Before you head out this spring to cut off those broken branches or prune your shrubs back into shape, you need the right tools – saws and clippers with sharp edges free of sap and resin. Dull cutting surfaces can do serious damage to the plants you’ve nurtured through years of patient care. There’s no reason why you can’t sharpen your own tools and, at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 26, members of the Massachusetts Master Gardener Association will show you how.
Start Sharp, the first educational program of the new year at Elm Bank, is presented jointly by the Massachusetts Horticultural Society and MMGA. And, it’s free. It’s Mass Hort’s way of kicking off ‘Saturday Mornings at Elm Bank’ and introducing the 2011 educational series to old and new gardeners alike.
Bring a reasonable number of clean (dirt-free) tools you’d like to have sharpened to the Education Building at Elm Bank. If you have a sharpening tool, bring that, too. Master Gardeners will show you how to clean and sharpen blades. By the end of the morning, you’ll know what tools you’ll need to maintain your gardening implements at home and to use them properly. You’ll also learn the difference between bypass and anvil pruners and what type of job each tool is best for, and when you need to use a saw rather than clippers. For more information, and directions to Elm Bank, log on to www.masshort.org.
