Earl Buchan wrote:
1. It's Tool Time
Your tools are probably leaning against the wall of your garage or
basement, still caked with the dried-on dirt from the last time you
used them a couple of months ago. Admit it! I'm right aren't I?
Invest a few minutes and your tools will actually be useable next
spring.

Clean mud and dirt off shovels, forks and trowels at a very minimum.
You can then rub the metal parts with an oily rag. If you've got some
WD-40 handy, that'll work fine. Another tip: professional landscapers
rub the wooden handles with linseed oil to prevent them drying and
cracking.

But DO NOT wad up the linseed oil-soaked cloth and toss it aside. Spread it
out, outside, so that it will dry completly. This will prevent spontanious
combustion that linseed oil soaked rags are known for.