What is your favorite hand tool for the vegetable garden?

[TZ -OH6]

I use a short D handled shovel for most things. I don't know if I just don't know how to use a hoe, or if my dirt is too hard, but they just don't work for me, I get frustrated scraping over weeds, get mad, try to chop them and then break another hoe handle.

[Ozark Lady]

I agree that my hand is my number one tool.

I also like a hand trowel, and a hand rake, nothing long handled at all.

Most weeds I pull by hand. In a week or two, my weedeater, to keep my paths to my garden open, and edges of beds clear, will be my buddy.

I have a set of garden tools, that are interchangeable, there are tillers, aerators all kinds of stuff. But these are not as close to the plants as I prefer to be. I leave them in the box, and want my simple green thumb trowel and my hand rake.

I do also use my leaf rake and garden rake alot early on to get the leaves under control. But, once a bed is growing, I sit on the edge and work on the bed.

[Alan in Vermont]

The key that starts the tractor.

[scot29]

At harvest time, my favorite tools are my fiskars hand snips. I have a large set for things like squash & broccoli, and a very small spring loaded set that comes to a fine point. I use these to harvest most things. They reach into tight spaces & are great for things like lettuce, spinach, & chard. I like to use them for peas & beans as well.

[Duh_Vinci]

As odd as this may sound - a huge wheel barrel! That is where I do all my soil amendment mixing... I love the feel of fluffy mix that I top the plants with.

Regards,
D

[garden5]

I've heard a lot of good things about those Japanese garden hoes. I'd have to say that the tool I get the most use out of the two-sided hoe: on side is wide, like a standard hoe, while the other is very narrow, great for loosening hard ground or hitting small weeds.

[StorageSmart2]

And where can you buy it with the best value (quality vs. price)? The previous thead on this topic got really heavy into power equipment which to me is different from where I thought that the thread would lead. So here is your chance again, if interested, to tout your favorite hand tool for the garden.

I have a lot of different things that I've used in the garden, ranging from trowel/rake combos to butter knives. I think, though, that my very favorite tool in the garden is my hands. After all of these years I've never outgrown playing in the dirt.

[hendi_alex]

The dirt has gotten really rough on my hands, since I've gotten a little older. This year I started wearing gardening gloves for many of the tasks, but what a sacrifice to do so. There is just no substitute for the feel of handling the soil when repotting or transplanting.

This idea of 'favorite' tool really is too broad I guess. As my dad used to say, [have the right tool for the right job.] The topic could be more addequately addressed as: favorite long digger, favorite short digger, favorite shovel, favorite wheel barrow/hauler, favorite fork, etc.

[Alan in Vermont]

[quote="Duh_Vinci"]As odd as this may sound - a huge wheel barrel! /quote]What's a wheel BARREL? Something for hauling liquids? I know you use a wheelBARROW for moving dirt around.

[garden5]

The dirt has gotten really rough on my hands, since I've gotten a little older. This year I started wearing gardening gloves for many of the tasks, but what a sacrifice to do so. There is just no substitute for the feel of handling the soil when repotting or transplanting.

This idea of 'favorite' tool really is too broad I guess. As my dad used to say, [have the right tool for the right job.] The topic could be more addequately addressed as: favorite long digger, favorite short digger, favorite shovel, favorite wheel barrow/hauler, favorite fork, etc.

Or, you could say "what it your most used tool in the garden", though I'd have to say that it is probably still my favorite one.

[applestar]

Re: Wheelbarrow vs. wheel-barrow vs. wheel barrel

You know, I've noticed that people call that "thing-um-a-bob with a wheel and handles" different names. Maybe it's a regional nomenclature? Maybe at one point, somewhere, clever people took a barrel, cut it in half and put a wheel and handles on it? What's a "barrow" anyway? I had to look it up: Dictionary.com

a flat, rectangular frame used for carrying a load

Put wheels on that, and I might call it a cart or a wagon....