Another summer cottage season has come to an end. Almost all the work is done, which means it's time to take care of your trusty helpers—your gardening equipment. If your country house is unoccupied during the winter, it's recommended to move the equipment inside, where it's protected from intruders. But beforehand, it's important to clean and treat it.
Winterizing garden tools
Every gardener has a fair amount of tools: pruning shears, pitchforks, lawn mowers, rakes, hoes, shovels, and chainsaws. All of this must be properly stored for the winter to prevent equipment failure. A well-equipped shed is the best solution for storing all of this equipment. However, there's a significant difference between storing tools in a cottage, where people live year-round, and in a summer house, where they only occasionally visit in the winter. In this situation, a shed may not be the most secure storage option and can be broken into. Hand tools are easier to prepare for winter:
- Rakes, pruning shears, pitchforks, shovels, hoes, saws and other equipment must be thoroughly washed and dried.
- It's essential to repair anything that's fallen into disrepair during the busy gardening season—replace cuttings, remove corrosion, sharpen metal. When the weather warms up, there won't be time to do this.
- Wooden parts, such as cuttings, can be coated with vegetable oil if there is concern that they will crack in the cold.
Metal parts must be coated with machine oil and wrapped in cloth covers.
Inventory room in the house
Country houses typically don't have separate storage areas for tools. Of course, you can ask for minor adjustments to the layout during the design process, but sometimes it's too much work. So, after a few years, when the dacha is already inhabited, the garden and vegetable patch have been landscaped, and there's time for crafts, such as woodworking, you have to find a place for a small room to store tools. A utility room is usually the first thought.
You may be interested in:To store tools, set aside a neat area about two meters by two meters along the wall of a garage or storage room on the first (or basement) floor. This area is used for:
- Workbench, work place with drawers.
- Shelves.
- Tool racks.
Maintaining chainsaws, mini tractors, lawn mowers, and snow removal equipment requires the use of industrial oils and gasoline. Therefore, it's a good idea to allocate a garage space for storing and refueling them. If a separate room is allocated for tools, it should be located near the outside wall of the dacha and have a separate entrance to the garden. You can also choose a corner for tools in the storage room where garden furniture is stored. The advantages of this combination include saving space in the house, providing a separate entrance from the utility room to the garden (the floor in the storage room should be level with the garden paths), and being located close to the garage.
It's important to consider lighting and ventilation. It's best if the room receives sunlight. Natural ventilation (through cracks and doors) and a mechanical exhaust system with a compact fan are available options.
Tool shed
Storage areas for equipment are typically built among trees. Firewood sheds are suitable. Prefabricated garden sheds and ready-made mini-houses typically have a pitched wooden roof covered with roofing felt. For a ridged roof, wooden shingles or asphalt shingles are appropriate. The walls can be covered with clapboard. The floor is constructed on joists installed on concrete posts.
Wood flooring will last longer if ventilation is provided from below. Metal sheds, similar to garages, can be installed in the garden. Models with tool shelving and those that require modification are available.
You may be interested in:Motor-powered tools
Preparing tools with electric motors for winter is more challenging. These include: gas trimmers, chainsaws, cultivators, and lawn mowers.
Experts recommend:
- Clean the instruments from contamination.
- All fuel must be drained and the equipment allowed to idle for a short period of time to allow the tank to drain.
- The previously used engine oil should also be drained and replaced with fresh oil to prevent the engine from remaining dry over the winter.
- By the way, the used oil can be used to thoroughly wipe down all components that have come into contact with soil, wood, and vegetation.
- Spark plugs must be removed, cleaned of carbon deposits, and returned to prevent debris from getting inside.
- Be sure to check all filter elements and replace them if necessary.
- Tools should be stored vertically on the wall. Shelves will also work.
You may be interested in:Many people are curious about how to store welding machines. Many summer residents believe that leaving them in the cold is prohibited, so they bring them inside or take them to the city. It turns out, however, that inverter equipment is perfectly safe to store in a garage or shed.
Otherwise, there's a high risk of damage due to moisture penetration and electrical shorts. Remove the battery from electrical equipment, clean its terminals, and recharge it. The battery itself should be stored in a warm place; storing it in subzero temperatures is prohibited. Tools can be left in a utility room until warmer temperatures arrive. The basic rule for using power tools brought from a cold place into a warm place is the same as for an inverter: wait 2 hours!
The principles of preserving equipment during cold weather are simple: clean, dry, grease, store in its proper place, keep batteries at home, and drain the fuel. By taking care to ensure your equipment is ready for use in the spring, you can keep your tools in perfect condition.
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