We all have them. For a while, it would have been my Japanese gardening knife, or hori-hori. Then I got another Japanese tool, a really nice small pick. They can open a hole fast and mix dirt, break up clods, turn in fertilizer, ash, or green sand.
As the pandemic wanes and I have free time after a busy academic year, I hope to write a bit more frequently here. And nothing charms me into scribbling like the right garden tool.
As much as the hori-hori beckons (we have at lest three) I adore a good trowel. At Herbs Galore 2021 (back in person, hurrah!) I found the booth for Down the Garden Path, a local shop I love to support. I've written here about snips I got from them. Used them today to cut some lettuce for dinner.
You won't find the trowel on their site (yet) but contact them to ask about this tool. It can be found at the UK Web site for the brand as well. I've not checked shipping from there to here.
From the show I brought home a really nicely made trowel, a "Sophie Conran Burgon and Ball Long Thin Trowel" model. At first glance, it looks better made than my old favorite, an English-made Spear and Jackson that cost twice as much.
It's Chinese-made but to the highest standards, which surprises me as Chinese tools are often cheaply made. I expect to get years of hard use from it. So what makes for a good trowel?
- Heavy metal that is stainless or powder-coated. My Spear and Jackson trowel as the latter and this one has more metal and a Black Sabbath show. If a trowel bends, it's cheapass and toss it!
- Blade with tang deeply set in handle, with a snug collar. The collar (ferrule) has finally failed on my Spear and Jackson, after two decades of use. While I attempt a repair, we'll see how the new trowel holds up.
- Ergonomic handle and balance in the hand. Like a fine revolver I use for target shooting, a trowel should have woodwork that fits you and balances when held. It should not be too light or heavy. You'll know it by feel.
We shall see how this beauty holds up over the decades. I plant things FAST, getting a seedling in in 20 seconds or so. You need a good tool for that, especially when the ground gets dry. Other than bringing my tools inside, I do not baby them.
