Here at Stephanie’s Kitchen Garden this week we will begin the winter clean of all our pots and tools. Last year I treated myself to a sneeboer tool maintenance kit and gave all our tools some thorough care and attention. After use, we always wipe our tools down and hang them neatly on a tool rack in the potting shed. Over the winter we will oil and sharpen the blades and cutting edges and treat the wooden handles with linseed oil. Well cared for tools can last a lifetime.
The greenhouse has now been bubble wrapped and the heater is keeping it frost free and cosy. It’s an ideal place to work on a cold winter’s day. Armed with a large bucket of hot water, a pot brush, some soap and the radio, and the pot cleaning can begin. This is a satisfying job. It’s also a good opportunity to take stock of greenhouse supplies of feeds and pest control. The staging is cleaned as tidied as we go and slowly the greenhouse resets itself for a fresh season of growing next year.
