilled in the bottom to prevent moisture accumulation. I put the small hand tools on a shelf in trays and the long-handled tools, handles up, in five-gallon buckets with holes drilled in bottom.
My shed looks marvelous. I am now ready for spring, and those seed catalogs are looking pretty good right now.
Workshop:Napa County Master Gardeners will conduct a workshop on “Creating Wreaths from Your Garden” on Sunday, December 7, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., at the Yountville Community Center, 6516 Washington Street, Yountville.Learn which plants from your garden make good wreaths. Learn how to choose and prepare plant materials, and tips and tricks for designing and making easy wreaths for the holidays and beyond. Using materials and supplies provided, participants will create their own wreath to take home. To register, visit the Parks & Recreation Department website.
Master Gardeners are volunteers who help the University of California reach the gardening public with home gardening information. Napa County Master Gardeners ( http://ucanr.org/ucmgnapa/) are available to answer gardening questions in person or by phone, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9 a.m. to Noon, at the U. C. Cooperative Extension office, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Suite 4, Napa, 707-253-4143, or from outside City of Napa toll-free at 877-279-3065. Or e-mail your garden questions by following the guidelines on our web site. Click on Napa, then on Have Garden Questions? Find us on Facebook under UC Master Gardeners of Napa County.
Whenever I encounter myths about gardening, I realize that I may be guilty of believing in some of them. As a Napa County Master Gardener, I've been trained to research information and to offer only science-based advice to home gardeners. So when I read something about gardening that sounds questionable, I always ask myself: fact or fiction?
Gardening myths and old wives' tales come from many sources. Even researching this article, I found that experts have differing opinions about the validity of many firmly held beliefs.
Myth: When you can sit on the ground comfortably with a bare bottom, it's time to sow seeds.
Truth: Taking the temperature of the soil before planting seeds or seedlings is important. For most vegetables, the soil should be between 55°F and 60°F when measured three inches deep. This warm soil helps roots to grow. But before the invention of soil thermometers, how was a gardener to know? According to folklore, farmers used their bare posteriors or their elbows to test soil warmth.
Myth: Placing gravel or pot shards in the bottom of a container improves drainage.
Truth: For many years, I planted pots this way. But during my Master Gardener training, I saw an experiment that demonstrated that soils had to be saturated before moisture would go to the next level. Putting some plain newsprint or a fine weed block in the bottom of your pot will keep soil from falling out or slugs from moving in, but gravel or shards won't affect drainage.
Myth: For a plant to bear fruit, you must have both male and female types.
Truth: While that statement is true for some species, many plants and trees are self- pollinating. Tomatoes are a good example. The flowers contain both male and female parts and just need to be jostled a bit or buzzed by bees to move the pollen around. I usually shake the plants daily as I pass by.
Pomegranates and most varieties of Asian persimmons are also self-pollinating. For small gardens, that's an advantage because you need only one tree to get fruit. In contrast, sweet cherries and kiwis will not produce fruit unless you have both a male and a female plant. Some apple varieties may be listed as self-fruitful, but you'll get more fruit if you have a second variety to cross pollinate.
Most garden vegetables, including summer squash and pumpkins, produce both male and female flowers. Bees make sure the pollen gets spread around. If the spirit moves you, you can help the process along manually.
Myth: Clay pots are better for container plants than plastic pots.
Truth: It depends what's in the pot and whether you are conscientious about watering. Clay pots do not retain moisture as well as plastic pots, and they tend to wick moisture away from the roots. Clay also is heavier than plastic and more breakable. If you tend to forget to water, then plastic may be the better choice for you.
Myth: After pruning a tree, treat open wounds with a wound dressing.
Truth: University research shows that is it not necessary to put tar or other wound dressing on a pruned or injured tree. In fact, it may be counterproductive. The tree had the ability to heal itself. Using a dressing can delay the healing or even cover up plant diseases and make them worse. Do proper pruning cuts with clean sharp tools at the correct time of year for the tree and let them air dry and heal on their own.
Master Gardeners are volunteers who help the University of California reach the gardening public with home gardening information. Napa County Master Gardeners (http://napamg.ucanr.edu) are available to answer gardening questions in person or by phone, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9 a.m. to Noon, at the U. C. Cooperative Extension office, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Suite 4, Napa, 707-253-4143, or from outside City of Napa toll-free at 877-279-3065. Or e-mail your garden questions by following the guidelines on our web site. Click on Garden Questions?
/span>