Handy gardening tools.

Reckless Abandonment · 04-03-2021 11:35am #1

Just thought I'd add a thread for handy tools that people use which others might not be familiar with.

I was given one of these at Christmas and can't recommend them enough. They are so handy for weeding and tidying up my flower beds.
I now couldn't live without it

https://www.niwaki.com/store/hori-hori/?country=IE&currency=EUR&gclid=CjwKCAiAp4KCBhB6EiwAxRxbpJnqSA_HBU__y9E1PGzKlLSBgntN_7vJFem7XGM6-v9lbDt1C2jKLBoCl90QAvD_BwE#P00442-2

looksee · 04-03-2021 3:17pm

This https://www.screwfix.ie/p/roughneck-5lb-mattock-36/85777

Mattock. Absolutely amazing for grubbing up anything and starting into solid ground. One of our most used tools.

And its lighter alternative https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ames-2-Prong-Weeder-Hoe-2825500/204476176

That was the nearest I could find, I bought one very similar in a hardware shop here.

Thud · 04-03-2021 8:08pm

Reckless Abandonment wrote: »

https://www.niwaki.com/store/hori-hori/?country=IE&currency=EUR&gclid=CjwKCAiAp4KCBhB6EiwAxRxbpJnqSA_HBU__y9E1PGzKlLSBgntN_7vJFem7XGM6-v9lbDt1C2jKLBoCl90QAvD_BwE#P00442-2

some lovely stuff on that site, do I need a Japanese hammer?

I would recommend his hoe, makes short work of bramble roots and generally use it for first pass at clearing an area:
https://www.quickcrop.ie/product/falci-classic-heavy-duty-garden-hoe

GreeBo · 04-03-2021 8:12pm

I got one of these a while back and I think they are amazing, its an oscillating stirrup hoe

51-FSIiuz7L._AC_SL1000_.jpg

ednwireland · 04-03-2021 10:13pm

these are handy in my raised beds

Harry Palmr · 04-03-2021 10:18pm

Mini Mattock's are great as well, be it getting a big stone or a deep rooted weed out of the ground.

ellee · 05-03-2021 5:41pm

I bought this in Homebase recently and it is endlessly useful. I suffer a lot with wild garlic so a long nifty weeding tool essential.

https://www.spear-and-jackson.com/products/garden-tools-outdoor-living/traditional-stainless/garden-hand-tools/planting-and-weeding

grassylawn · 05-03-2021 6:17pm

looksee wrote: »

This https://www.screwfix.ie/p/roughneck-5lb-mattock-36/85777

Mattock. Absolutely amazing for grubbing up anything and starting into solid ground. One of our most used tools.

And its lighter alternative https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ames-2-Prong-Weeder-Hoe-2825500/204476176

That was the nearest I could find, I bought one very similar in a hardware shop here.

Yeah I have something like this and it is extremely useful.

magicbastarder · 05-03-2021 7:40pm

ellee wrote: »

I suffer a lot with wild garlic

Heh, one person's plant is another person's weed.

Discodog · 05-03-2021 9:44pm

I have used the Wolf Garten range of Interchangeable tools & handles for decades.

ednwireland · 05-03-2021 11:54pm

oh i also have chillington hoe that my dad bought in the 70s (?) great tool

The Continental Op · 05-03-2021 11:58pm

ellee wrote: »

I bought this in Homebase recently and it is endlessly useful. I suffer a lot with wild garlic so a long nifty weeding tool essential.

https://www.spear-and-jackson.com/products/garden-tools-outdoor-living/traditional-stainless/garden-hand-tools/planting-and-weeding

When that breaks get a builders pointing trowel and file/grind a notch in the end of it. There's a quality of steel in a decent builders trowel that is hard to find in most garden tools.

fiacha · 06-03-2021 6:21pm

Discodog wrote: »

I have used the Wolf Garten range of Interchangeable tools & handles for decades.

I have a few of these myself and they are very good quality.

The Continental Op · 06-03-2021 6:32pm

Discodog wrote: »

I have used the Wolf Garten range of Interchangeable tools & handles for decades.

I'd go back to them but I liked their range before the interchangeable tools.

I still have a couple of the old style where you got a good quality wooden handle painted yellow that you could tap onto the tool you were using. I don't think they were supposed to be interchangeable as such but you had the choice of handle type/length that you attached to the tool. Ancient history now probably 15 years or more since I last saw them.

Edit> I think they used to be called something like Wolf Tap Tight Tools?

Discodog · 06-03-2021 6:55pm

The Continental Op wrote: »

I'd go back to them but I liked their range before the interchangeable tools.

I still have a couple of the old style where you got a good quality wooden handle painted yellow that you could tap onto the tool you were using. I don't think they were supposed to be interchangeable as such but you had the choice of handle type/length that you attached to the tool. Ancient history now probably 15 years or more since I last saw them.

Edit> I think they used to be called something like Wolf Tap Tight Tools?

I've been using the interchangeable for over 25 years & I don't remember the old style

The link is definitely the weak point but I love the versatility. The Push Pull Weeder is a superb tool.

The Continental Op · 06-03-2021 7:19pm

Discodog wrote: »

I've been using the interchangeable for over 25 years & I don't remember the old style

The link is definitely the weak point but I love the versatility. The Push Pull Weeder is a superb tool.

They were a cheaper version of the range. I think that was back when Black and Decker owned the brand name, they split off long ago. Google can't even find me a picture of the old tools.

Another old Wolf tool I've remembered is the Wolf Terrex Auto Spade.

I did find one of the "Tap Tight" if thats what they were called in ebay https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284203012242

The Continental Op · 06-03-2021 7:32pm

btw I'm not recommending the Wolf Terrex Auto Spade to anyone!

SouthWesterly · 06-03-2021 8:22pm

Got delivery yesterday of a row maker from fruithill farms.
https://www.fruithillfarm.com/rowmarker-row-spacer.html

Jackben75 · 06-03-2021 9:11pm

Got a battery operated rotavator on ebay, charge is only 20 mins but it's amazing what can be achieved in that time, using it in the allotment. Highly recommended or indeed a petrol one

The Continental Op · 06-03-2021 11:01pm

SouthWesterly wrote: »

Got delivery yesterday of a row maker from fruithill farms.
https://www.fruithillfarm.com/rowmarker-row-spacer.html

I used to have similar homemade tool(s) for planting out from small posts and modules.

This was sort of commercial work and was done by putting a fine tilth on the soil with a rotavator on a mini tractor and then making the planting holes with these tools. Imaging your row maker with plant pot sized blocks of wood instead of the row makers and a length of wood at each end at right angles to give the spacing.

Nearest thing I can find online is a garlic planting rig https://www.gardenfork.tv/homemade-garlic-planting-tool/

The Continental Op · 06-03-2021 11:12pm

I have my eye on a lawn leveling lute https://www.ebay.ie/itm/Level-rake-garten-levelawn-lawn-rasen-topdressing/324498266868

Expensive but if I can get some decent topsoil delivered this year I will finally get around to making the lawn level.

It works by going over the high spots and leaving the soil in the hollows. Once you have a really good level lawn you can use it to work sand, fine soil and compost into the sward to improve it. On a really good lawn you would hardly know you'd put anything on it by the time you had worked it in with a lawn lute.

Much wider ones are used on golf greens to get them perfectly level.

SnowyMuckish · 06-03-2021 11:30pm

Brilliant idea for a thread, thanks RA! Looks like a great gadget too but I couldn’t stop laughing at their tip/‘warning’....

Mightn’t be too effective on my clay quarry of a garden I might as well start up my own pottery business :pac: :pac:

The Continental Op · 07-03-2021 12:01am

SnowyMuckish wrote: »

Brilliant idea for a thread, thanks RA! Looks like a great gadget too but I couldn’t stop laughing at their tip/‘warning’....

Mightn’t be too effective on my clay quarry of a garden I might as well start up my own pottery business :pac: :pac:

I've just the tool for you then

I was just going to post about it anyway.

I'll post several pictures which should give the idea.

e-a-bowles-famous-two-pronged-fork-kept-at-rhs-garden-wisley-CE6JCF.jpg

Now none of those is exactly what I'm on about. What you need is the shorter prong length of the E A Bowles fork (last photo) and a really short handle. The tool only needs to be 2 ft from tyne tip to top of handle. Then used when you are nealt down you have a hand fork on steroids. Just as useful for deep seated docks as removing a bit of herbaceous perenial for propagation.

Now while I'm at it I'll also add another tool or rather a useful duplicate. A second garden fork here's why...

Weepsie · 07-03-2021 5:01pm

looksee wrote: »

This https://www.screwfix.ie/p/roughneck-5lb-mattock-36/85777

Mattock. Absolutely amazing for grubbing up anything and starting into solid ground. One of our most used tools.

And its lighter alternative https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ames-2-Prong-Weeder-Hoe-2825500/204476176

That was the nearest I could find, I bought one very similar in a hardware shop here.

Just snapped a shovel attacking briar roots in my garden. Getting one of these I think.

Discodog · 07-03-2021 7:12pm

The Continental Op wrote: »

btw I'm not recommending the Wolf Terrex Auto Spade to anyone!

Always wanted to try one

Re: Mattocks. I bought a mattock head from B&Q & then cut off the axe part. I matched it to a yellow fibreglass handle from B&Q. It's a perfect tool. It can be used one handed for planting & then swung two handed for roots etc.

I have a nice Hori Hori but I actually prefer to use this.

https://www.amazon.com/Fiskars-Grip-Garden-Knife-70796935J/dp/B000F95CZY

GreeBo · 07-03-2021 8:13pm

The Continental Op wrote: »

I have my eye on a lawn leveling lute https://www.ebay.ie/itm/Level-rake-garten-levelawn-lawn-rasen-topdressing/324498266868

Expensive but if I can get some decent topsoil delivered this year I will finally get around to making the lawn level.

It works by going over the high spots and leaving the soil in the hollows. Once you have a really good level lawn you can use it to work sand, fine soil and compost into the sward to improve it. On a really good lawn you would hardly know you'd put anything on it by the time you had worked it in with a lawn lute.

Much wider ones are used on golf greens to get them perfectly level.

I've toyed with making one due to the expense of them!
Btw, they make ground flat, not necessarily level!
(Level greens are boring!)

looksee · 07-03-2021 10:30pm

Weepsie wrote: »

Just snapped a shovel attacking briar roots in my garden. Getting one of these I think.

You won't regret it, it will eat briar roots!

Weepsie · 08-03-2021 12:05am

looksee wrote: »

You won't regret it, it will eat briar roots!

Wish I knew about it last year, I've cut back about 30-40sqm of briar and dug up all manner of roots by hand. Neighbours garden is completely overgrown so have to get ours under better control and hope he cops on

grassylawn · 08-03-2021 1:57am

I cleared an aread.about 20 sq m that was severely overgrown with briars and nettles using an old heavy mattock type tool. Took ages but can't imagine using a different tool to complete it. Covered it with a weedproof membrane and chips from prined wood that I shredded. Really nice area two years later.

ellee · 08-03-2021 11:02am

magicbastarder wrote: »

Heh, one person's plant is another person's weed.

Yeah I made that mistake when I moved in. I said, oh look at all the lovely flowers, how nice! Turned around a couple of years later to the beds DROWNING in WILD GARLIC.

It's taken me years to wrestle back control.... :pac:

SouthWesterly · 08-03-2021 11:23am

ellee wrote: »

Yeah I made that mistake when I moved in. I said, oh look at all the lovely flowers, how nice! Turned around a couple of years later to the beds DROWNING in WILD GARLIC.

It's taken me years to wrestle back control.... :pac:

Wild garlic.

tell me where you live

Handy gardening tools.

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