Garden Tools
The old saying that a craftsman is no better than his tools applies especially to gardening; good tools well cared for can make gardening a pleasure. There is a tremendous difference in the feel of spades, even those by the same maker that look identical, and the same applies to rakes, hoes, cultivators and hand tools. Some are beautifully balanced, others are badly out of balance; some fit the hand snugly while others have handles too large for comfort.It pays to spend time searching for something that feels near perfect. A saw will soon shorten a handle if necessary to suit a gardener's height, and sandpaper will reduce size of handle to fit the gardener's hand.
After spending time to obtain a tool with the right feel, it is wise to keep that tool in good condition. The first job is to preserve handles. This can be done with fine sandpaper then a coat of auto wax. If a waxed handle is not to your liking, protect it with a coat of paint, yellow for preference so that it can be seen when you forget to put it under cover. Keep all blades, whether shovel, spade, or hoe, smooth and sharp by frequent touching-up with a file. A jagged or notched blade is as bad as a blunt pocket knife; it just won't cut, and to use it means a wasted effort. Have a 5 gal./23 / can of water and an old scrub brush handy for washing all tools before putting them away.
December 4, 2008