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The perfect way to store your tools (and an OK way that works too)

October 16, 2018

how to store your garden tools for winter.

We interrupt your frantic season-end gardening for a quick message. This post is sponsored by 3-IN-ONE®  Multi-Purpose Oil and Lava® Soap, but all words and opinions are entirely my own. This post may also include affiliate links. Thanks for supporting the brands that support this blog.

There is a “right” way to store your garden tools over winter: clean, sharp and ready to go the second you need them in spring. Now raise your hand if you’re really going to do that this year. (Note that my arms are firmly at my sides.)

The more I garden, the more recognize that although I’m always filled with good intentions (i.e. I will not let any vegetables overripen in the garden, I will mulch promptly after planting, I will never put my garden tools away dirty …), reality in the garden is a different thing entirely. Let’s be honest: A good day in the garden is one in which I don’t accidentally plant a tool that will be unearthed three years later when I’m dividing something.

Don't strand your garden tools! Clean and store them properly to prolong their life.

Don’t strand your garden tools in fall! I found this poor spade after looking for it for several minutes.

I’m going to tell you the optimal way to manage your tool storage at the end of the season, but I’m also going to give you an out. A way-better-than-doing-nothing option that’s perfect for those of us who either run out of time in the rush of the season or are just plain burned out and ready to sit in front of the fireplace for some off-season recuperation. 

THE PERFECT WAY TO STORE YOUR GARDEN TOOLS

There are three steps to putting your garden tools away in an ideal world: cleaned, sharpened and protected.

Cleaning is easy. I like to work soil off the metal bits with a brass-bristle brush. For handles, use a solution of mild soap and water and stiff nylon-bristle brush and then rinse and dry them well.

Sharpening intimidates people and it really shouldn’t. The key is to match the angle of the blade, and use a lubricating oil like 3-IN-ONE® Multi-Purpose Oil. For larger blades I like to use a whetstone (as I demonstrated here) and for smaller blades like on hand pruners, I like to use a small handheld sharpener (like I did here). 

Sharpen the blade using a whetstone

Using downward strokes, just follow the existing angle of the blade to sharpen the edge.

Of all the steps in the process, protecting your tools is probably the most important because storing them improperly for months will cause any existing problems to get worse. Keep rust at bay (and yes, even stainless steel tools can rust), by coating the blades with a thin layer of 3-IN-ONE® Multi-Purpose Oil (as demonstrated here). 

Give wood-handled tools a quick sanding with 120-grit sandpaper (I have also used 150-grit; but you should use whatever medium-grit sandpaper you have on hand), then rub in some linseed oil. 

When you’re finished, you want to make sure you store them properly and the worst thing you can do is set them on the floor of a damp garage or shed. A good method is to fill a bucket with sand with some 3-IN-ONE® Multi-Purpose Oil mixed in. The sand should be moistened, but don’t turn it into a grease pit.

how to store your garden tools for winter.

Store garden tools in a bucket of sand moistened with oil

Then just plunge your tools in the bucket. They’ll be protected all winter and ready to go.

If you can manage this option, I applaud you and so will your garden tools. But let’s just say you don’t have the time for all that or you just don’t feel like doing it in fall. Don’t worry, I get it. 

I actually like to delay the big tool maintenance project until late winter on one of those unseasonably warm and sunny days when I’m looking for an excuse to be outside. It’s fun to be able to do something garden related even if the garden is still covered in snow.

Well this next plan is for you.

THE NOT PERFECT BUT PERFECTLY OK WAY TO STORE YOUR TOOLS

For this method there are only two steps: clean(ish) and protect. I’m giving you permission to skip the sharpening step until later but you are going to to want to do it before you start up again in spring.

As far as cleaning goes, just get the dirt off, even if that means just giving it a sharp spray with the hose. Make sure it’s dry. 

How to store garden tools for winter.

If you don’t have time for a “proper” cleaning of tools, just spray the dirt off as best you can.

Cleaning: Check.

Now grab some of that 3-IN-ONE® Multi-Purpose Oil and give the blade a rub-down with it, wiping off any excess with a rag. In the case of pruners or anything with a hinge, make sure to work some oil into the joint. 

Dry tools thoroughly before giving them a coat of 3-in-ONE Multipurpose Oil.

Protection: Check.

The storage plan should be the same no matter which approach you take, although I’d argue that the bucket of sand method is even more important when you’re cutting a few corners because it will help protect tools that might have bit of damage along the blade (because they’ve not been sharpened yet) from rusting.

Add a little 3-in-ONE Multipurpose oil to clean sand to store and protect  your garden tools.

Speaking of saving time, here’s the little secret I’ve been hiding under the patio tomato plants this summer: a bar of Lava® Soap. Washing my dirty gardening hands in the kitchen sink (the closet one to the door) was getting a little gross and constantly stranding my gloves on the counter was getting old. I just tucked a soap dish on the tomato planter and grabbed the Lava® Soap for a quick clean up at the end of the day. And it was handy for this project too because the pumice in the soap removes any oily residue.

Here’s my secret bar of Lava Soap. This little soap dish fit perfectly on a container on the deck and it hid under the tomato plants all summer for quick cleanups outside.

I got good at washing my hands with the hose this year and it saved a lot of mess in the kitchen.

If you have a little more time, you can do as much of the “perfect” option as you like, and maybe you have time to do the full process on some tools but not others. The nice part about taking the cheater approach, is that if you get a nice day late in the season, you won’t feel bad about grabbing a tool out of the sand to go do some work in the garden. When you’re finished, give it a rinse, a drop of oil and stick it back in the bucket.

Be sure to follow 3-IN-ONE® on Facebook and Instagram, and Lava Soap on Facebook. To save on Lava Soap at retailers like Walmart, visit: bit.ly/LavaSoapCoupon.

Want to take care of your garden tools? Here's the best way to do it and the next best thing if you just don't have time.

3-IN-ONE oil fall garden tools
by Erin @ The Impatient Gardener 
7 Comments

About Erin @ The Impatient Gardener

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Comments

  1. Anne Lynch says: October 18, 2018 at 8:15 am

    Nice read. Love options!!

    Reply
    • Erin @ The Impatient Gardener says: October 18, 2018 at 10:08 am

      Thanks, Anne!

      Reply
  2. Heather Blackmore says: October 18, 2018 at 5:53 pm

    This is something I always put off but this post reminded me how important it is. Thanks! Is there a certain sharpener you recommend? I use the 3-in-1 oil too.

    Reply
    • Erin @ The Impatient Gardener says: October 22, 2018 at 12:44 am

      For my pruners I like a little thing called a handy sharp. For the big stuff I use a whetstone that came as part of a set from Sneeboer, but I don’t think there’s anything special about that particular whetstone other than that I like the size and shape.

      Reply
  3. airbnb cleaning sydney says: June 10, 2019 at 9:16 pm

    We need to take care the tools that we are using, nice insight thanks for sharing this informative article of yours.

    Reply
  4. Alex says: June 7, 2021 at 11:11 am

    Happily the kids no longer pull my tools out and leave them until I find them. Sadly, I gave up on repairing them each time. I have a lot of tool repair to do this season. I’m starting with the bucket of sand 🙂 At least I’ll get started until the right direction.

    Reply
  5. Joanna Sylwester says: November 13, 2022 at 12:27 pm

    I got sand to make this solution, but the sand that came in the bag isn’t dry. Can I still use it or will that rust my tools?

    Reply

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The Impatient Gardener

Do you love gardening? Me too! I'm Erin and I garden in Southeastern Wisconsin, zone 5. The Impatient Gardener is all about real-life gardening: the good parts, the bad bits and even the funny stuff. It's part information, part inspiration and a little bit commiseration. Thanks for visiting.

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E R I N 🌿 The Impatient Gardener
I had a rather unpleasant realization last night w I had a rather unpleasant realization last night when I remembered that I’d not yet ordered tomato seeds. And I’m not going to rectify that until I dig into my seed stash, because I don’t go through tomato seeds quickly so there are definitely some lurking down there. 

I never used to grow tomatoes from seed because there are great varieties to be had in garden centers (including many heirloom varieties). But it’s almost non-negotiable for me now that I’m a convert to dwarf tomatoes. If you’re not familiar with the #dwarftomatoproject championed by @nctomatoman and others, these are heirloom varieties that are crossed with dwarf varieties to create plant that produces all the flavor and interest of an heirloom in a short (usually less than 4 feet) plant. 

They are particularly great in my tall raised beds. Of course I leave room to try new non-dwarf varieties every year (I loved Sun Dipper from @panamseed last year and I’ll grow it again).

Last year was a good tomato year and the photo shows some of the varieties I harvested in one day. I hope this summer will be equally good for the tomato harvest. 

One of my favorite questions to ask gardeners is: What is your favorite tomato variety to grow? So have at it in the comments because inquiring minds want to know!
And this is why I leave my winter containers assem And this is why I leave my winter containers assembled until at least March. A dusting of snow gives them a whole new look (even if it’s shades of gray). Also, I think I love my Limelight hydrangea even more in winter. Fabulous winter interest!
I’m going to look for opportunities to add more I’m going to look for opportunities to add more ferns to my garden this year. They are such interesting plants and often real problem solvers, bringing texture and color to places that many plants aren’t interested in. Athyrium niponicum (Japanese painted fern) ‘Crested Surf’ grows well for me in part shade (even pushing a bit into part sun) and looks great next to Persicaria ‘Golden Arrow’.
Birds chirping, glorious fresh (i.e. not nibbled o Birds chirping, glorious fresh (i.e. not nibbled on) foliage, and texture galore. I can’t wait to have moments like this again. The star, by the way is Hakonechloa ‘All Gold’ which looks so good with the bold foliage of Ligularia dentata ‘Desdemona’ next to it. 

With the new path, this area will be getting a small revamp. It’s the next spot I’ll be focusing my planning on.
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