It’s raining outside. Now What? Well, when it comes to gardening lots actually. I’m not alone when I say there is nothing better than curling up with a dirty soy chai latte and a good seed catalog on a chilly day. However, that’s not what we’re going to do.
Get out of bed or that comfy couch and do some real work like cleaning your pruners. Chances are they can use a good wipe down.
Pruners should be disinfected after pruning diseased plant material or before they are stored away. Using a cotton ball or a clean rag, sterilize pruners with a little rubbing alcohol.
Carefully clean the ins-and-outs of the blade. Whatever gunk remains can be removed with steel wool. I use 00 – very fine grade.
Finally, keep the blade sharp. This is important for making clean cuts. There are a couple of schools of thought on how to properly sharpen blades; circular motion, toe-to-head. My horticulture instructor taught me to sharpen the blade from head-to-toe. Just be careful not to nick the blade or sever your finger.
Next time the call of pruning arises you’ll be ready to go!
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Ooh, I totally need to do this. What’s the tool you use for sharpening?
Hi Anne!
I use Corona’s sharpening tool, found it on sale. However in school I used a sharpening stone and liked it better.
What tool are you using to sharpen the blade?
Nevermind on my question, I saw that you already answered it.
Adriana, I really like you encouraging people to get off their butts and take care of their tools. One last step I might add is to oil the blades. It is always a good idea to oil the blades of metal tools after cleaning and drying. You can find a cheap bottle of 3-in-1 oil at the hardware store or use WD-40 if you have it on hand. Anyway, just a thought and happy gardening!
Thanks, Adriana! Much appreciated.