The alternative guide to garden tools

The stringent stay-at-home restrictions of the pandemic have generated a golden age of gardening. Many of us have looked to the natural world for distraction, reassurance and respite, whether as a hobby, for wellbeing or as a means to grow food.

There has also been a noticeable shift in the look of our green spaces and in the way we garden. Both are rapidly evolving to reflect a broader awareness of environmental degradation and of the overwhelmingly negative impact of pesticides. These can easily be avoided altogether and clever artisan tools can help take the strain.

As a well-travelled botanical writer with a magpie’s eye for hardware, and many years’ experience as a head gardener (currently at a certified organic private garden and cut flower enterprise in Wiltshire), I have developed an extensive but carefully curated collection of internationally sourced garden tools. These reduce the physical demands of chemical-free gardening, are aesthetically pleasing and age gracefully alongside me.

It feels good to invest in well-crafted ergonomic tools. I first noticed the ingenious detail of superior gardening tools during a year I spent in Japan as a Daiwa scholar and many of my capsule collection are Japanese in origin. If you are ready to turn away from the dark underbelly of horticulture and go organic, it could be time to update your toolkit and reassess the green credentials of your plot.

Broadfork

The large size and awkward appearance of this wide two-handled fork preclude it from being an instant sell but I urge you to persevere, watch an online tutorial (actually quite entertaining) and give it a try. The broadfork makes light work out of clumpy rough ground and neglected borders. A low steel crossbar holds long tines shaped with a parabolic curve that facilitate an easy rolling motion. As the handles are pulled down the tines lift through the soil.

Although a very physical process, the width of the fork and the easy motion make this an enjoyable way to prepare ground. It is ideal for use in heavier soils, loosening and aerating compacted areas prior to planting, and can also be used for lifting root crops. This is a good alternative to a rotavator, causing less damage to soil structure, organisms and microbial life. It is also less polluting and less costly.

Bronze oscillating hoe

Also called a stirrup or swivel hoe, this is the most efficient tool for weeding a veg or cut flower patch and areas of gravel. Newly germinated weeds are the easiest to deal with and a sharp hoe worked shallowly through the surface effortlessly dispatches them. A blade sharpened on both sides swivels on its pivot and slices through roots on both the forward and back motion, making this handsome tool a clever combination of a dutch and draw hoe.

The flat sides of the boxy design protect the foliage of surrounding plants, the swivel aiding accuracy and agility. Used regularly, copper tools are believed to deter destructive slugs and snails.

Folding pull saws

These are precision pruning tools that are critical for well-maintained, healthy trees and shrubs. Designed to cut on the pull stroke, the blade will be under tension on the cutting stroke and therefore won’t get stuck and bow. Clean, smooth cuts encourage plants to heal quickly, thus reducing the risk of disease entering through a pruning wound.

My preference is for Silky Saws, made in Japan and distributed worldwide. The Pocketboy range is compact and lightweight, slipping easily into your pocket for convenient storage and easy mobility. They are ideal for light pruning. Teeth with four cutting angles provide clean, fast sawing, so there are fewer vibrations and less effort required.

Ho-mi

A tough, simple hand tool originating in the farming villages of Korea. Primarily of use for cultivation and weeding but also good for breaking up lumpy ground and mixing in compost. Used on the pull stroke, it consists of a short wooden handle and wide hand-forged steel blade. The curved blade has a sharp point that (with practice) is very useful for thinning seedlings and rooting out tough weeds.

The sharp edge is good when working heavy soils, but you may choose to keep it blunt if you garden on sandier soil. It is compact and robust but surprisingly light to pull through soil, so it is kind to your joints.

Hori hori

Sometimes referred to as a soilknife, this is a versatile, sturdy and indispensable update to a trowel. Essentially three tools in one — a knife, hoe and trowel — it is much easier to use in even the heaviest clay soils. In Japanese hori means to dig and the thick steel blade has been used for centuries to forage edibles. True to its name, it is primarily useful for effortless spot weeding (a reoccurring theme in organic gardening) and for planting.

The combination of semi-blunt point and sharp sides extends its uses to cutting through difficult roots and marking furrows for seed sowing. Traditional styles have a wooden handle and a holster to secure it at your waist.

Sickle

Think of a sickle as a compact scythe. Used with only one hand, it has a short, curved blade that can be smooth or serrated, attached to a medium length handle. A pan-global tool of ancient origins, it is handy for slashing through brambles and tall herbaceous material such as nettles. A short-handled model is invaluable for cutting back grasses; grab dry stems and cut them with a single slice. A mini sickle is best for fiddly weeding between paving slabs and for harvesting vegetables.

Snips

Razor-sharp snips are suited to delicate garden work. Light pruning, cutting flowers, harvesting fruit and the interminable task of deadheading require deft hands and narrow blades. Available in various designs, those with longer pointy blades are good for reaching tight spaces and clipping soft stems; or choose a blunt curved blade for fast harvesting with limited crop damage. The most popular Japanese snips are forged from superior Izumo Yasugi steel, which has high carbon content and is traditionally used for Samurai swords.

Sharpening and cleaning

If you have invested in tools you love it’s easier to make maintenance a regular habit. Extend your hygiene rituals to include tools and clean them after every use. This prevents disease spread. Sharpening requires practice and concentration but if you sharpen regularly it should take only a few strokes. A soaked whetstone is the best choice for fine blades, a coarser diamond file ideal for rougher or slightly damaged tools.

Sustainable pots

While cleaning up, consider the issue of waste plastic. Biodegradable seedling pots make light work of planting out and there are many eco alternatives, including terracotta clay pots and robust plant-fibre pots that biodegrade in five years once composted.

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