An electric drill will keep your garden tools polished and sharp. Use a wire brush attachment to scour rust from neglected tools; a coarse disc can put an edge back on a nicked axe or mower blade much faster than a file and whetstone. Do it quickly, so that the high-speed sanding doesn't heat the steel and ruin its temper.
After polishing and sharpening your tools, keep blades and teeth bright with a coat of oil; dirty oil from your car or power mower is as effective as any and costs nothing.
For jobs too big for a trowel but too small for a spade or shovel, use a hoe.
Use a wide putty knife for scraping earth from shovels and trowels. Use it also for delicate weeding between closely planted vegetables and for cultivating the soil in the crevices of a rock garden.
Another
great way to look after your tools is to buy a garden shed
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