According to the National Gardening Association Annual Survey, interest in gardening in the U.S. nearly doubled in 2020. Those numbers included new gardeners who needed new tools, and those who had returned to gardening (thanks to free time provided by the quarantine) and found that neglect had taken a toll on their garden tools.  When you consider that garden tools can be quite a monetary investment for a gardener, a class on Tool Care made sense.  Keeping garden tools properly stored, cleaned, and stored not only saves time, and money, but also makes tools safer and easier to use, while helping to prevent the unnecessary spread of diseases and damage to your plants. Tool Care was offered virtually as a part of the Everyday Gardener class series (a collaborative effort of Central Kentucky Horticulture agents) In Tool Care, participants were given a comprehensive list of supplies and instructions needed to clean and store tools as efficiently as possible. Demonstrations were given on how to remove rust, oil moving parts and wooden handles, clean and sharpen tools, with simple household items on hand. Participants were also supplied with tool oil and sharpeners to use with the knowledge and skills they gained.

Of those taking the class, 87% said they planned to put use the knowledge they gained immediately, and 13% said they would use it in the next garden season.  

One participant said “It’s been half a century since I saw my father take care of his tools. I have never sharpened a tool before, but I am now more confident to do so.”