The one tool to rule them all

[Allotmenthacker]

Hey guys,

So my aim on the allotment is to keep costs as low as possible. However, it's my birthday soon, which means I'm allowed a present, and to a certain extent the spending cap is loosened.

SO I was wondering, what one slightly more expensive tool (i.e. not a dibber) has made the biggest difference to your growing? I was considering maybe a cold frame, or a draw hoe, but I'm open to ideas.

The only proviso is that I'm short on space, which probably takes heated propagator off the table, the budget is not unlimited (no cultivators) and if it potentially saves me time, then that's a big win!

[bearded bloke]

Wifey got me a bulb planter,great for intended purpose & brilliant for beans/peas started in bog roll cores,also loads on here use it for spuds as well

[buzzingtalk]

Draw hoe...I bought one last week and its amazing! Especially if you don't already have a hoe at your disposal.

[binley100]

Wifey got me a bulb planter,great for intended purpose & brilliant for beans/peas started in bog roll cores,also loads on here use it for spuds as well

That would be my suggestion too BB .....multi functional . I also use mine for making compost filled planting holes for my 'snips..

[Hazel at the Hill]

I could only answer this properly if I had loads of 'toys' to play with, then I could chose the most useful.

As it is, out of the spade/fork/rake/trowel/stick/plank which consist my tool store, I find that I could not be without a fork; and the addition of a trowel would see most of my needs met.

That makes me sound like a poor wee soul!

[mrgrower]

My next buy is a draw hoe too but the best present is ones own desire to want to grow imho

[bubblewrap]

Draw hoe...I bought one last week and its amazing! Especially if you don't already have a hoe at your disposal.

I'll second that, good for filling in trench when planting spuds mine was quite expensive @ £17(ish) (Wilkinson Sword)
Mine was a gift(sister) too.

[zazen999]

Joseph Bentley Stainless Steel Short Handled bulb planter

Swoe

Adze

[Alison]

I don't really get on with hoes of any sort. Think the way I plant doesn't help and I find hand weeding lasts much longer. Personaly my best buy wasteel hand trowel and hand fork. Much better than the one pound ones. Don't find loads of different gadgets to be worth the money.

[bubblewrap]

Spring rake?
Good if you have lots of grass(good for scarifying the lawn.)

[Glutton4...]

ALL tools - like books, and seeds, are treasure. Last year I replaced my everyday hand tools, as last of my set of cheapos broke. I went for the longer handled stainless steel items, as the majority of my work is hand-weeding, and I can cover a bigger area without putting my back out, already I'm finding them invaluable. They have wooden handles, like the j0$€ph b€ntl€y ones, and I have fork, trowel and cultivator. Fab!

[zazen999]

Try a swoe G4 - I can weed a 2m wide bed stood fully upright and it gets dandelions up as you use it to cut down under the soil and then drag the weeds towards you into piles for putting into trug/taking away.

[veggiechicken]

I like the 3 pronged cultivator with a hoe on the other side from Wolf with a long handle. Gives me a long reach without having to step on the soil and you just flip it over to change from raking to hoeing. I use the small version for hand weeding.
multi-change® Cultiweeder 10cm

[snakeshack]

love my swoe,can be used in virtually any direction and even gets into small gaps

[SarzWix]

Swoe for me too; works as an ordinary hoe and a draw hoe, and you can use it kinda sideways for narrow gaps.