Lesson 4: A Labor Of Love
Maintaining Your Tools, Greenhouse And Shed Care
There is a certain wistful sadness to the end of another season in the sun. As I look out at my once green and healthy garden, I feel a great reluctance to let it all go. Dave is usually the one who takes the first steps towards preparing the garden for winter. He seems to sense when the first really cold snap is ready to pounce, and out come pruners, rakes and shovels. And when the job is finally done, we sit in the garage, cleaning the tools, making repairs, and planning next year's garden.
Caring for your tools is an important step in keeping your garden healthy. Many of us just routinely toss tools here and there until next year. This ends up costing you time and money when blades dull, rust or break, or handles splinter or warp. Take the time to care for your equipment; it will pay off in a longer period of use and better performance.
A great idea for cleaning muddy trowels and other small tools is to fill a 5 gallon paint bucket or barrel with sand. Add mineral oil or used motor oil, and mix well. You can now dip those dirty tools into this mix and they’ll come out clean.
Having a greenhouse or potting shed is a wonderful addition to your garden space. Greenhouse environments are carefully controlled to provide year round gardening. Exotics and tropicals are a particular favorite of the greenhouse bunch. When you add a hydroponics unit, you can have fresh tomatoes or fruit year round.
Potting sheds are handy for a variety of purposes, including storing seeds, pots, and tools, and potting up plants. When locked adequately, they are great for storing garden chemicals.
Both these environments require regular cleaning and maintenance. You must be particularly vigilant in greenhouses, because their humid atmosphere can allow fungi and insect life to thrive. All growing surfaces need to be kept clean. A regular wiping with a 10% bleach in water solution can help minimize fungal growth. Plant tubing and containers need to be cleaned in hot soapy water and air dried before reuse. Rather than risk harming plants with chemical insecticides, hand picking is advised. Greenhouses are closed environments so any chemical residue will remain a long time.
Keep the floors swept and free of debris. This will eliminate an attractive hiding place for rodents or other pests. Tools should be stored free of garden soil and plant matter. Any gloves used in the greenhouse should be regularly washed and dried to prevent cross contamination.
Potting sheds should have a sturdy lock on the door when small children play in the garden. Any chemicals need to be placed on a high shelf, with their caps screwed on tightly. Any residue on the outside of the containers should be removed before storing. I recommend keeping a calendar or log where dates of purchase can be noted. Many active ingredients become unstable or inert after a certain time has elapsed. Having a visible reminder can help keep track of this for you.
A small wall thermometer will help you judge which chemicals are safe for storage in your shed. In general, a wooden shed is much less likely to overheat in comparison to a metal shed. Seeds can be kept in a shoe box with the expiration dates clearly marked. Remove potting soils from their plastic bags and store in air tight containers. Tuck a flour scoop inside each one for an easy way to scoop up soil for pots.
A little maintenance can go a long way in keeping a greenhouse or shed healthy and pleasant to work in. Take a few minutes at least twice a week to clean up and get rid of trash. You will help make your greenhouse a much healthier place to work in.
