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Winter Projects
Garden Tips Newsletter - December 18, 2000

Although many of us in the South experience a mild winter compared to our northern neighbors, there are still garden projects for us during those "cool" winter days. I usually take this time of year, in between Christmas parties and shopping, to clean up my tools, pots, and garden accessories. Cleaning your tools is very important after each garden project, but too often we forget. So take out all your hand tools, rakes, shovels, and other tools of the trade and set them out for washing. Clean off your tools with a stiff brush or a hard spray of water. Let them dry and use a paper towel to get rid of access water. After they are dry, coat them with a thin coating of oil to prevent rusting. After a particular busy summer of gardening I usually need to sharpen my blades and repair the wooden handles on my tools. Sharpening the blades on shovels, trowels, and other tools is done with a file. If you have never sharpened your tools before, find someone to help you. It takes a little skill, but is easy to master. Tools with wooden handles can be sanded to smooth out rough spots. If a tool has had a really rough gardening season I sometimes repaint or stain the wooden handles. I always follow this with a coating of varnish or waterproof stain to protect the wood.In addition to cleaning my tools, I try to clean out my pots (those without plants). With possible freezes and inclement weather awaiting us this winter, cleaning out pots is important. Terra cotta and ceramic pots with soil left in them can crack or split during freezing weather. It is best to empty out the soil, wash them out, and store them upside down or inside during the winter months. Plastic, metal, concrete, and wooden containers are more freeze-proof, but can show signs of weathering. If you aren't using your containers go ahead and store them during the winter months.

My other winter project is to look out for the birds. This time of year I always keep fresh water and food available for the bird population. Food becomes scarce in the winter and after this drought, food will be especially hard to find. Birdseed is not that expensive and the rewards of watching the birds far outweigh the expense. If you have birdhouses, clean them out to welcome new guests.

These archived newsletters were written by Dr. Lelia Scott Kelly. Kelly is a Horticulture Specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service. Her office is in the North Mississippi Research & Extension Center, Verona.