A little care now will pay dividends later
As we gear up for getting extremely busy, one of the easiest ways of saving money later in the year is to make sure all your equipment is in good order and clean. I often talk about cleaning and sharpening tools, but all our other essential pieces of kit can have years added to their lives if they are well looked after.
Even ‘cheap’ items can become costly if we need to buy them anew each year, so on this page I single out some of the necessities that are worth looking after. I’ve also been giving our greenhouse the once-over, washing down windows and disinfecting the tables and shelves as well as making sure the panes are firmly secure in preparation for the spring.
Four cleaning jobs
Cane ends can start to rot after a summer in the ground so clean off the soil and wipe them down with oil.
Use white spirit to clean writing off plastic plant labels, then wash off the chemical, so they can be used year after year.
Always wash pots before reusing them to remove old soil, compost, pests, weeds and contaminants.
Garden birds will be busy pairing up and nesting. Wash feeders and bird baths regularly to keep them disease-free.
Find more tips, advice and articles like this at the Amateur Gardening website. Subscribe to Amateur Gardening magazine now.
