The Gardener's LogHow to Prepare Your Garden Tools and Equipment for Winter
Every spring there is a queue at every mower repair shop. Most of those machines were put away dirty, with old fuel in the tank, and a blunt blade. Spending an hour or two on your tools in autumn is cheap insurance: they work better, last longer and you are not stuck on the first warm weekend in March with a mower that will not start.
Start with hand tools
Clean them. Scrape off soil with a wire brush or a stiff scraper and wash with water. Dry them thoroughly - rust starts quickly on damp steel.
Remove rust. Light surface rust comes off with a wire brush, steel wool or coarse sandpaper. For heavier rust, soak the tool in white vinegar for a few hours, then scrub and rinse. Dry it immediately.
Sharpen cutting edges. Spades and hoes work better with a sharpened edge. A flat bastard file, run along the bevel in one direction, does it. Secateurs, loppers and shears need a fine sharpening stone or a diamond file, following the original angle of the blade. Keep the flat side flat. Sharp tools make cleaner cuts, which heal faster on plants and take less effort.
Oil. Wipe a thin coat of light machine oil or a rag soaked in oil over metal parts. A drop on pivots keeps secateurs and loppers moving freely.
Wooden handles. Sand away splinters and rub with raw linseed oil. Lay oily rags flat to dry outdoors afterwards, as piles of linseed-soaked rags can heat up and self-ignite.
Store. Hang tools off the ground on hooks or a rack, in a dry shed or garage. A bucket of sand mixed with a little oil is an old-fashioned method of keeping blades clean and lightly oiled.
Lawn mowers
Petrol mowers need a little more thought.
- Service. Annual servicing is worth it, particularly oil change, air filter and spark plug. If you are not comfortable doing it yourself, book a service now, when workshops are quieter than in spring.
- Fuel. Old petrol goes stale and can gum up the carburettor over winter. Either run the tank nearly dry at the end of the season, or add a fuel stabiliser as per the instructions and run the engine for a few minutes so it reaches the carburettor. Follow the manufacturer's guidance, and never store fuel in unsuitable containers or near ignition sources.
- Blades. Disconnect the spark plug lead first, so the engine cannot start accidentally. Tip the mower in the direction recommended by the manual (usually air filter side up) and check the blade. Sharpen or replace it if it is dull or damaged. A sharp blade cuts the grass cleanly, while a blunt one tears and gives a frayed, brown tip.
- Clean. Scrape out compacted grass from under the deck and wipe down.
Cylinder mowers and rotary mowers both benefit from this treatment, but cylinder mowers also need the cutting cylinder adjusted by someone who knows what they are doing.
Battery-powered tools
Lithium-ion batteries dislike extremes. In general, manufacturers advise storing them in a cool, dry, frost-free place, rather than in a shed that gets damp or very cold, and not leaving them fully drained or at a full charge for months. Check your tool's manual, as the advice does vary. Wipe the tools clean, clear vents of dust and grass, and check blades and chains.
Corded electric tools
Check cables for nicks, cuts or cracks and replace damaged leads rather than taping them. Always use them through an RCD, and avoid working in the wet.
Hedge trimmers, strimmers and chainsaws
- Clean the blades with a rag and oil them.
- Check the cutting line on strimmers and replace if worn.
- Sharpen the chain on chainsaws, or take it to a professional. Check the chain tension and oil level. A chainsaw is a dangerous tool, and anyone using one should have training and proper protective gear.
- Treat petrol tools as you would a mower with regard to fuel.
For more on cutting hedges well, see our guide to hedge trimming and the nesting season.
Pressure washers
Water left in the pump can freeze and crack it. After the last use of the season, disconnect hoses, run the machine briefly to clear the water, drain the hoses and lance, and store it somewhere frost-free. If the manual specifies a pump saver or antifreeze product, follow it. See also our jet washing guide.
Hosepipes, watering cans and pots
Drain hosepipes and coil them neatly under cover, as freezing water can split them. Turn off outdoor taps at the isolation valve if you have one, and drain the tap. Wash out watering cans, and stack clean plant pots to avoid carrying over diseases such as fungal rots. A soak in diluted garden disinfectant followed by a rinse will do it.
Keep a tool log
It sounds fussy, but a simple notebook or note on your phone listing what was serviced, which blade size you use and when it was last sharpened saves time. Photograph model numbers and the spare parts you need.
Safety reminder
Before you do any work on a machine with blades, disconnect it from power, remove the battery or disconnect the spark plug lead. Wear gloves when sharpening and handling blades.
Winter checklist
- Clean and dry all hand tools; sharpen and oil them.
- Service or book the mower; deal with fuel and blades.
- Store batteries properly and check cables.
- Drain pressure washers, hoses and taps.
- Tidy the shed so you can find everything in spring.
While you are at it, you could use the tools to finish off the season's work, such as clearing leaves and pruning small trees.