Maintaining metal garden tools is important. Tools that have become rusty probably haven’t been cleaned at the end of each day. Brush off all dirt and debris and make sure the surfaces of the tools are dry before you store them. By simply adding a little lubricant to the edges and surfaces of your loppers, trowels and shovels and then wiping them with a soft cloth you can help prevent the surfaces from rusting.
To further prevent your gardening tools from rusting prepare a bucket of sand and then add a small amount of oil (motor oil) so that the sand changes slightly in color. Storing your metal tools in the sand mixture will keep them from rusting.
I’m worried about introducing traces of motor oil into my vegetable garden soil from the tools. Would old vegetable oil work in the sand bucket?
Yes, you can use vegetable oil instead of motor oil. Thanks for tuning in!