What’s your favourite garden tool?

When working in a garden centre as a kid I was given a set of Felco #2’s that I had to have on me at all times. Very sad giving them back when I finished but fast forward many years and finally treated myself to a set.
Brilliant tools, last ages and all parts can be replaced which is a good thing in my book. Always feels nice using them and brings back some great memories from the garden centre days.

I’ve just bought a pair of #31’s too..
What’s your fave?

Pizza oven.

Extending cordless hedge trimmer – got about 80 feet of hedges around our garden, life is so much easier.

But Felco are lovely

Petrol lawnmower, cost me 115 quid in 2006, still starts first time every time, cuts the grass even when its wet.

Border spade. Lots of small cuts are much easier than fewer big ones if you’re wimpy like me. Also has a boot step so really comfortable when wearing wellies.

My Stihl battery chainsaw. Ive been using a petrol one for years and always thought battery would be rubbish. But its awesome and so much less faff than the petrol.

Chainsaw or quad bike. Or maybe the Chainsaw tied to the quad like something out of Mad Max. In all seriousness though its my Chillington dutch hoe. Bought for digging trails, turns out its a godsend round the garden too.

The Quad and chainsaw is a close second though.

Or possible my mum’s cheap, rubbish secateurs as they are my mums.

This

Or this

Give me enough fuel + cord and I’ll clear anything

Pick-Mattock for me. I’ve been pretty impressed with my battery tools (mower, chainsaw, strimmer, hedge trimmer) but the mattock just get used so much and I’ve had it ages and used it on some great projects.

A hoe

My good lady, its her garden and she wont let me near it.

If I was asked to do much green fingered wise then my favourite tool is a sponge daffodil we picked up in B&Q 20 years ago for kneeling on. Works for my dodgy knees every time.

This is my favorite gardening tool because I absolutely hate gardening. I do wonder sometimes if it’s an age thing. Do you reach the age of 58 and suddenly gardening becomes the most wonderful hobby ever? 🤔

https://www.smarthomes.de/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Gardena_Sileno-life.jpg

One of the 3 petrol mowers the landlord has accumulated over the years. I’ve had great fun playing with the smaller Briggs and Stratton powered ones during lockdown. A nice size toy to work on.
We did have 4 mowers but one of the ride-ons got converted for lawnmower racing.

Probably my trowel. Nothing fancy or niche but when I am using it, it usually means I’m planting something new and I love planting things.

I don’t have one, I do the minimum to make the garden look semi presentable. I’d rather be out on my bike or walking than planting colourful flowers that need looking after and weeding around for a few months before they die.

My felcos are lovely. Mattock is great.

But favouritest?

Gotta be the pump action weed puller from fiskats. I can now operate it one handed.

I love gardening because it’s better than housework. Mrs Blackflag is of the opinion that the house needs a full clean every weekend. If i don’t contribute to this process in a meaningful way I am a lazy w***** and she will be in a nark all weekend. However, if i head into the garden and start cutting / mowing / digging / burning then all is good and i can bugger off on my bike on Sunday with no sulking. I prefer being outside to in, so its a no brainer.

Ted.

I wouldn’t be knowing about that Sir…

Robot lawnmower. It’s not been in long but so far has needed no intervention at all. But is curiously mesmerising to watch. No time spent mowing, no clippings to deal with. I plan to keep stealing more garden for lawn to reduce whatever other gardening tasks there are eventually down to zero. For everywhere it won’t go, there’s wildflower seeds. And trees.

I’ve spent loads of time gardening the past few weeks but it’s all an investment in future non-gardening.

My favourite is probably a long stabby weeding device. No idea what it’s called, but you stab it into the ground around weeds & it loosens the soil enough to get the root out, but leave most of the surrounding soil undisturbed.

It has been crucial in my battle against dandelions.

Makita recip saw. Best for destroying anything woody that needs cutting.

@luket – what one have you got? I quite fancy not having to move the lawn.

Probably my handmade spade, specific to my height and also soil type in my area.
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/pattersons-spade-mill

This.

Almost all of the benefits of a proper chainsaw without any of the dying from horrific injuries.
It’s brilliant.

Also the mighty el-cheapo Titan shredder. the Alligator chops it down and the shredder eats it. Also brilliant.

Difficult one – I suppose its a toss up between a root grubber tool and a Dalek long reach pruner.
Heavy clay here so in spring if you want to plant deeper than a couple of inches you need the grubber.
But then a good blow and the Italian Cypress have branches sticking out all over so out with the long pruners for some delicate shaping.

The wife 🤣. It’s her domain and all I have to do is say, that looks nice👍

Im looking at the Stihl HSA 26 cordless hedge and shrub trimmer. I think is the same range as Colin’s mini chainsaw.

Considerably smaller and easier to wave about cutting the hedge, and you can clip off the tiny new leaves to get it all tight, rather than trying to wield a 24″ trimmer that weighs 6kg just to do the light trimming.

@Murray Husqvana. Whichever one suits your lawn size. Ours is biggish. Expensive but meant to be reliable and I like the short wide wheelbase which enables it to turn on a slope without losing grip, which was the main problem with the narrow but long Robomow I’ve also experienced. It also seems to have slightly more intelligent control.

Bottle opener.

You win. Do you have the hammock to go with it?

Pick-mattock definitely, when used for such gardening jobs as “dismantling” an old cupboard etc.

I don’t have a specific favourite but I have purchased a couple of battery powered tools recently and I’m a convert, not having the hassle of getting the extension cable out is wonderful.

Twinw4ll wins

It’s got to be an azada. Back saving tool.
Using a spade all of a sudden seems ridiculous once you’ve tried an azada.

Adam. He’s brilliant. He’s not really a tool though. He has a degree in Horticulture.

It used to be a Japanese razor hoe when I was in the UK, because they were awesome at getting through the millions of weeds that loved the heavy clay of Cambs.

Now though, it’s either a chainsaw or a splitting axe. Or a hammer

this badboy. Weed shotgun? Yes please