New shovels will not give you your gardening 'edge'

Use an electric hand grinder to sharpen your spades. New spades do not come with a sharp edge and keeping the spades sharp will make gardening much easier.

Try to keep the blade edge angle consistent as you sharpen and keep the grinder moving to avoid having the blade get too hot. If the metal starts to turn blue or black, then you have let the metal get too hot, which takes the temper out and weakens the blade. To avoid overheating, dip the spades in water or use a spray bottle to cool them off.

Be sure to use personal protective gear when you are sharpening the blades as the electric grinder will be very noisy and throw off sparks as you work on the blades. You should wear gloves and ear protection.

• When turning on your irrigation system for the first time this year, monitor each zone to ensure uniform coverage. Sprinkler heads can become plugged or not rotate properly, leaving dry areas. Soft, excessively wet spots in the lawn can indicate a leak in the system.

• If you are running late in getting your garden cleaned up, it is OK to continue removing garden debris from beds and cutting back perennials. The perennials will have begun growing so be very careful when cutting them back and removing debris to avoid damaging new shoots. Cut perennials back higher above ground to help avoid damaging new growth. Be gentle if you are using a rake in your perennial borders, as the new growth of perennials can be easily damaged.

• Many garden beds have irregular edges. Beds will look better and be easier to mow along if they have smooth, flowing curves. Use a pliable garden hose or rope to lay out your new bed line. All clumps of grass should be removed from the bed and any clods of soil should be broken up and spread around. Avoid the "volcano effect" around trees, which is caused by piling soil and mulch up around the trunk.

• Tim Johnson is director of horticulture at Chicago Botanic Garden, chicagobotanic.org.