By the time the last tomato plant comes out of the ground, it’s tempting to toss your shovel, pruners, and trowels into the shed and forget about them until spring. That shortcut can leave you opening the shed months later to find rusted metal, dull blades, cracked handles, and tools that are harder to use than you remember. Quality garden tools aren’t cheap, and replacing several neglected ones can wipe out much of the money you saved by growing your own vegetables. A little winter garden tool maintenance now can protect what you already own and make the first gardening day next spring considerably easier. Before you shut the shed door for the season, give your tools these six simple forms of attention.
