Well-wrapped up in winter Preparing garden tools for the cold season of the year Last pit stop before winter storage Before tools and devices are packaged and stored, they must be thoroughly cleaned. Once hobby gardeners have cleaned their tools with water, it is essential that they rub them dry. Otherwise they may be covered in a film of rust during the winter. When working on motor-driven garden tools, it is essential that you first pull out the plug, remove any batteries and, in the case of petrol-driven motors, also remove the plug connectors and unscrew the spark plug.  Here are another six important tips to ensure that winter storage runs smoothly: •Empty out tanks on any petrol-driven tools and leave motor running until it stops •Clean air filters and spark plugs and reinsert them •Cover lawnmower and store in a place protected against frost •Charge Lithium-Ion batteries prior to the winter break •Remove batteries from the charger •Store battery-powered devices, Lithium-Ion batteries and chargers separately from each other in a dry, closed and frost-proof location Not just lawnmowers, robotic lawnmowers and docking stations need a protected place in the winter. Exposed cables and connections can remain outside. But hobby gardeners can store them in a robust plastic box to keep them safe and protected against weather influences during seasons when the lawn is not mown. Irrigation systems in hibernation Rain water tanks and watering cans should be completely emptied prior to the first frost. Otherwise, they may burst. Hobby gardeners should also run pumps, hoses, sprayers and sprinklers completely empty, and then store them in a dry place, protected against frost. Outside taps and water pipes exposed to frost should be shut off over the main tap and bled off. In this way, frozen water cannot damage or destroy them. The watering accessories such as the latest generation sprayers and sprinklers by Gardena are frost-proof. If an automated irrigation system is used, garden owners should ideally drain all the water from the system. In order to avoid unpleasant surprises, they should also remove all valves and store then protected against frost. The  Gardena Drain Valve prevents frost damage to underground pipelines through automatic drainage when the system is shut down. The valve opens at a water pressure of below approx. 0.2 bar in the system. Those who are uncertain when to switch off the irrigation system can simply use the smart Water Control: thanks to an integrated temperature sensor, this will automatically send a warning to the Gardena smart App before the temperatures get too cold. Then it is time to store the device in a place protected against frost.