Best Gardening Equipment

[Zlatko]

Dear all

I cant believe how hard it was to find a hoe that was not a Dutch hoe, but rather a hoe at a right angle. Well I found one and also some great priced other hand tools on http://www.diysupply.co.uk.

This is the hoe:
http://www.diysupply.co.uk/index.php...623c3dc2972487

(you'll need to copy paste the link).

If anyone has tips on good quality and inexpensive tools, please let us all know.

best
zlatko

[smallblueplanet]

ahhh yes, or called an azada

'get digging' azada link

the OH has recently bought one and after using it declares it ought to be beatified!

(aka a chillington hoe and their website has lots of different versions.)

[Jaxom]

I would also recommend the Azada. Used around the world and is many tools in one. I recommended this tool a few months ago on the vine based purely from reading the blurb about it. Unfortunately I had done all the work so no longer needed one. If I ever got an allotment however then this would be my first purchase. I think WiZeR bought one and is using it at this moment in time.
Jax

[Helenclare]

I have got one and they are fab...I have dug more of my allotment in one week than I did in a month with a spade, they are really, really good. Not to tiring to use either!
Helen

[WiZeR]

Yes I bought one and they are great. Also called a mattock.

[sewer rat]

I've had my navvy size mattock for years now and I think it is a superb piece of kit - wouldn't be without it.

[nick the grief]

Hi Zlatko, Welcome to the vine. Bit more expensive, but Wolf do an interchangable head that is exactly what you're talking about. I've got one. As I say bit expensive but at least my wife & in-laws can get me something usefull for B'days & crimbo now.

I've looked at Azada's (mattcks or back hoes if your West Indian) & often thought about getting one but never really got the idea of how it works. But with so many glowing Testemonies (sure you can get a poultice for that) I may well part with some of the hard earned stuff. Any particular brand to be reccommended Folks?

PS Welcome to the Vine Helenclare as well

[smallblueplanet]

nick check out my 'azada' link above - they import them from Spain.

But also if you google for Chillington they do lots under different brand names all round the world.

Think a mattock may be slightly different, azada hasn't got the pointy bit above the blade and the handle is longer.

[nick the grief]

Weldone SBP I've been looking for that site for ages!! I used to have it bookmarked on the old PC but lost it when the HDD went down. Couldn't remember what it was called !!

[smallblueplanet]

shame on you for not backing up your data!

Chillington link

[nick the grief]

I back the data up but not links as there were loads of them & some I only ever used once !!

I seem to remember writing to either this chap or the "fredshed" link about these & he said that these were better than the Chillton ones. COme to thinkof it it was the fredshed chap, co originally I asked about longer handle spade cos I'm nearly 6' & find that most give me backache as they are designed for shorter people. He said had I thought of an azada ( I thought why do I want a supermarket ) & he sent me this link.

[smallblueplanet]

.....was only kidding about backing up!

'fredshed chap'?

I imagine the quality is to do with whether blade & handle fitting are forged in one or welded?

[nick the grief]

'fredshed chap'?

If you go to the Links Page the first one is Fredsshed - he does tool reviews

[smallblueplanet]

err you couldn't do a link to the links page could you can't seem to see it?

[sewer rat]

Sbp
You're right ! A azada is different from a mattock - I always thought they were the same thing but having looked at the site I see the difference now. I think my model, which is very old, is a sort of hybrid. It has the pick spike on one side but my digging blade is wider than those shown on the mattocks shown on the site. The head, both spike and blade are forged as one so not much chance of me breaking it - good to know as it's gonna do some real heavy duty work in the garden over the next couple of weeks.