On Wed, 17 Dec 2008 10:11:53 -0800 (PST), "
wrote:

[...]


Take care of your tools

If you’re like most people, your tools are leaning against the wall in
the garage or shed, just where you left them the last time you were
working in the garden. And they probably still have chunks of dried
dirt and dead grass stuck to them. A few minutes invested now will pay
dividends next spring.

Start by cleaning mud and dirt off shovels, forks and trowels. That’s
a minimum, but it’s also a good idea to rub the metal parts with an
oily rag. If you have a can of WD-40 on the shelf, that'll work fine.
If you have any linseed oil, rub it on to the wooden handles to
prevent them drying and cracking.

[...]

Thank YOU for the heads-up! I am guilty of all of the above. Will
take care of tools ASAP.

Just before I returned from a 3-week trip we had two huge storms!
Great for the garden*, and great for parched So. Calif in general.

(Too bad the area does not yet have infrastructure in place to
capture the damn rain instead of letting just run out to sea!!!
My buckets on front porch are overflowing; wish I'd thought to
set out trash cans instead.)

Reason I mention the storms: Hedge trimmers and big clippers
accidentally left out; blades rusted. I've been immersing rusted
pruners, etc. in vinegar and then cleaning off and oiling.

*** Anybody have better suggestion?

* Everything looks in good shape. Snow peas climbing up trellis.
First batch of radishes about used up; time to replant. Baby
spinach for dinner last night...yum. Bok choy needs thinning.
Beets doing OK, but need thinning. (I am always chicken about
thinning, though I know it's counterproductive to be anthropopathic
about plants.) Couple of big tomatoes slowly ripening. Some weird
cherry tomatoes still hanging on; never get red. Brussels
sprouts doing OK, but full of holes. Strewed some snailbait;
hope it works. Same for mesclum, which is leaping out of the
ground; will soon need to be pulled & replaced. Carrots going
gangbusters; same with green onions.