Hello, leisurely gardener. It’s supposed to be cooler again this week. If you have kohl crops in your garden, they should be doing well. It was unusually warm last week, but I hope you’re enjoying this cool snap. Make sure you water all your pots and your garden well, as temperatures can climb into the 30s on Tuesday and Wednesday. I don’t anticipate freezing, but when the dry roots are low enough they are susceptible to frost damage. Wet soil, not waterlogging, protects them. If you have been pruning this month (Article 1.15) and are resting your garden this winter. This is the perfect time to prepare your gardening tools for spring. To clean metal parts: Use a coarse metal brush to scrub away dirt from tools. Followed by a damp rag to pick up any remaining particles. Scrape off the rust with sandpaper or a steel wool pad, depending on the degree. You can also soak it in white vinegar for 24 hours. Vinegar helps dissolve rust. Then proceed to scrub. Sharpen with a file, whetstone, whetstone, etc. that match the size of the blade. On pruning tools, sharpen only the cutting edge. When all is done, grease with WD-40, linseed oil, or light cooking oil. Then use a wooden handle to sand the rough areas. When the whole is smooth, apply linseed oil. When finished, store the tool in a dry place and place it in a bucket of sand. This will help whip up moisture and have some on hand when you need it. I look forward to hearing from you. Fort Bend County hosts the Master Gardener’s Fruit Tree Sale every February 11th.