This one garden task will protect your plants from pests and diseases this fall — and you'll be surprised

Fall might be here, but that doesn’t mean you need to stop taking care of your backyard. In fact, this is the ideal time to do those crucial gardening chores to ensure your plants and lawn are in good shape for next year.

But before you get to work outdoors, there’s one fall garden task we often forget to do — that will prevent our plants from diseases and pests. And while we might assume it would be jobs such as raking leaves or protecting your lawn, this task is not so obvious. So what is this one fall garden task we mustn't skip?

Clean your garden tools

Even our trusted gardening tools need some TLC this fall. If you don’t clean them properly — especially during the fall — the wetter, cooler weather can increase the risk of spreading diseases like powdery mildew, and attract pests.

Such damp conditions often breed bacteria, viruses, and fungi that can all live in the soil, and plant debris that might be stuck on your tools. What's more, if not disinfected properly, your tools can transfer such germs onto healthy plants, and can spread diseases that could kill them.

Ideally, any gardening tool, from pruning shears to shovels, must be cleaned after each use to avoid this from happening.

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How to clean garden tools

Knowing how to clean your garden tools is fairly simple, and can be done in five minutes. Begin by brushing off any dirt or caked-on soil on your garden tool with a stiff wire brush or steel wool until all the excess dirt is gone.

Next, fill a bucket with a mixture of equal parts warm soapy water, dish soap, and white vinegar before soaking your garden tools. Ensure that tools with moving parts, such as shears or pruning cutters, are disassembled for a thorough clean. Leave to soak for an hour or two before removing the remaining dirt or rust that would have lifted.

Once all the dirt has been removed, rinse thoroughly in clean water until the soapy solution is removed, and dry your tools with a clean microfiber cloth. Finally, lightly coat the metal blades of your tools in linseed oil, multi-purpose oil or WD-40 to prevent rusting.

This simple task will make all the difference to your fall gardening chores, and will help your plants thrive in the long-run.

For more tips, here’s 5 ways to get rid of rust stains and look after your garden tools.

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