GREENC GARAGE® Staying Busy in Winter by Rita Pelczar N JANUARY and February, things on the business end of your tools. And comfortably accommodate three shovels, are pretty quiet in my garden, but both have a comfortable grip with a full- rakes, and/or hoes. www.gardeners.com. Inot in my garage. Winter is a good length finger guard. The tool getting Assembling new tools is another good time to organize garden supplies and winter activity that gives me a head start tools, and to inspect, clean, and repair on spring gardening. My new Worx them if needed. Care for your tools and AeroCart™ was easy to put together—it they’ll last much longer. took less than a half hour—and holds Cleaning tools—particularly those that promise for a wide range of garden ap- come in contact with soil—should be done plications. It’s quite versatile. First, it’s a after each use, but sometimes a shovel or wheelbarrow with a thin, 22-inch width, hoe doesn’t get cleaned as well as it should. making it a good fit for use in my veg- A hard bristle brush or steel wool will re- etable garden, where the paths between move accumulated dirt and metal corro- beds are too narrow for larger carts. Its sion. Once tools are dirt free, I like to coat two wheels provide both stability and ma- the metal with Fluid Film, a non-toxic, lanolin-based cleaner, lubricant, and rust AccSharp Knife and Tool Sharpener inhibitor from Garden- ers Edge. A thin coating sharpened remains stationary while you provides lasting protec- slide the sharpener along the edge a few tion for all metals and times, applying light pressure. It’s quick keeps the joints of prun- and easy. www.gardenersedge.com. ers, loppers, shears, and Storing tools so they are easy to lo- hedge trimmers working cate when you need them can save a lot smoothly. It also can be of time. After cleaning and sharpening used to coat the under- my long-handled Worx Aero-Cart side of mowers to help tools, I hang them prevent corrosion and in- on the wall using neuverability; it turns on a dime! By fold- Fluid Film hibit grass build-up during Garden Tool ing up the legs and folding down a front mowing season. Racks available plate, the cart converts to a hand truck Another task I tackle every winter is from Gardener’s for hauling bags of fertilizer, mulch, or sharpening blades. A well-sharpened hoe Supply Compa- potting soil. There are arm extensions for or spade reduces the elbow grease needed ny. They come as wider loads, a flowerpot strap for moving when it’s time to put the tools to use. a set of two pow- heavy plants, and a mesh sling for mov- Garden knives, pruners, scythes, grass der-coated steel ing oddly shaped items, including rocks. and hedge shears, axes—anything with racks with the I have been using the sling to collect and a blade gets a going over. necessary mount- move boulders of various sizes for a new A pair of blade sharpeners, also from ing hardware to raised bed I’m building. I can see this tool Gardeners Edge, makes short work of install them in a getting quite a workout come spring. the job. The AccuSharp® Knife and convenient spot in www.worx.com. Tool Sharpener is designed for tools your garage. They Before long, another growing season with double-edge blades, and the Gar- keep your tools will be here and all my tools will be back denSharp® Lawn and Garden Tool in sight, within in action. It’s good to know they’ll be Sharpener is for blades with a single reach, and off the ready when my garden is. m beveled edge. Both tools have reversible floor. The arms and replaceable diamond-honed, tung- extend 12 inches, Rita Pelczar is a contributing editor for sten carbide blades that put a fine edge Garden Tool Rack so each rack can The American Gardener. ALLPHOTOSBY RITAPELCZAR EXCEPTFORWORXAEROCART,COURTESY OF WORX.COM 46 the American Gardener.