So I splashed out on an oscillating hoe and it arrived yesterday! It’s fantastic - you advised about watching for weeds springing up this time of year and of course you were right. I was up early this morning gently scraping out the tiny little blighters and it was so easy with gentlest of effort. Until now I didn’t know how the right tools can make life so much easier in the garden. Thank you for being here for every step of the way 🙏
My dad is a wood-turner. He made me two dibbers - one similar to yours and one short one (10" long). I find the short one is really handy when planting in my few raised beds.
Isn't it lovely when you see worn down tools made of quality materials that have served you for years, and they just do the job well. Thanks for another upload charles. Have always enjoyed your no nonsense videos and an excuse for another cuppa tea and a few digestives!! Not quite shorts weather here in Donegal but not bad either!! Thanks again and all the best.👍
FINALLY winter is over, here in Canada, and I am finally starting my first garden in my life, after a long winter of preparation. This week I cleaned the grass field behind my house of all the trash it had from the previous owners, and I am making my first beds and compost bin in the next days. No words to explain how excited I am, a bit nervous too to be honest. I watched all your videos literally, multiple times, during the long frigid winter, waiting for this moment to come. Thank you for all that precious information you shared with us Charles I learned so much.
Good luck! My part of Canada (~30mins south of Toronto) still has a couple frosts coming, but I'm going to start hardening off my seedlings soon :) Edit: location
@@CharlesDowding1nodig Thank you! The greenhouse is producing wonderful. We ate our first ripe strawberries this week and our first artichokes were ready as well. We are feeding several families and trying to teach others so they can reap a similar bounty. :)
The first time I came across the plastic shovels is when we started using rubber matting in the stables. I couldn't afford to use the commercial stuff, but coming from a mining town has it's advantages, because I could get hold of the rubber belting that had been used in the pits. The shovels were sold for using with shavings, and to protect the very expensive rubber matting. I also have a metal shavings folk, which is now repurposed as a 'rake', which is perfect for raking up the hedge clippings in the lawn! As for the prototype dibber: I have a long handled dibber too, the same as yours, so picked the thicker bottomed one. However, my other reasoning also being that I have a smaller one that I only use for 'drawing' rows for direct sowing, since it is metal covered, and goes to a point. It's useless for anything else really, since it creates that pocket under anything as a transplant. One of my favourite dibbers for seeds is actually a Stabillo Permanent marker pen, that I use to write on my labels. The end of it is just the right size for making holes lol
Same here, my mine's a Sharpie and has a lovely blunt but rounded end! Agreed that metal covered dibbers that end in a sharp point are pretty useless and my old spade handle does a much better job..
Hi Charles I use to help run a community garden vegetable box scheam in Kettering northants for 6 years finished about 10 years ago due to ill health but my health is better now for starting working again and this year I'm luckily starting new garden for residential care home. I've got like blank start as its all just low cut grass lawns . So I be putting in vegetable & fruit garden, herb garden and perennial and annual beds and like Roman style garden and flower garden trail been watching your videos and think it be great project for no dig gardens and looking forward see what I can do. thanks for all tips you put on your videos
The yellow shovel is a "snow shovel", a bit different in design to a garden shovel - but as you say BETTER! I have an orange one that I mostly use for moving compost. I love my oscillating hoe - a godsend.
On long tool handles such as on hoes and rakes; most of mine are at least 50 years old and a great feature of these, which I never see in new tools, is that the handle end is slightly bulbous. This makes handling so much easier than a parallel sided shaft for a few reasons. It allows for a better grip when controlling the hoe from shoulder height, making pushing the tool easier. It aids grip on a rake when pulling and it also adds a small amount of balance. I treasure these and urge anyone who sees some at a boot sale or charity shop to give them a good home.
Charles. It's always a pleasure joining you in the Garden. There is always something to learn and you have a magical way of pulling us in and giving us the most useful tidbits that make our Gardening Life so much better. Thank you for sharing! Best Regards!
I've used a plastic snow shovel for years firstly when we had 2 horses snd then for moving compost in the garden they are great as you say light 6o use and hard wearing
I have like a knife that's for getting weeds between paving stones. I find it quite useful for cutting roots under the soil because it has a U shaped end that grabs and cuts through roots with a thrust and then there's a also a cutout to hook weeds and it cuts again then you pull it out.... I find it's also pretty useful for removing weeds without disturbing the soil too much.
This is great info 😎 greetings from finland where we have only a little bit snow left and its already possible to do many things out in the garden 😊 we ve been through an exceptionally long winter 😜
People should stop demonizing plastics really. Durable use of plastics is totally ok. It's a great material, low cost, both in price as well as energy for production which people often forget to factor. Just use it responsibly. 1:17 A spade huhuhu :D
Das schönste in meinem Garten, seit der Umstellung auf No-Dig ist, die Regulierung der Beikräuter. Da ich nicht immer fit bin, ist mir in Vergangenheit alles Zuviel geworden. Jetzt aber, dank ihrer Anleitungen, schaffe ich es. Viele Grüße aus der Eifel 🐰
I spotted you with that Opinel ages ago and copied you and got one. They're a perfect knife for a veggie gardener.. I used mine the other day to take the leaves off a beautiful cauliflower. It went through them like butter. Highly recommended!
Thank you. When leveling soil or even mulch, I flip the rake over and use the flat back side for the final pass, lifting it towards the end of the area to feather it out. My favorite tool is a hori hori knife. My garden gets away from me so I find it very useful for getting at stubborn weeds like thistle and dandelion (lever method). It doubles as my trowel for planting transplants and bulbs, it has a serrated side for sawing through things (great for tree roots when underplanting) and was instrumental in dividing a rock-solid clump of irises. Mine has a wickedly sharp notch for cutting twine that I've used for trimming and pruning in a pinch, also good for roots. After that is a surgically-sharp small stainless shear. I use it for all my above ground harvesting, deadheading, and pruning up to a pencil thickness. Mindfulness is vital when using either as both can easily cause injury. I'm not always very mobile so I find a couple of multi-use tools that fit in an easy-to-carry basket works best for me.
Ever tried a Swoe? Unbeatable for weeding agility (IMHO). I use a Wolf Garten one, with the long wooden handle (170cm). Haven't seen a copper one? Gap in the market?
My grandfather always had a bucket of sand that was saturated with old motor oil. When he was finished in the garden, he’d clean off any dirt from the tool and then stick it in and out of the bucket. Kept the metal from rusting. Perhaps now we’d think the oil wasn’t good for the garden…
The plastic one is an ice shovel for use in ice machines, cold rooms etc, so you don't make holes in the wall/floor. And food safe I think, when its not covered in compost.
Oh, i so disagree. I think good tools each have multiple purposes and would rather have less but good ones that feel right and that are completely familiar in the hand.
@@lisbetsoda4874 I love good tools, but you never know what you may need… I mainly have quality vintage stuff where I can. But…. If there’s something I think I need 🤣 xx
Hi Charles I had a quick question please. I am starting my first garden right now on my new property. I chose the best area for it and everything is pretty much ready. I want to follow all your techniques, no dig and organic, but I am a little bit afraid that my soil is too compacted right now from the previous owners as well as me when I was cleaning the field earlier. Would you advice me to till the ground the first year, one time, and then use the no dig techniques? Or even if my soil is compacted, should I not even touch it one time? I am a little bit confused on this level ... Thank you in advance Charles and happy season !
Maybe it is squashed soil and try inserting garden fork 0-10in / 20-25cm every 25-30cm to lever soil upwards and break any compacted layers. If the soil smalls sweet when doing this, it's not necessary!
I so appreciate this info on your tools Charles. I do notice your dibbler when you use it. Here in the states I’ve never seen one. I’ll make myself one as it looks so much easier. And your knife always quick to come out when needed. These tools and the ease of using them is important to me as I get older. I’ll last longer outside if I’m working smarter. Thank you sir. You are my favorite of all the gardeners on you tube. One thing I do use quite a bit is a little stool when I’m working in an area for a bit.
Para afilado de cuchillo, va mejor el papel abrasivo (lija) la piedra desgasta mucho y la terminacion es torpe comparada con el papel, que desgasta muy poco, y el borde filoso queda mucho mas fino. 🤕👍🌳
I have a few tools that belonged to my grandfather, I'm 63 so hard to tell just old they are, the handles are beautiful, he was a master gardener, like you Charles. He passed when I was 2, wish I'd been able to see and remember his gardens, everyone has said how he even trained the dog to stay on the path. Enjoyed seeing what and how you use your tools.
My favourite tool is a victorinox knife used in the kitchen. They come in bright colours, orange and pink my favorite for the garden. The blade is 110mm with a fine serrated edge. It will cut to the bone, so take care.. It is great for slashing flax and grasses, small branches, harvesting produce, edge weeding under electric fencing. I cut weeds off at ground level for a quick tidy up, remove seed heads when they get away from me, rip through carpet(weed mat) open & trim plastic mattress bags( I use as a makeshift poly house over my container plantings also helps to ripen those late tomatoes). I rip through tough boxes, tapes and when the blade wears out I poke into the beds for use as a bulb marker, dibber,weeder-push in & twist, used in gravel and around pavers as I have worn off the serrations. They are just so useful. 🤗
Rounded blade end on knife is best. 👍 The pointed knife is great in the kitchen but too fine for the garden. The tip always snaps off as too finely tapered for the garden. Very sharp so take care.
The knife and the airplane part made me chuckle. I was recently denied access to a US federal building in Washington DC because of my Swiss Army knife I carry everywhere I go 😆 Thank goodness my husband was with me and was able to get our car out of the garage which is the only reason we needed access to the building. Anyways, I am going to start saving for some copper tools.
My FAVORITE snow shovel (as well as for many other shoveling tasks) is a flat edged plastic shovel. I figure if I'm going to use plastic, better it be something I'm not going to be recycling soon. I am going on 7 years with my dear old plastic shovel, and only the handle has broken. Still I use it!
Just ordered one of your dibbers as a 'reward' for a week of boring clearing of nettles, bindweed, couch grass, bramble etc at home and at the plot. 6hrs of completely necessary absolute boredom!! Perhaps you might like to talk in a future video about Arborists' saws and secateurs for pruning fruit trees: my life was transformed by buying a high quality arborists' saw.
Great information, I find most people don't take care of the handles, I hate to pick up a rough handle tool. I got your dibber and just started using it this spring and I love it.
I garden in a city in the Rocky Mountain area of the US at about 4640 feet altitude in zone 5b. Because of the size of my backyard, my garden is constrained to only 16 ft X 42 ft. I start some seeds (cantaloupe, winter squash, cucumber) in my south facing house window but most of my garden is direct seed sown. I do purchase established large tomato and pepper starts from a nursery which I grow in large landscape planter pots on my brick patio . I try to keep my gardening easy, cheap and simple. I have for decades used a garden hoe by pulling a flat shallow straight channel to double row plant bush beans, carrots, parsnips, beets, peas and onion sets. I have never owned the hoe you use for weeding, which we call a stirrup hoe. I hand weed. Neighbors are surprised my garden is always so bountiful. (yes, I'm proud of my garden) I enjoy your videos and I'm envious of the area you have for gardens, composting bins, greenhouse and high tunnels.
I've repurposed my son's used wooden drumsticks as dibbers for smaller seedlings and they are really handy for row markers and other various uses, but because they are rather pointy, I think I've made a few transplants with airpockets below. What's the harm and outcome of air pockets under seedlings? Are they doomed?
No they will grow Sandra, just there is wasted space, plus it's harder to judge plant depth as when pushing to make form contact between soil and rootball, the latter can go too deep
Interesting in that what you call a spade, we call a shovel, and what you call a shovel we call a scoop. To us a spade has a straight, sharpened tip and is used to dig trenches or borders around a garden area.
mister charlie tu lo haces ver tan facil, pero a la hora de trasplantar se extresan mis plantitas!..como le puedo hacer sin perder mi fe de que se lleguen a perder mas de una?abrzo de OSO fuerte,el uso de cada herramienta es muy util...muchas gracias😊
Thank you Charles for another great informative video on gardening tools. Sharing your own experience is most helpful when it comes to understanding which tool you really need to buy if you want to make your life easier when gardening. I also would like to share my experience using those module trays you designed as I already recieved quite a few of them for this season. I got 60 cell trays. They are very sturdy and can be used multiple times. I find most manufacturers in the world make their trays very flimsy so the trays break within one or two seasons and you have to buy another set of flimsy trays. Another good feature of 60 cell trays is the size of each cell. It really helps to save potting soil and gives a seedling enough room to germinate and grow in the cell for 3-4 weeks to be transplanted into the garden right after. The feature I like most is how easy it is to take out a seedling from the cell. The soil does not stick to the walls of the cell and the hole in the bottom of the cell allows to push the root ball out of the cell easily. Those are simple very important features that make 60 cell trays to be more superior in comparison to other trays. I was not yet able to check if the plastic of 60 cell trays was UV resistant. I hope it is. In conclusion I would like to say that investing money in good cell trays will pay back. The only inconvenience was to get the trays quickly as I live in the Pacific Northwest and it took quite a while to receive the parcel. Otherwise I am very satisfied with the product. Thank you.
I just planted a rose bush this morning. It’s 100 plus f (40C) temperature here. I used a pick ax to get through my “dirt”. Gardening here in Az is totally different than anywhere else. My my new garden area will be no dig, once my 3 ton of mushroom soil gets delivered. Tfs.
Your metal shovel might be fixable. Maybe a good metal worker could change the angle of the blade without damaging the metals integrity 🤔 Tools are a very interesting thing. Everyone has their favorites for certain things. Lol. My favorite hand tool is a wicked looking bright orange hori-hori my husband bought me years ago. It replaced the little hand trowels as my goto tool. I still use the 2 one piece solid cast aluminum hand trowels because occasionally I've no idea where I've left the others. I've kinda got the attention span of a goofy dog with a squirrel in the yard. 😅 But I've got to get a new handle for my wedding hoe. I've had it for over 20 years. Just a small arrow hoe. Its perfect for smaller gardens and even raised beds. I was carrying it with other things and it slid a bit and I tripped over it and snapped it right in half. Luckily, at my age, I didn't break anything on the way down. For only a few dollars I have already picked up a new handle with pins to put it on. I've never had a dibble I've just used my hands lol but I might look into one. After all I've got a broken hoe handle. But I dont extensively use plug flats like you do. But thank you for showing all these different tools and how you plant things.
@@CharlesDowding1nodig Thanks for the suggestion. I've watched your channel long enough that I remember the watering video from when it first came out.
Gosh..I'm going to look out for a plastic shovel! I have quite small weak wrists and I find a lot of tools way too heavy for me. I'm glad I do no dig though because that sort of digging with a shovel or fork is very rare. I remove the weeds with a trowel or pull them up. I occasionally skim the surface with a hoe. Interesting vlog Charles, thankyou!
Excellent vid Charles, and thanks for the links! However it’s your pocket knife that I’d like info on, I’ve searched for one in vain for a long time! Please could you clarify, and where to buy in uk, or just the make and I’ll find it. Thank you!
Well, Opinel do not make it easy and I have no connection with them, and in the UK Brexit has interrupted supply so I don't know, I can't remember where I bought that one
I wish the handles were longer on British tools. There's too much back work for taller people on most of the tools, save Irish patter shovel and a few others. I thought perhaps Dutch, Serbian or Balkans sites might have suitably longer-handled tools as they have the tallest average height populations in the world. There's a lot more stainless steel tools on the market of late and there's a perception that they will lass longer. Carbon steel is much, much stronger than stainless steel, the latter of which fails particulary at welds. Once you have good soil with plenty organic matter and good soil biology, don't worry about soil clagging to carbon steel heads. Look for ash handles for long tools. If a cheap tool is listed as unnamed "wood", it may be cheap brittle wood that won't last a season, the same rubbish that's used on pound shop wooden coathangers that fall apart (toona, maybe?). Don't forget to treat the ash handles with raw, not boiled linseed oil, starting off-season in January. Rub in once a day for a week, once a week for the rest of the month, once a month for the rest of the year, then just once a year annually and they'll resist rot or drying out for many years Oil the heads if carbon steel (vegetable oil is good enough).
Thankyou for sharing useful tips on garden tools, I use a dessert spoon had rounded wooden handle as dibber, it's surprising what kitchen appliances one has that can make use in garden. 😄
i have a copper trowel, had it for 15 years, use it to plant and to take weeds out like you say. I've looked at the spades and others but thought I would startt with the one ( small one small price) then never got more, but they're fabulous in clay as the clay doesn't stick as much to it as normal spades
When my husband bought me a manure fork many years ago, he asked if it could be wrapped. It was an anniversary present. Two sales girls tried to talk him out of it, but in the end they perfectly covered the handle and every tine. Best gift ever from my best friend.
I enjoy your videos so much Mr. Dowding. I can really feel your love and passion and there are always so many little things that i keep in mind for my own projects and ideas. Greetings from Austria! Gardening myths and misconceptions is a brilliant book, by the way.
Charles , I really appreciate how you personally reply to questions we send you! Thank you 😊. I have a question that troubles my early sowing of cold crops each year . We live in a cold climate , high desert , and have had snow off and on all week . Our last Frost dates are May 31 , or beyond . I don’t have a greenhouse nor poly tunnel , so after my seeds germinate , they’re put under shop lights for protection. My question is , should I harden off my spinach , kale , cabbage and chard now , ( snow melted ) and cover them with frost fleece , even though the weather is still cold ? ( lows in the 30’s F ; highs in the mid 40’s F)
Thanks BobbiLynn, I appreciate that. Your climber is so cold! However, the light levels are now strong and I would transplant them outside with a cover on top. I have a feeling they might surprise you with some good growth, except possibly for chard which risks bolting if exposed to too much cold
Thank you so much, Charles ! Yes , I’ve battled this climate , determined to garden , despite its challenges . We’ve even had temps during the Summer months fluctuate from a high in the 80’s f during the day , to mid 30’s f that night . I wish I was kidding . One July 4th , we were away for the weekend , and a sneak frost killed many of my plants . IN JULY !!! I keep praying to move . 🙄
Thank you, so much, Charles. This was very helpful. I thought I knew tool basics but you shared so many nuances and insights I hadn't considered or known but will be pleased to take up. Delightful as always!
Hi Charles, I always learn something from your videos. I'm going to try the dibber. And I always carry my pocket knife, but my favorite is the Hori Hori - Japanese vegetable knife.
Speaking of vegetable knives, I really like my red foldable Victorinox serrated paring knife for harvesting. Daniel Mays of Frith Farm recommends it in his book. It is _very_ sharp.
@@christopherjreihing I got the round tipped one, it's the only one that folds I think. I am interested in a hori hori knife as well, but there's a limit to how many knives one can carry. Or is there? :)
@@ximono The Hori Hori I have is made by a company called Bare Bones, it's the ultimate Hori Hori a vintage inspired Japanese design. The 6 and 3/4 stainless steel blade tang goes through the one piece wood handle with a metal pommel base for pounding stakes. Come to wish heavy duty sheath, well worth 55$.
Ive lost my knifes at the airport as well. : ) Morakniv makes a Swedish full tang knife with utilitarian sheath and high carbon steel blade for a really great price! I like to carry both, the Opinel folder and the Mora, for different jobs on the homestead. Thanks for all the great videos!!
![NOSFERATU - Official Trailer [HD] - Only In Theaters December 25](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/nulvWqYUM8k/mqdefault.jpg)
I made a nice dibber from a small limb that I pruned from an Ash tree, it’s just round enough to do the job. It saves many back aches 😇
💚
So I splashed out on an oscillating hoe and it arrived yesterday! It’s fantastic - you advised about watching for weeds springing up this time of year and of course you were right. I was up early this morning gently scraping out the tiny little blighters and it was so easy with gentlest of effort. Until now I didn’t know how the right tools can make life so much easier in the garden. Thank you for being here for every step of the way 🙏
Fantastic! 💚
My dad is a wood-turner. He made me two dibbers - one similar to yours and one short one (10" long). I find the short one is really handy when planting in my few raised beds.
Nice of him, great feedback Irene
Isn't it lovely when you see worn down tools made of quality materials that have served you for years, and they just do the job well. Thanks for another upload charles. Have always enjoyed your no nonsense videos and an excuse for another cuppa tea and a few digestives!! Not quite shorts weather here in Donegal but not bad either!! Thanks again and all the best.👍
Cheers Seamus, nice to hear and hope it warms for you :)
just bought a blooming knife, Thanks Charles x
💚
Lol... I've broken many trowels over the years, doesn't matter what their made of... Enjoyed the update, Hugh
Hello Hugh! You should try the plastic one! Is £15 or so, Gorilla
Always number one, Charles!
Thanks for these useful tips and the joy you bring to gardeners!
Grazie 😊
🌱
FINALLY winter is over, here in Canada, and I am finally starting my first garden in my life, after a long winter of preparation. This week I cleaned the grass field behind my house of all the trash it had from the previous owners, and I am making my first beds and compost bin in the next days. No words to explain how excited I am, a bit nervous too to be honest.
I watched all your videos literally, multiple times, during the long frigid winter, waiting for this moment to come. Thank you for all that precious information you shared with us Charles I learned so much.
God bless you, that's awesome! Cheers to first harvests
Great to hear and go you!
Nervous is goof, shows intention and realism
Good luck! My part of Canada (~30mins south of Toronto) still has a couple frosts coming, but I'm going to start hardening off my seedlings soon :)
Edit: location
Bravo! It's going to be fine, and if any mistakes....you learn from it and get better! 👏🤗
I finally spray painted my trowels bright red/orange so I could find them more easily.
😂
Thank you! Very helpful.
So glad!
Sus videos son inspiradores. Gracias por estar allí y compartir su experiencia. Felicidades.
💚
Very much enjoyed this!!!
Tu experiencia y conocimientos son my prácticos para todos los que tenemos un pequeño huerto.Saludos desde Tenerife!! 👌🏻🥕🥬🌸🔪
¡Estoy feliz de ayudar!
Great video! Thank you Charles!!!!
Glad you liked it William, hope you are keeping well and the greenhouse is productive 🌱
@@CharlesDowding1nodig Thank you! The greenhouse is producing wonderful. We ate our first ripe strawberries this week and our first artichokes were ready as well. We are feeding several families and trying to teach others so they can reap a similar bounty. :)
@@gardening_with_william_demille Great to hear William. Strawberries, I need to grow them!
The first time I came across the plastic shovels is when we started using rubber matting in the stables. I couldn't afford to use the commercial stuff, but coming from a mining town has it's advantages, because I could get hold of the rubber belting that had been used in the pits. The shovels were sold for using with shavings, and to protect the very expensive rubber matting. I also have a metal shavings folk, which is now repurposed as a 'rake', which is perfect for raking up the hedge clippings in the lawn! As for the prototype dibber: I have a long handled dibber too, the same as yours, so picked the thicker bottomed one. However, my other reasoning also being that I have a smaller one that I only use for 'drawing' rows for direct sowing, since it is metal covered, and goes to a point. It's useless for anything else really, since it creates that pocket under anything as a transplant. One of my favourite dibbers for seeds is actually a Stabillo Permanent marker pen, that I use to write on my labels. The end of it is just the right size for making holes lol
Smart as always Suzanne!
Same here, my mine's a Sharpie and has a lovely blunt but rounded end! Agreed that metal covered dibbers that end in a sharp point are pretty useless and my old spade handle does a much better job..
Hi Charles I use to help run a community garden vegetable box scheam in Kettering northants for 6 years finished about 10 years ago due to ill health but my health is better now for starting working again and this year I'm luckily starting new garden for residential care home. I've got like blank start as its all just low cut grass lawns . So I be putting in vegetable & fruit garden, herb garden and perennial and annual beds and like Roman style garden and flower garden trail been watching your videos and think it be great project for no dig gardens and looking forward see what I can do. thanks for all tips you put on your videos
That is amazing Lee, I wish you every success, thanks for sharing this
The yellow shovel is a "snow shovel", a bit different in design to a garden shovel - but as you say BETTER! I have an orange one that I mostly use for moving compost.
I love my oscillating hoe - a godsend.
😀
I thought it was a grain shovel, same shape! I also use a grain shovel for deep snow, so there is that!
On long tool handles such as on hoes and rakes; most of mine are at least 50 years old and a great feature of these, which I never see in new tools, is that the handle end is slightly bulbous. This makes handling so much easier than a parallel sided shaft for a few reasons. It allows for a better grip when controlling the hoe from shoulder height, making pushing the tool easier. It aids grip on a rake when pulling and it also adds a small amount of balance. I treasure these and urge anyone who sees some at a boot sale or charity shop to give them a good home.
Brilliant comment, thanks Iain
@@CharlesDowding1nodig Thank you and thanks for all your inspirational insight.
Charles. It's always a pleasure joining you in the Garden. There is always something to learn and you have a magical way of pulling us in and giving us the most useful tidbits that make our Gardening Life so much better. Thank you for sharing! Best Regards!
So nice to hear that Billy, thanks
I've used a plastic snow shovel for years firstly when we had 2 horses snd then for moving compost in the garden they are great as you say light 6o use and hard wearing
I have like a knife that's for getting weeds between paving stones. I find it quite useful for cutting roots under the soil because it has a U shaped end that grabs and cuts through roots with a thrust and then there's a also a cutout to hook weeds and it cuts again then you pull it out.... I find it's also pretty useful for removing weeds without disturbing the soil too much.
What a tool!!
This is great info 😎 greetings from finland where we have only a little bit snow left and its already possible to do many things out in the garden 😊 we ve been through an exceptionally long winter 😜
Oh wow! That is long for winter and I imagine how busy you are now! Best of luck with it all.
I love an Opinel knife
Indeed!
Nice mr purple
People should stop demonizing plastics really. Durable use of plastics is totally ok. It's a great material, low cost, both in price as well as energy for production which people often forget to factor. Just use it responsibly.
1:17 A spade huhuhu :D
Good point and yes!!
Thanks!
Lovely thanks Sara
🙂de pequeño fabrico mis propias herramientas. 🤕👍🌳
I am here for a touch of 'down to Earth' sanity after watching a few minutes of what is going on in this insane World.
Cheaper than therapy as well.
I should be on the news! Thanks Danny
@@CharlesDowding1nodig Most welcome.
I sincerely appreciate the 1440p and 2160p resolutions of your videos!
Thanks @spicymoustache, and upload takes longer :)!
Das schönste in meinem Garten, seit der Umstellung auf No-Dig ist, die Regulierung der Beikräuter. Da ich nicht immer fit bin, ist mir in Vergangenheit alles Zuviel geworden. Jetzt aber, dank ihrer Anleitungen, schaffe ich es.
Viele Grüße aus der Eifel 🐰
Das ist wunderbar, Tara zu hören, außer dass deine Gesundheit gelitten hat und ich hoffe, dass du dich jetzt in deinem schönen Land stärker fühlst
Muchas gracias por los subtítulos en español, Dios los bendiga 🙏
I spotted you with that Opinel ages ago and copied you and got one. They're a perfect knife for a veggie gardener.. I used mine the other day to take the leaves off a beautiful cauliflower. It went through them like butter. Highly recommended!
Great to hear. I have sold thousands for them I reckon!!
Thank you. When leveling soil or even mulch, I flip the rake over and use the flat back side for the final pass, lifting it towards the end of the area to feather it out.
My favorite tool is a hori hori knife. My garden gets away from me so I find it very useful for getting at stubborn weeds like thistle and dandelion (lever method). It doubles as my trowel for planting transplants and bulbs, it has a serrated side for sawing through things (great for tree roots when underplanting) and was instrumental in dividing a rock-solid clump of irises. Mine has a wickedly sharp notch for cutting twine that I've used for trimming and pruning in a pinch, also good for roots.
After that is a surgically-sharp small stainless shear. I use it for all my above ground harvesting, deadheading, and pruning up to a pencil thickness. Mindfulness is vital when using either as both can easily cause injury.
I'm not always very mobile so I find a couple of multi-use tools that fit in an easy-to-carry basket works best for me.
So good we all have tool friends Diane! 😀
Ever tried a Swoe? Unbeatable for weeding agility (IMHO). I use a Wolf Garten one, with the long wooden handle (170cm). Haven't seen a copper one? Gap in the market?
Thanks. PKS can't keep up with demand just now!
My three favs are a hori hori knife, clippers and stirrup hoe. Thanks for all the great tips, I may use my dibber more now!
Cool, I wish for a copper hori hori!
My grandfather always had a bucket of sand that was saturated with old motor oil. When he was finished in the garden, he’d clean off any dirt from the tool and then stick it in and out of the bucket. Kept the metal from rusting. Perhaps now we’d think the oil wasn’t good for the garden…
Cool method! Ok if wiped
The metal shovel is for sand. Hod carriers friend
Good Morning Mr. Dowding. Keep the wonderful content coming. Spring is in the air here in Nikiski, Alaska.
So cool and nice to imagine
The plastic one is an ice shovel for use in ice machines, cold rooms etc, so you don't make holes in the wall/floor. And food safe I think, when its not covered in compost.
😀 I bought it in a builders yard, Gorilla shovel for cement!
@@CharlesDowding1nodig Well that will teach me to keep my limited knowledge about ice shovels to myself. Love ya mate.
Also the same design as a snow shovel :) I guess all plastic shovels are alike 😅
@@juliaf_ I don't know what snow is.
Do you have a good method for remembering where all the hand pruners are? 😂
I must have a million of them but couldn’t produce one if asked.
So right. A special place but I lose tools too
Hey Charles.....have you noted any weed growth after planting the kales? deeper seed brought up to the surface perhaps?
Very good point Jim, a few extra buttercups especially
@@CharlesDowding1nodig 👍i find it amazing that a seed can survive so long under ground and not germinate,great video btw some really helpful points.
I do believe your maths with 1 000 000 plants planted since 1983 make sense. Respect from Africa 🇿🇦
😀!!
When I die I want to come back as Charles Dowding. 😎
You mentioned you oiled your handle. Do you use (cooking) vegetable oil for that?
Actually, no, because it's sticky. I find it better to mix linseed oil with a little turpentine, or use Danish oil, is more expensive but worthwhile
Talk about Heavy Metals in the soil.
Absolutely wonderful Charles, thank you so much 😁🌱💚🙏✨🍄
Cheers Scott 💚
I can't wait to start this season off!
That metal shovel looks like a coal shovel, designed to be used in a smaller area like a cellar, which would explain the weird angle!
Very good explanation Pete!
Very helpful. Thank you. I don't like gloves much.
As a gardener, I don’t think you can ever have too many tools! 🌱 xx Cathi xx 😘
Right?! favourites 💚
Oh, i so disagree. I think good tools each have multiple purposes and would rather have less but good ones that feel right and that are completely familiar in the hand.
@@lisbetsoda4874 I love good tools, but you never know what you may need… I mainly have quality vintage stuff where I can. But…. If there’s something I think I need 🤣 xx
I am a huge fan of my Fiskars hori hori knife/trowel. It really busts through some roots with the saw edge.
The Italian zappa is a good tool. Very good for anyone with lower back pain.
Good to know!
Hi Charles I had a quick question please. I am starting my first garden right now on my new property. I chose the best area for it and everything is pretty much ready.
I want to follow all your techniques, no dig and organic, but I am a little bit afraid that my soil is too compacted right now from the previous owners as well as me when I was cleaning the field earlier. Would you advice me to till the ground the first year, one time, and then use the no dig techniques?
Or even if my soil is compacted, should I not even touch it one time? I am a little bit confused on this level ...
Thank you in advance Charles and happy season !
Maybe it is squashed soil and try inserting garden fork 0-10in / 20-25cm every 25-30cm to lever soil upwards and break any compacted layers.
If the soil smalls sweet when doing this, it's not necessary!
@@CharlesDowding1nodig Much appreciated !
I so appreciate this info on your tools Charles. I do notice your dibbler when you use it. Here in the states I’ve never seen one. I’ll make myself one as it looks so much easier. And your knife always quick to come out when needed. These tools and the ease of using them is important to me as I get older. I’ll last longer outside if I’m working smarter. Thank you sir. You are my favorite of all the gardeners on you tube. One thing I do use quite a bit is a little stool when I’m working in an area for a bit.
Thankyou Bambi, nice to hear
Thank you I had no idea what a hoe was for, new to this whole gardening thing now I can tackle the little weeds that have sprouted
😀
Para afilado de cuchillo, va mejor el papel abrasivo (lija) la piedra desgasta mucho y la terminacion es torpe comparada con el papel, que desgasta muy poco, y el borde filoso queda mucho mas fino. 🤕👍🌳
Papel numero 400 a 600 da un pulido de navaja 🤕👍
¡Gracias por estos consejos!
i use wire weeders instead of the normal hoes you can make the wire weeders to fit the spacing of your plants.
😀
Some tools are similar to those of Chinese farmers, while others have not been seen in China.😊
I have a few tools that belonged to my grandfather, I'm 63 so hard to tell just old they are, the handles are beautiful, he was a master gardener, like you Charles. He passed when I was 2, wish I'd been able to see and remember his gardens, everyone has said how he even trained the dog to stay on the path. Enjoyed seeing what and how you use your tools.
Nice memories Wende, thanks. I want to keep living and sharing 😀
@@CharlesDowding1nodig
Happy Easter, I want you to too =^)
I've switched my tools like shovels, spades and forks to stainless steel material....no rust, soil doesn't stick to the tool, easy to penetrate soil!
beautiful!
Dziękuję za polskie napisy, teraz wszystko rozumiem i mogę stosować u siebie w ogrodzie. Pozdrawiam!
Fantastyczny!
In the states they also sell aluminum versions of those plastic shovels (sometimes called grain shovels or scoops here).
What would make the divot tool even better would be an adjustable stop so that you can easily have uniform hole depths.
And interesting thought Jamie! It might get in the way that's all, when one gives it a wiggle!
Grazie sempre per i tuoi utili suggerimenti. Sei il numero 1 ❤
eso es un honor gracias
My favourite tool is a victorinox knife used in the kitchen. They come in bright colours, orange and pink my favorite for the garden. The blade is 110mm with a fine serrated edge. It will cut to the bone, so take care..
It is great for slashing flax and grasses, small branches, harvesting produce, edge weeding under electric fencing. I cut weeds off at ground level for a quick tidy up, remove seed heads when they get away from me, rip through carpet(weed mat) open & trim plastic mattress bags( I use as a makeshift poly house over my container plantings also helps to ripen those late tomatoes). I rip through tough boxes, tapes and when the blade wears out I poke into the beds for use as a bulb marker, dibber,weeder-push in & twist, used in gravel and around pavers as I have worn off the serrations. They are just so useful. 🤗
How amazing, thanks for sharing Chris!
Rounded blade end on knife is best. 👍
The pointed knife is great in the kitchen but too fine for the garden.
The tip always snaps off as too finely tapered for the garden.
Very sharp so take care.
The knife and the airplane part made me chuckle. I was recently denied access to a US federal building in Washington DC because of my Swiss Army knife I carry everywhere I go 😆 Thank goodness my husband was with me and was able to get our car out of the garage which is the only reason we needed access to the building.
Anyways, I am going to start saving for some copper tools.
That is funny, so glad you kept your knife 😀
My FAVORITE snow shovel (as well as for many other shoveling tasks) is a flat edged plastic shovel. I figure if I'm going to use plastic, better it be something I'm not going to be recycling soon. I am going on 7 years with my dear old plastic shovel, and only the handle has broken. Still I use it!
Right on Gale!
Hola Charles, teriras de mi, mis herramientas son todas pequeñas, gracias como siempre por tus didácticos y hermosos videos 🤗🇨🇱
💚🌱
Just ordered one of your dibbers as a 'reward' for a week of boring clearing of nettles, bindweed, couch grass, bramble etc at home and at the plot. 6hrs of completely necessary absolute boredom!! Perhaps you might like to talk in a future video about Arborists' saws and secateurs for pruning fruit trees: my life was transformed by buying a high quality arborists' saw.
Hope you enjoy using it.
Yes one could say more about tools!! That sounds a nice one.
Great information, I find most people don't take care of the handles, I hate to pick up a rough handle tool. I got your dibber and just started using it this spring and I love it.
Thank you Ted, happy to help and no such plans at the moment but I could see that it might happen!
I garden in a city in the Rocky Mountain area of the US at about 4640 feet altitude in zone 5b. Because of the size of my backyard, my garden is constrained to only 16 ft X 42 ft. I start some seeds (cantaloupe, winter squash, cucumber) in my south facing house window but most of my garden is direct seed sown. I do purchase established large tomato and pepper starts from a nursery which I grow in large landscape planter pots on my brick patio . I try to keep my gardening easy, cheap and simple. I have for decades used a garden hoe by pulling a flat shallow straight channel to double row plant bush beans, carrots, parsnips, beets, peas and onion sets. I have never owned the hoe you use for weeding, which we call a stirrup hoe. I hand weed. Neighbors are surprised my garden is always so bountiful. (yes, I'm proud of my garden) I enjoy your videos and I'm envious of the area you have for gardens, composting bins, greenhouse and high tunnels.
Thanks so much, and congratulations on making so much of your small space
I've repurposed my son's used wooden drumsticks as dibbers for smaller seedlings and they are really handy for row markers and other various uses, but because they are rather pointy, I think I've made a few transplants with airpockets below. What's the harm and outcome of air pockets under seedlings? Are they doomed?
No they will grow Sandra, just there is wasted space, plus it's harder to judge plant depth as when pushing to make form contact between soil and rootball, the latter can go too deep
Interesting in that what you call a spade, we call a shovel, and what you call a shovel we call a scoop. To us a spade has a straight, sharpened tip and is used to dig trenches or borders around a garden area.
Now that is amazing, and explains a lot re comments! 😅
You don't want to get your showels and truvels mixed up. Causes all sorts of problems.
😂
@@CharlesDowding1nodig I'm coming to your open day next month. If I don't get to meet you, the magic, yellow truvel will do.
mister charlie tu lo haces ver tan facil, pero a la hora de trasplantar se extresan mis plantitas!..como le puedo hacer sin perder mi fe de que se lleguen a perder mas de una?abrzo de OSO fuerte,el uso de cada herramienta es muy util...muchas gracias😊
¡¡Practica Rubí!! Puedes hacerlo, lo sé, y tener pensamientos fuertes mientras trabajas en el jardín.
Thank you so much for your videos. Please, what is the brand of your T-handled manure fork? It looks extremely ergonomic. Thanks again
Cheers Trevor and I'm afraid I cannot remember, it's an online purchase from Crocus I think, quite a few years ago
I had a broken pump sprayer that I took the handle from to turn into a dibbler, and it's been one of--if not the--most used tool for me this year.
🌼
Thank you Charles for another great informative video on gardening tools. Sharing your own experience is most helpful when it comes to understanding which tool you really need to buy if you want to make your life easier when gardening. I also would like to share my experience using those module trays you designed as I already recieved quite a few of them for this season. I got 60 cell trays. They are very sturdy and can be used multiple times. I find most manufacturers in the world make their trays very flimsy so the trays break within one or two seasons and you have to buy another set of flimsy trays. Another good feature of 60 cell trays is the size of each cell. It really helps to save potting soil and gives a seedling enough room to germinate and grow in the cell for 3-4 weeks to be transplanted into the garden right after. The feature I like most is how easy it is to take out a seedling from the cell. The soil does not stick to the walls of the cell and the hole in the bottom of the cell allows to push the root ball out of the cell easily. Those are simple very important features that make 60 cell trays to be more superior in comparison to other trays. I was not yet able to check if the plastic of 60 cell trays was UV resistant. I hope it is. In conclusion I would like to say that investing money in good cell trays will pay back. The only inconvenience was to get the trays quickly as I live in the Pacific Northwest and it took quite a while to receive the parcel. Otherwise I am very satisfied with the product. Thank you.
Lovely to hear this, thanks so much Anton
I just planted a rose bush this morning. It’s 100 plus f (40C) temperature here. I used a pick ax to get through my “dirt”. Gardening here in Az is totally different than anywhere else.
My my new garden area will be no dig, once my 3 ton of mushroom soil gets delivered. Tfs.
Sounds great Sally, good luck with the heat and new compost
Your metal shovel might be fixable. Maybe a good metal worker could change the angle of the blade without damaging the metals integrity 🤔
Tools are a very interesting thing. Everyone has their favorites for certain things. Lol.
My favorite hand tool is a wicked looking bright orange hori-hori my husband bought me years ago. It replaced the little hand trowels as my goto tool.
I still use the 2 one piece solid cast aluminum hand trowels because occasionally I've no idea where I've left the others. I've kinda got the attention span of a goofy dog with a squirrel in the yard. 😅
But I've got to get a new handle for my wedding hoe. I've had it for over 20 years. Just a small arrow hoe. Its perfect for smaller gardens and even raised beds. I was carrying it with other things and it slid a bit and I tripped over it and snapped it right in half. Luckily, at my age, I didn't break anything on the way down. For only a few dollars I have already picked up a new handle with pins to put it on.
I've never had a dibble I've just used my hands lol but I might look into one. After all I've got a broken hoe handle. But I dont extensively use plug flats like you do.
But thank you for showing all these different tools and how you plant things.
Fascinating!
I would use a hori hori if I could get a copper one!
Thanks I love the plastic shape is better . Thanks for your words and teach me many things . I learn every day more .👏👏💚💛
Happy to help!
I want that dibber so much!
But they charge a fortune for postage sadly. £45 total is just too much for me…😞
Yes it's expensive. Sorry to hear but it's what postage costs - Amazon have it hidden, and pay suppliers less!
Thank you, as always. Could you do an episode on watering cans? I can't seem to find a well-made one here in the US.
I agree. Not sure it would help but let's see!
Check my watering video too? ruclips.net/video/25EMIArApXE/видео.html
@@CharlesDowding1nodig Thanks for the suggestion. I've watched your channel long enough that I remember the watering video from when it first came out.
Gosh..I'm going to look out for a plastic shovel! I have quite small weak wrists and I find a lot of tools way too heavy for me. I'm glad I do no dig though because that sort of digging with a shovel or fork is very rare. I remove the weeds with a trowel or pull them up. I occasionally skim the surface with a hoe. Interesting vlog Charles, thankyou!
I love using my dibber for planting out. Dib, drop, squish and it's done, so fast.
Wow Clare Dib, drop, squish! Excellent
Never seen a 'divot' before. Should make planting corn easier. I may have to whittle one.
Yes - and I call it a dibber, you could whittle it, not too pointed
LOVE your videos. Learned SO much. Thank you 😊
So glad Gina
Charles, have you ever used a hori hori tool? I just got it and I haven't gotten a chance to use it much in the garden yet but I just love it.
Thank you and I would but it's made of iron not copper
@@CharlesDowding1nodig I think it is Japanese steel, the one I got. Sharp as a Japanese sword too which I already had a chance to experience 🙂
Excellent vid Charles, and thanks for the links! However it’s your pocket knife that I’d like info on, I’ve searched for one in vain for a long time! Please could you clarify, and where to buy in uk, or just the make and I’ll find it. Thank you!
Well, Opinel do not make it easy and I have no connection with them, and in the UK Brexit has interrupted supply so I don't know, I can't remember where I bought that one
@@CharlesDowding1nodig I will search them out 😊, thank you ….
I wish the handles were longer on British tools. There's too much back work for taller people on most of the tools, save Irish patter shovel and a few others. I thought perhaps Dutch, Serbian or Balkans sites might have suitably longer-handled tools as they have the tallest average height populations in the world.
There's a lot more stainless steel tools on the market of late and there's a perception that they will lass longer.
Carbon steel is much, much stronger than stainless steel, the latter of which fails particulary at welds. Once you have good soil with plenty organic matter and good soil biology, don't worry about soil clagging to carbon steel heads.
Look for ash handles for long tools. If a cheap tool is listed as unnamed "wood", it may be cheap brittle wood that won't last a season, the same rubbish that's used on pound shop wooden coathangers that fall apart (toona, maybe?).
Don't forget to treat the ash handles with raw, not boiled linseed oil, starting off-season in January. Rub in once a day for a week, once a week for the rest of the month, once a month for the rest of the year, then just once a year annually and they'll resist rot or drying out for many years
Oil the heads if carbon steel (vegetable oil is good enough).
Thanks Frank, really helpful.
The tools I buy from Austria do have longer handles.
look into COPPER shovels!
Thankyou for sharing useful tips on garden tools, I use a dessert spoon had rounded wooden handle as dibber, it's surprising what kitchen appliances one has that can make use in garden. 😄
😀
i have a copper trowel, had it for 15 years, use it to plant and to take weeds out like you say. I've looked at the spades and others but thought I would startt with the one ( small one small price) then never got more, but they're fabulous in clay as the clay doesn't stick as much to it as normal spades
So good! 15 years is impressive
When my husband bought me a manure fork many years ago, he asked if it could be wrapped. It was an anniversary present. Two sales girls tried to talk him out of it, but in the end they perfectly covered the handle and every tine. Best gift ever from my best friend.
Such a fine story!
Suggest compost for your next present 😅!
I enjoy your videos so much Mr. Dowding. I can really feel your love and passion and there are always so many little things that i keep in mind for my own projects and ideas. Greetings from Austria! Gardening myths and misconceptions is a brilliant book, by the way.
Thanks so much Uluf, may health be yours 💚
Charles , I really appreciate how you personally reply to questions we send you! Thank you 😊. I have a question that troubles my early sowing of cold crops each year . We live in a cold climate , high desert , and have had snow off and on all week . Our last Frost dates are May 31 , or beyond . I don’t have a greenhouse nor poly tunnel , so after my seeds germinate , they’re put under shop lights for protection. My question is , should I harden off my spinach , kale , cabbage and chard now , ( snow melted ) and cover them with frost fleece , even though the weather is still cold ? ( lows in the 30’s F ; highs in the mid 40’s F)
Thanks BobbiLynn, I appreciate that.
Your climber is so cold! However, the light levels are now strong and I would transplant them outside with a cover on top. I have a feeling they might surprise you with some good growth, except possibly for chard which risks bolting if exposed to too much cold
Thank you so much, Charles ! Yes , I’ve battled this climate , determined to garden , despite its challenges . We’ve even had temps during the Summer months fluctuate from a high in the 80’s f during the day , to mid 30’s f that night . I wish I was kidding . One July 4th , we were away for the weekend , and a sneak frost killed many of my plants . IN JULY !!! I keep praying to move . 🙄
@@bobbilynnmiller742 Wow! God bless
Thank you, so much, Charles. This was very helpful. I thought I knew tool basics but you shared so many nuances and insights I hadn't considered or known but will be pleased to take up. Delightful as always!
Great to hear!
Hi Charles, I always learn something from your videos. I'm going to try the dibber. And I always carry my pocket knife, but my favorite is the Hori Hori - Japanese vegetable knife.
Speaking of vegetable knives, I really like my red foldable Victorinox serrated paring knife for harvesting. Daniel Mays of Frith Farm recommends it in his book. It is _very_ sharp.
@@ximono Nice knife, I looked it up, I like the one with the slightly curved blade.
@@christopherjreihing I got the round tipped one, it's the only one that folds I think.
I am interested in a hori hori knife as well, but there's a limit to how many knives one can carry. Or is there? :)
@@ximono The Hori Hori I have is made by a company called Bare Bones, it's the ultimate Hori Hori a vintage inspired Japanese design. The 6 and 3/4 stainless steel blade tang goes through the one piece wood handle with a metal pommel base for pounding stakes. Come to wish heavy duty sheath, well worth 55$.
@@christopherjreihing Nice! Higher quality is often worth the higher cost. Adding it to my wishlist.
Ive lost my knifes at the airport as well. : ) Morakniv makes a Swedish full tang knife with utilitarian sheath and high carbon steel blade for a really great price! I like to carry both, the Opinel folder and the Mora, for different jobs on the homestead. Thanks for all the great videos!!
😀
nice video charles im a fan of long handle tools save your back
So right Steven 😀