Winter tool care

Before storing your tools make sure you give them a good clean. Sharpen the blades of brush-cutters, loppers, secateurs and shears. Lightly spray the metal surfaces with a protective oil or grease to prevent rusting.

Clean forks, spades and trowels with a wire brush and lightly grease. Make sure you sand down any wooden handled tools and preserve the wood with linseed oil.

After giving your lawn its final cut of the year, book your mower in for a service.

Alternatively, for petrol mowers, drain the petrol, remove grass and soil from the rollers, sharpen and grease the blades and store in a dry shed or garage.

For electric mowers, clean and remove earth and grass from the undersides and check for cracks and damage on the plastic covers. Blunt blades can be sharpened but replace badly worn or damaged blades.

You can re-use any cracked or broken earthenware pots by partially burying any that are base-less in the soil and fill with small plants such as herbs. This also helps to keep the plants contained and prevents them from spreading. Pots can also provide a winter retreat for wildlife if left upside down in the garden, just ensure there are no really sharp edges.

Recycle broken plastic pots and wash all the others with warm water and detergent to reduce the chance of disease. Keep them off the ground away from slugs and snails looking for a haven during the cold months.

Repair any damaged or cracked panes or windows in your greenhouse and apply a water-based treatment, such as one from Ronseal or Cuprinol, to wooden sheds and fences.

Discard any open tins and bottles of fertilisers and paints that have gone off – most councils will provide safe disposal of all of these items.