To celebrate the start of winter—the season when gardeners actually have time to sharpen and care for their favorite tools—we partnered with the tool experts at Garrett Wade to sponsor a giveaway of a $234 collection of the company's high-quality pruners and loppers, along with supplies for pampering them. And we have a randomly selected winner:
Congratulations to Sue Carbaugh, who gardens in western Washington, and who wrote: "Taking care of my hand tools is something I don't do well, so I enjoyed reading through the tips in this post. I did learn the hard way (by inadvertently spreading disease from fruit tree to fruit tree, resulting in the death of three young apple trees) to dip my pruners in bleach or alcohol between pruning each tree. I trained as a Master Gardener last year and am now much more confident in my pruning abilities..."
Above: Photograph by John Merkl.
The Garrett Wade giveaway collection includes (clockwise from ten o'clock) a set of three diamond paddle hones; a pair of anvil loppers; a pair of French leather handled garden pruners with a leather grip; a box of garden tool oil wipes; a pair of heavy duty bypass loppers with adjustable length handles, and a carbide sharpener in a leather sheath.Looking for more ways to keep busy in the winter months? See our complete archive of Tips & Tools posts.