Stay sharp on the plot!

As well as clearing more ground today the shed got a once over.  In my last allotment shed I had easily 50 tools many of which were stolen.  That got me thinking which tools do I actually need and which tools are designed to separate gardeners form their money as opposed to actually making the job easier or doing it better.  Not being able to keep anything in the shed due to thefts.  I have had to put together a bit of a grab and go collection of tools I couldn’t be without. 

The first is without a doubt my digging fork.  Clearing a plot is tough at the best of times but when a plot has been left to the weeds there are often dandelions with roots in the bedrock of hell.  I don’t get preoccupied by weeds, they’re a fact of life.  Having said that there’s nothing worse in my opinion that putting a spade through the root leaving it to come back bigger and stronger.

Second is the spade, the temptation with a spade is to get the biggest spade you can, DON’T!  my spade is relatively small.  The reason for this is that with a small spade I can dig all day, with a huge spade turning over huge weights of earth at a time its easy to tire quickly. 

The hoe it goes without saying is a vital tool for every allotmenteer.  Disturbing the roots of weed seedling prevents them from taking hold which save a lot of time later.

Where would we be without a rake?  What resonates with me when I’m preparing to sow a crop is what is written on the seed packed.  Sow in warm, moist, weed free, freshly raked soil.  A good rake goes a long way to making great seed beds easy to make and of a high quality.

So, what else?  Well there is one tool which I always have with me. I keep it in my pocket and it saves me hours of hard work while digging, hoeing, clearing with a fork.  What is it?  My file.  All too often have I said to a tired and harassed looking fellow gardener have you sharpened your spade?  Nothing gets you more funny looks but it makes sense and works like a charm.  Just carrying a simple fine metalwork file and passing it over the blade of your hoe, spade or fork prongs just makes life easier.  By sharpening your tools, they cut through the soil or weeds easier meaning less physical exertion from you therefore allowing you to work longer and achieve more.  I’ve had expensive tools, cheap tools, inherited tools and improvised tools but when it comes to he coalface the only thing that really matter are sharp tools!