General Horticulture
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Winterize Landscape Equipment
by Sarah Browning, UNL Extension Educator
Before putting your garden equipment and tools away for the winter, clean and sharpen them to minimize rust and ensure that they are ready for use in spring.
Remove soil, rust and other debris with a wire brush or steel wool. It may be necessary to dissolve accumulated sap and resin on some pruning tools with a solvent, such as kerosene, and to loosen the pivot bolt and separate the blades for proper cleaning and sharpening. Position the tool, using a bench vise or clamp if needed, so you can put the proper bevel on the cutting edge with a flat file or whetstone. Remove any metal burrs from the backside of the cutting edge with 300 grit wet/dry sandpaper when sharpening is completed. Finish with a light application of good quality oil to prevent rusting.
As you prepare your lawn mower and other tools for winter storage, don't forget to winterize your sprayers and fertilizer spreader. Smooth, dependable pesticide application next summer depends largely on the care and maintenance that sprayers and spreaders receive over the winter.
Compressed air sprayer tanks should be filled one-fourth full with mild dishwashing solution. Shake the sealed tank to loosen any spray residues. Pressurize the tank and spray out the water. Drain the tank upside down until thoroughly dry.
Once dry, place a few drops of oil into the top of the pump cylinder. Pump the cylinder several times to coat the cylinder and valves with an oil film. Reassemble the sprayer before storing.
Nozzle tips and screens should be removed and cleaned with soapy water. Clogged nozzle tips should be cleaned with a sliver of wood or other soft object, not with wire. An old toothbrush, properly labeled as being meant for pesticide use only and stored with the sprayer, works very well to clean spray residue and other deposits from nozzles. Store nozzle tips and screens in diesel fuel or kerosene to prevent corrosion.
Fertilizer spreaders are used not only to apply fertilizers, but also granular insecticides and herbicides. Thoroughly clean the spreader of all materials. Apply oil to the bottom of the hopper and all moving parts. Store the spreader with the shutter or gate fully open.
Source: John Fech, UNL Extension Educator.
This resource was added December 2011 and appeared in the Lincoln Journal Star Newspaper Sunday edition. For information on reproducing this article or using any photographs or graphics, read the Terms of Use statement.
University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension in Lancaster County is your on-line yard and garden educational resource. The information on this Web site is valid for residents of southeastern Nebraska. It may or may not apply in your area. If you live outside southeastern Nebraska, visit your local Extension office
Contact Information University of Nebraska-Lincoln
in Lancaster County
Web site: lancaster.unl.edu
444 Cherrycreek Road, Suite A,
Lincoln, NE 68528 | 402-441-7180
