Adobe Stock
They are essential for plant maintenance, but require minimal care. Explanations.
Do you have a kit for a gardener in your garden house? Roses, tulips, hedges, tomatoes… you take care of all your plants, but disinfecting tools like rakes etc. is essential.
Why disinfect them?
First of all, it is recommended to disinfect garden tools to ensure their long life. There is no point in letting earth, water or any other material damage the instrument in the medium or long term, such as rust or scale. Moisture poses a risk of damage to your equipment, so drying is essential.
From another perspective, some plants may be victims of fungi or bacteria. Unfortunately, if you use the same material for all your plants, you run the risk of contaminating all the plants.
What tools are affected?
Here is a list of the most common tools that need annual cleaning during the winter, provided they have not been in contact with contaminated plants. In this case, they will need to be disinfected after each use:
- Garden shears
- Scissors
- Board
- Spade
- Spade fork
- Hoe
- Serfueta
- Fang
- Saw
- Grelinette
- Chainsaw
- Branch cutter
- Lumberjacks
- Knives
- rake
- Plant crusher
- Pruning hooks
- Scissors
- Tutors
- Wheel
- Mower blades
- Pots
- Planters
Read also15 basic garden tools
How to disinfect tools?
First, run a brush over the handle to remove any elements left on it, then clean it with a mixture of water and black soap before starting on the metal part.
Do not forget to bypass the screws, in the crossing of the blades, even if it means taking the device completely apart with great care.
With what products?
You can soak a cloth or cotton with 90° alcohol or methyl alcohol, then run it over the cutting parts of the tools and let it air dry.
For containers (pots, buckets, etc.), you can remove any soil, stems or leaves remaining on the bottom, then sponge wash the inside with clean water and white vinegar, then rinse with water and allow to dry (in fresh air or with a cloth) before storing or stacking.
For stakes, a solution based on water and vinegar will be finished with a layer of Bordeaux mixture after drying.