Garden Club checking in about those winter tasks

WOW!!! THIS WORKSHOP IS FULL!!!!

WE DON’T HAVE ROOM FOR ANY MORE PARTICIPANTS

||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND GARDEN CLUB |||

Winter is a fantastic time to take care of those precious garden tools, make necessary repairs, sharpen blades, and oil moving parts. After all, these specialized tools help us complete tasks more quickly, and often more safely with less effort, so they deserve a little TLC.

In November of 2020, board members were asked to share their favorite garden tool for a newsletter article. Responses came back with implements you would expect. Sally had her favorite garden boots, Helen adored her all-purpose cultivator/hoe and Jan relied on her trusty rake. However, unexpected responses included Tony’s fermentation crock all the way from Poland. By far my favorite reply was Perri’s. It was her hands, and I often think back on that with a smile because I can totally relate.

Who doesn’t love getting covered in muck during an ambitious day in the garden and finally being rewarded at the end of a hard day with a well-deserved shower? Bonus points for noticing dark brown dirt underneath your fingernails. Both Perri and I find it very satisfying to plunge our fingers into the cool damp soil and feel the textures and, if we are lucky, perhaps a worm!

“Why don’t you ever wear gloves?” comments my husband. Looking down at my dirty hands and admiring the new scrapes on my knuckles and a small bruise on the back of my hand, I reply, “I can’t feel what I’m doing with gloves on. How is it possible to plant seeds with gloves on anyways?!”

Whether your favorite tool is a Hori Hori knife or your very own hands, tools are important to us gardeners and we must take good care of them so they’ll last a long time. Make yourself some moisturizing hand scrub.

Just mix equal parts of dead sea salt and coconut oil. Don’t forget to add your favorite essential oil and some finely chopped dried flowers for color. Why not make enough to share with a few gardener friends?!

For your hard-working pruners, we have an extra special treat for them coming in February. Come discover the use of a whetstone, the best way to sharpen and oil your pruners, with Marguerite Greening at a ‘DIG IN’ member experience.

For now, take a good look at your tools and devote some time to rejuvenate them. You’ll be happy you did because sharp pruners make cleaner cuts that heal more efficiently, resulting in a healthier plant. I hope you’ll join me for some great learning with Marguerite.