s Gardening journalist THE TEST ★★★★★ FREE H rCOLOUR … · 2012. 2. 19. · Famous...
1
Geoff Hodge gets to the root of the matter by testing hand forks A very handy tool Geoff Hodge Gardening journalist A HAND fork is probably the most useful garden tool for hand weeding, loosening the soil around the weed to ensure all the roots come out. With sharp tines, a good hand fork should be easy to push into most soils, also making it very handy for planting, transplanting, aerating the soil and mixing in compost and solid fertilisers. When selecting a hand fork for yourself, you will need to decide whether the tines are made from carbon, alloy steel or stainless steel, which is now great value. Most hand forks have flat tines, but three in the test have round tines. These are ideal for heavy clay soils because they offer less resistance to the soil than flat tines, but they don’t lift up the soil as well. And most hand forks have an angled neck (called a tang), which allows you to work more easily as there’s more clearance between your knuckles and the soil. Most of those on test had a good tang. THE TEST I tested the hand forks on the good tilth in my raised beds and on my slightly more sticky, clay soil. I looked at how well they worked over the soil, forked through the soil to the depth of their tines and removed weeds. I always like wooden- handled tools – my hand fork and trowel have wooden handles. But, although the wooden-handled forks on test were all good, I found those with soft plastic handles the most comfortable. There wasn’t much difference between the length of the tines/head, which varied from 11.5cm (4½in), measured by ★, to 13cm (5¼in) ★★★. Obviously, longer tines/head allow you to cultivate the soil more deeply. Suppliers Many suppliers only sell to gardening stores, but you can often buy their products online. Bulldog Tools 01279 401572 www.bulldogtools.co.uk Burgon & Ball 0114 233 8262 www.burgonandball.com Darlac 01753 547790 www.darlac.com Draper Tools 02380 494333 for stockist details www.draper.co.uk Fiskars UK 0115 927 7335 www.fiskars.com Gardman 01406 372237 www.gardman.co.uk Harrod Horticultural 08454 025300 www. harrodhorticultural.com Joseph Bentley 01905 791984 www.josephbentley.org. uk Spear & Jackson 0114 281 4242 www.spear-and-jackson. com Wilkinson Sword from E P Barrus 08458 941599 www.wilkinsonsword- tools.co.uk Wolf-Garten from E P Barrus 01869 363636 www.wolf-garten.co.uk Yeoman 01905 791984 www.yeomangarden.com 48 Garden News / February 14 2012 February 14 2012 / Garden News 49 Tried & tested Hand forks WIN OUR BEST BUY We have 20 of the Yeoman Best Buy stainless steel hand forks to give away! Send your name and address to Garden News Hand Fork Giveaway, PO Box 57, Coates, Peterborough PE7 2FE or enter online at www.greatcompetitions.co.uk Closing date is February 28. Please write ‘do not contact’ if you don’t want to be contacted by us or by carefully selected partner organisations. Bulldog Tools Premier 3-Prong Hand Fork A good, heavy-duty steel fork. The extra weight helped when pushing through heavy soil, so it wasn’t a disadvantage. For me, the handle was a bit too short and after extensive use the end rubbed the palm of my hand. ● Handle length 11cm (4¼in) ● Tines Coated boron steel ● Head length ★★ ● Handle Ash wood ● Comfort ★★★★★ ● Performance & usability ★★★★★ ● Price guide £10.50 Burgon & Ball Stainless Round Tined Fork An excellent, high quality hand fork that was light and easy to use. The round tines were definitely easier to push into heavy soil compared to the traditional flat tines. ● Handle length 12.5cm (5in) ● Tines Stainless steel; round ● Head length ★ ● Handle Ash wood ● Comfort ★★★★★ ● Performance & usability ★★★★★ ● Price guide £9.95 Darlac Hand Fork Very comfortable and easy to use thanks to the contoured handle. The raised front ‘stop’ prevented hand slippage when wet and the handle thumb point allows you to exert pressure when inserting into the soil. ● Handle length 15cm (6in) ● Tines Stainless steel ● Head length ★★★ ● Handle Soft plastic ● Comfort ★★★★★ ● Performance & usability ★★★★★ ● Price guide £8 BEST BUY Garden News Draper Tools Expert Hand Weeding Fork Unlike most of the other wooden-handled forks, this doesn’t have a bulbous front to the handle, so there was nothing to support my thumb and my hand tended to slip. For me, the handle was a bit too short and after extensive use the end rubbed the palm of my hand. It has a small tang. ● Handle length 11cm (4¼in) ● Tines Stainless steel ● Head length ★★ ● Handle Ash wood ● Comfort ★★★★★ ● Performance & usability ★★★★★ ● Price guide £6.50 Gardman Moulton Mill Stainless Steel Hand Fork An excellent, high quality hand fork that was light and easy to use. Although, the raised metal name badge on the handle did become uncomfortable after a while. ● Handle length 12.5cm (5in) ● Tines Stainless steel ● Head length ★ ● Handle Ash wood ● Comfort ★★★★★ ● Performance & usability ★★★★★ ● Price guide £7.99 Joseph Bentley Stainless Steel Hand Fork An excellent, high quality hand fork that was light and easy to use. It has everything I’d look for in a hand fork and was my best wooden- handled fork. ● Handle length 13cm (5¼in) ● Tines Stainless steel ● Head length ★★★ ● Handle Oak wood ● Comfort ★★★★★ ● Performance & usability ★★★★★ ● Price guide £8.49 Sneeboer Hand Fork Unlike most of the other wooden-handled forks, this doesn’t have a bulbous front to the handle, so there was nothing to support my thumb and my hand tended to slip. It has a small tang, so your knuckles are close to the soil. ● Handle length 13cm (5¼in) ● Tines Stainless steel ● Head length ★ ● Handle Cherry wood ● Comfort ★★★★★ ● Performance & usability ★★★★★ ● Price guide £27.95; available from Harrod Horticultural Spear & Jackson Select Stainless Steel Weed Fork Very comfortable and easy to use thanks to the contoured handle. The raised front ‘stop’ prevented hand slippage when wet and the handle thumb point allows you to exert pressure when inserting into the soil. In fact, It was a close runner-up for best buy, and only lost out due to its shorter tines and slightly more expensive price tag. ● Handle length 15.5cm (6in) ● Tines Stainless steel ● Head length ★ ● Handle Soft plastic palm and thumb grip, hard plastic finger grip ● Comfort ★★★★★ ● Performance & usability ★★★★★ ● Price guide £8.99 Wilkinson Sword Flower Fork The round tines were definitely easier to push into heavy soil compared to the traditional flat tines. It has a flat-sided handle, so there was nothing to support my thumb and stop slipping when wet. ● Handle length 12cm (4¾in) ● Tines Cold rolled steel; round ● Head length ★★★ ● Handle Plastic ● Comfort ★★★★★ ● Performance & usability ★★★★★ ● Price guide £9.99 Yeoman Stainless Steel Hand Fork Very comfortable and easy to use thanks to the contoured handle. The raised front ‘stop’ prevented hand slippage when wet and the handle thumb point allows you to exert pressure when inserting into the soil. ● Handle length 14cm (5½in) ● Tines Stainless steel ● Head length ★★★ ● Handle Soft plastic ● Comfort ★★★★★ ● Performance & usability ★★★★★ ● Price guide £7.99 BEST BUY Garden News Interchangeable tools Although you can buy long-handled hand forks, I haven’t included them in the test. But there are interchangeable tools where you can use a small handle or select a much longer handle that is the right length for you. Wolf-Garten Multi-Change Hand Fork I use a lot of Wolf-Garten Multi- Change tools in my garden. The hand fork with the small handle is both heavy and top heavy – but it worked very well with my longer handles. ● Handle length 24cm (9½in) ● Tines Cold rolled steel; round ● Head length ★★★ ● Handle Plastic ● Comfort ★★★★★ ● Performance & usability ★★★★★ ● Price guide £14.99; 15cm small handle £3.99; other handles: from 32cm (12½in) £4.99 to 1.7m (5ft 8in) £17.99 Fiskars QuikFit Standard Fork Even with the small handle, this is a very long hand fork, but it is light and great to use and provides good reach into flower beds and other areas. ● Handle length 33cm (13in) ● Tines Boron steel ● Head length ★★ ● Handle Soft plastic ● Comfort ★★★★★ ● Performance & usability ★★★★★ ● Price guide £14.99; small handle £10.99; other handles: 72cm (28½in) £14.99; 1.5m (5ft) £19.99 DON’T MISS ALL THIS NEXT WEEK DON’T MISS OUT Subscribe now and pay just £1 an issue! Phone 0845 601 1356 or visit www.greatmagazines.co.uk/gn PLUS Exclusive columns by Carol Klein and Terry Walton Packet of nicotiana ‘Lime Green’ for every reader Sow our 2012 seed collection for COLOUR EVERY WEEK! Nicotiana ‘Lime Green’ Fresh contrasting colour in borders and pots Garden News WORTH £1.50 UNUSUAL GREEN FLOWERS Make your neighbours green with envy, with our pick of the best green blooms GROW YOUR OWN FLOWERS FOR CUTTING FREE SEEDS! COLOUR EVERY WEEK! Famous florist Paula Pryke explains how to get started, plus reveals her favourite spring arrangements
Transcript of s Gardening journalist THE TEST ★★★★★ FREE H rCOLOUR … · 2012. 2. 19. · Famous...
-
Geoff Hodge gets to the root of the matter by testing hand forks
A very handy toolGeo� HodgeGardening journalist
A HAND fork is probably the most useful garden tool for hand weeding, loosening the soil around the weed to ensure all the roots come out.
With sharp tines, a good hand fork should be easy to push into most soils, also making it very handy for planting, transplanting, aerating the soil and mixing in
compost and solid fertilisers.When selecting a hand fork
for yourself, you will need to decide whether the tines are made from carbon, alloy steel or stainless steel, which is now great value.
Most hand forks have � at tines, but three in the test have round tines. These are ideal for heavy clay soils because they o� er less resistance to the soil than � at tines, but they don’t lift up the soil as well.
And most hand forks have
an angled neck (called a tang), which allows you to work more easily as there’s more clearance between your knuckles and the soil. Most of those on test had a good tang.
THE TESTI tested the hand forks on the good tilth in my raised beds and on my slightly more sticky, clay soil. I looked at how well they worked over the soil, forked through the soil to the depth of their tines and removed weeds.
I always like wooden-handled tools – my hand fork and trowel have wooden handles. But, although the wooden-handled forks on test were all good, I found those with soft plastic handles the most comfortable.
There wasn’t much di� erence between the length of the tines/head, which varied from 11.5cm (4½in), measured by �, to 13cm (5¼in) ���. Obviously, longer tines/head allow you to cultivate the soil more deeply.And most hand forks have allow you to cultivate the soil more deeply.more deeply.
SuppliersMany suppliers only sell to gardening stores, but you can often buy their products online.
Bulldog Tools 01279 401572 www.bulldogtools.co.uk
Burgon & Ball0114 233 8262 www.burgonandball.com
Darlac01753 547790www.darlac.com
Draper Tools02380 494333 for stockist detailswww.draper.co.uk
Fiskars UK0115 927 7335www.� skars.com
Gardman01406 372237www.gardman.co.uk
Harrod Horticultural08454 025300www.harrodhorticultural.com
Joseph Bentley01905 791984www.josephbentley.org.uk
Spear & Jackson0114 281 4242www.spear-and-jackson.com
Wilkinson Sword from E P Barrus08458 941599www.wilkinsonsword-tools.co.uk
Wolf-Garten from E P Barrus01869 363636www.wolf-garten.co.uk
Yeoman01905 791984www.yeomangarden.com
SuppliersMany suppliers only sell to gardening stores, but you can often buy their products online.
Bulldog Tools 01279 401572 www.bulldogtools.co.uk
Burgon & Ball0114 233 8262www.burgonandball.com
Darlac01753 547790www.darlac.com
SuppliersMany suppliers only sell to gardening stores, but
48 Garden News / February 14 2012 February 14 2012 / Garden News 49
Tried & tested Hand forks
WIN OUR BEST BUYWe have 20 of the Yeoman Best Buy stainless steel hand forks to give away! Send your name and address to Garden News Hand Fork Giveaway, PO Box 57, Coates, Peterborough PE7 2FE or enter online at www.greatcompetitions.co.uk Closing date is February 28. Please write ‘do not contact’ if you don’t want to be contacted by us or by carefully selected partner organisations.
Bulldog Tools Premier 3-Prong Hand ForkA good, heavy-duty steel fork. The extra weight helped when pushing through heavy soil, so it wasn’t a disadvantage. For me, the handle was a bit too short and after extensive use the end rubbed the palm of my hand.● Handle length 11cm (4¼in)● Tines Coated boron steel● Head length ��● Handle Ash wood● Comfort �����● Performance & usability �����● Price guide £10.50
Burgon & Ball Stainless Round Tined ForkAn excellent, high quality hand fork that was light and easy to use. The round tines were de� nitely easier to push into heavy soil compared to the traditional � at tines. ● Handle length 12.5cm (5in)● Tines Stainless steel; round● Head length �● Handle Ash wood● Comfort �����● Performance & usability �����● Price guide £9.95
Darlac Hand Fork Very comfortable and easy to use thanks to the contoured handle. The raised front ‘stop’ prevented hand slippage when wet and the handle thumb point allows you to exert pressure when inserting into the soil.● Handle length 15cm (6in)● Tines Stainless steel● Head length ���● Handle Soft plastic● Comfort �����● Performance & usability �����● Price guide £8
pressure when inserting into the soil.
�����
BESTBUY
GardenNews
Draper Tools Expert Hand Weeding ForkUnlike most of the other wooden-handled forks, this doesn’t have a bulbous front to the handle, so there was nothing to support my thumb and my hand tended to slip. For me, the handle was a bit too short and after extensive use the end rubbed the palm of my hand. It has a small tang.● Handle length 11cm (4¼in)● Tines Stainless steel● Head length ��● Handle Ash wood● Comfort �����● Performance & usability �����● Price guide £6.50
Gardman Moulton Mill Stainless Steel Hand ForkAn excellent, high quality hand fork that was light and easy to use. Although, the raised metal name badge on the handle did become uncomfortable after a while.● Handle length 12.5cm (5in)● Tines Stainless steel● Head length �● Handle Ash wood● Comfort �����● Performance & usability �����● Price guide £7.99
Joseph Bentley Stainless Steel Hand ForkAn excellent, high quality hand fork that was light and easy to use. It has everything I’d look for in a hand fork and was my best wooden-handled fork.● Handle length 13cm (5¼in)● Tines Stainless steel● Head length ���● Handle Oak wood● Comfort �����● Performance & usability �����● Price guide £8.49
Sneeboer Hand ForkUnlike most of the other wooden-handled forks, this doesn’t have a bulbous front to the handle, so there was nothing to support my thumb and my hand tended to slip. It has a small tang, so your knuckles are close to the soil.● Handle length 13cm (5¼in)● Tines Stainless steel● Head length �● Handle Cherry wood● Comfort �����● Performance & usability �����● Price guide £27.95; available from Harrod Horticultural
Spear & Jackson Select Stainless Steel Weed ForkVery comfortable and easy to use thanks to the contoured handle. The raised front ‘stop’ prevented hand slippage when wet and the handle thumb point allows you to exert pressure when inserting into the soil. In fact, It was a close runner-up for best buy, and only lost out due to its shorter tines and slightly more expensive price tag.● Handle length 15.5cm (6in)● Tines Stainless steel● Head length �● Handle Soft plastic palm and thumb grip, hard plastic � nger grip● Comfort �����● Performance & usability �����● Price guide £8.99
Wilkinson Sword Flower ForkThe round tines were de� nitely easier to push into heavy soil compared to the traditional � at tines. It has a � at-sided handle, so there was nothing to support my thumb and stop slipping when wet.● Handle length 12cm (4¾in)● Tines Cold rolled steel; round● Head length ���● Handle Plastic● Comfort �����● Performance & usability �����● Price guide £9.99
Yeoman Stainless Steel Hand Fork Very comfortable and easy to use thanks to the contoured handle. The raised front ‘stop’ prevented hand slippage when wet and the handle thumb point allows you to exert pressure when inserting into the soil.● Handle length 14cm (5½in)● Tines Stainless steel● Head length ���● Handle Soft plastic● Comfort �����● Performance & usability �����
● Price guide £7.99
pressure when inserting into the soil.(5½in)
Performance & usability
BESTBUY
GardenNews
Interchangeable toolsAlthough you can buy long-handled hand forks, I haven’t included them in the test. But there are interchangeable tools where you can use a small handle or select a much longer handle that is the right length for you.
Wolf-Garten Multi-Change Hand ForkI use a lot of Wolf-Garten Multi-Change tools in my garden. The hand fork with the small handle is both heavy and top heavy – but it worked very well with my longer handles.● Handle length 24cm (9½in)● Tines Cold rolled steel; round● Head length ���● Handle Plastic● Comfort �����● Performance & usability �����
● Price guide £14.99; 15cm small handle £3.99; other handles: from 32cm (12½in) £4.99 to 1.7m (5ft 8in) £17.99
Fiskars QuikFit Standard Fork
Even with the small handle, this is a very long hand fork, but it is light and great to use and provides good reach into � ower beds and other areas.● Handle length 33cm (13in)● Tines Boron steel● Head length ��● Handle Soft plastic● Comfort �����● Performance & usability �����● Price guide £14.99; small handle £10.99; other handles: 72cm (28½in) £14.99; 1.5m (5ft) £19.99
DON’T MISS ALL THIS
NEXT WEEK
DON’T MISS OUT Subscribe now and pay just £1 an issue! Phone 0845 601 1356 or visit www.greatmagazines.co.uk/gn
PLUS Exclusive columns by Carol Klein and Terry Walto
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Packet of nicotiana ‘Lime Green’ for every reader
WEEK
Get for £1 an issue Don’t miss our ess
ential weekly advice and tips, written by gardeners for ga
rdeners. Go online at www.greatmagazines
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NCS OFFER CLOSES October 31 2012
Sow our 2012 seed collection forCOLOUR EVERY WEEK!
Nicotiana ‘Lime Green’
Performance subject to growing conditions. Origin UK
Sow by 2015
Nicotiana ‘Lime ‘Green’
To Sow & GrowSow indoors in a propagator
or a warm kitchen windowsill. Sow thinly on the surface of
a tray of pre-watered compost. Place in a warm, light positio
n. A temperature 15-20˚C (60-68˚F) is ideal. Keep moist. Seedling
s usually appear in 14-28 days. Transplant seedlings 5cm (2”
) apart to other trays when large enough to handle. Grow on
in cooler, but not cold conditions. Gradually accustom young p
lants to outside conditions (avoid frosts), before planting out 30
cm (1’) apart, when frosts are over. Caution: Harmful if eaten.
Mr. F’s Tips: The seed of nicotiana is very s
mall; for easier sowing, mix with
a little dry sand.
Height 90cm (3’)Spread 40cm (16”)
• A half hardy annual, fl owers the same year as sown
• Unusual colouring lifts the summer border
• Has a light scent in the evening
Fresh contrasting colour in borders and pots
GardenNews
WORTH £1.50
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