BBC Gardeners World Magazine https://www.gardenersworld.com/reviews/tools/planting Mon, 11 May 2026 18:27:20 GMT en hourly 1 The best garden forks in 2026 - tested by our experts https://www.gardenersworld.com/reviews/tools/planting/best-forks/ Thu, 22 Jan 2026 19:55:24 GMT https://www.gardenersworld.com/reviews/tools/planting/best-forks/ Lift plants, turn soil and get your beds and borders ready with our reviews of garden forks Forks are one of the simplest but most effective tools in the garden. Not only are they great if you need to cultivate and prepare areas of soil for planting and sowing, they’re also designed to easily lift and transplant plants. There are several different types of forks, and most people's go-to is a digging fork. However, these forks can be unwieldy and ill-suited to smaller areas of the garden like borders. They can also be a  little too clumsy for more delicate tasks like transplanting plants and harvesting from raised beds.

Border forks offer an easy alternative. A little smaller and narrower than digging forks, they're great for getting into tight spots without compromising on strength or efficiency. They offer a finesse that makes them great for weeding or lifting clumps of perennials from cramped borders. Their lightness also helps if you have mobility issues or if you lack strength and stamina. A good border fork turns all of the above from a backbreaker into a breeze. For more help when preparing soil, take a look at our guide to the best garden spades or hand trowels.

Best Buy garden forks at a glance

Our expertise We tested different border forks, using them in the garden in a range of sites and ground to help you find the right one for your garden. Each fork has a detailed list of pros and cons for clarity and has been rated according to handling, tines, strength and value for money. From 2026, you’ll only see newly awarded Best Buy badges on garden forks that score 4.5 out of 5 or higher. Anything rated 3.5 or above will still feature in our ‘Best of the rest’. Every fork in our round up below has scored a minimum of 3.5 out of 5 stars, so you can buy with confidence.

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In every review, we award outstanding products our coveted Best Buy award. To see these and the others we recommend, browse our pick of the best garden forks, below.

The best garden forks

Greenman Stainless Steel Border Fork

Price: £41.95

Our rating: 4.5 out of 5

Available from The Range

Best Buy for general use: Greenman Stainless Steel Border Fork

Pros

Cons

With its long overall length and slightly heavier weight, this is a good buy for the keen gardener. The 1.6kg weight means the fork does some of the hard work for you, sliding cleanly into the soil with mirror-polished stainless steel tines that have a high carbon content, so they’re strong and the soil doesn’t stick to them. The tines are also more pointed than other forks on test, which makes for a comparatively effortless digging experience as they penetrate the soil easily, even on stonier ground.

The sustainable ash handle is also longer than the others on test, making it comfortable for the taller person to use, but also suitable for those of average height. The handle, which is fastened with three rivets, fits firmly into the head and has a lipped socket, so it’s both tough and long-lasting, spreading the stress over a potentially weak joint. This fork feels sturdy and thoughtfully made and, with a 20-year warranty, offers the buyer a quality long-term investment. We’ve awarded it a BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Best Buy for general use.

Buy the Greenman Stainless Steel Border Fork from Amazon and The Range

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Spear and Jackson Select Stainless Steel Border Fork

Price: £35

Our rating: 4.5 out of 5

Available from Tooled Up

Best Buy for value: Spear and Jackson Select Stainless Steel Border Fork

Pros

Cons

This is robust but comfortable to use, with effective ergonomic grips on its shaft and handle. The handle is a YD shape and angled so that you’re always pushing into soil directly above the points of the tines. At 18cm, it’s also wide, which makes it easy to use with two hands to generate extra force on tough soils.

The polypropylene shaft is strong, and the socket is double-riveted for extra strength. It transplants well - the tines hold clumps of soil together for a rootball, but soil doesn’t stick. It has a 10-year warranty, and for its strength, ease of use, and price, we awarded it a BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Best Buy for value.

Best Buy review video - the Spear and Jackson Select Stainless Steel Border Fork

Alex David explains why the Spear and Jackson Select Stainless Steel Border Fork was awarded BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Best Buy status. 

View Green Video on the source website

Buy the Spear and Jackson Select Stainless Steel Border Fork from Amazon, B&Q and Tooled Up

Latest Prices

RHS Burgon and Ball Stainless Steel Border Fork

Price: £42.99

Our rating: 4.3 out of 5

Available from Crocus

Best Buy for performance: Burgon and Ball RHS Endorsed Border Fork

Pros

Cons

Awarded a BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Best Buy for performance, this sturdy border fork is endorsed by the RHS, and it’s not hard to see why. It’s rated for strains up to 90kg, but despite its strength, it’s very light, at just 1.64kg. The tines are strong and well spaced. It easily goes through both compacted and wet soil.

However, this stainless steel fork felt a little unfinished - there are some scratch marks around the rivets in the handle, and the handle itself is a little rough. It comes with a plastic cover to help keep the fork clean and rust-free in storage and has a lifetime warranty.

Buy the Burgon and Ball RHS Stainless Steel Border Fork from Crocus and Waitrose Garden

Latest Deals

Wilkinson Sword Stainless Steel Border Fork

Price: £34.99

Our rating: 4.3 out of 5

Available from Tooled Up

Best Buy for everyday use: Wilkinson Sword Stainless Steel Border Fork

Pros

Cons

For an unfussy stainless steel border fork, look no further. This traditional garden border fork has no ergonomics, but is still comfortable to hold, with a smooth ash handle. Its performance is good - some dirt sticks, but it pushes into the soil with little resistance, and picks up a fair amount.

It’s good at breaking lumps, too, but struggles a little with finer soil and compost. More important is its price - this is a good fork at a very reasonable price, and we awarded it a BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Best Buy for everyday use.

Buy the Wilkinson Sword Stainless Steel Border Fork from Amazon and Tooled Up

Latest Prices

Sophie Conran Digging Fork

Price: £43.99

Our rating: 4 out of 5

Available from Amazon

Best Buy for raised beds and borders: Sophie Conran Digging Fork

Pros

Cons

We liked this fork from Burgon and Ball’s Sophie Conran range - it’s a true garden border fork with small tines, and it's great for manoeuvring in small spaces. Its FSC-certified ash shaft and T-shaped handle are comfortable and easy to use with two hands ,and the mirrored steel tines stop soil from sticking.

It strikes in very well with little resistance, even in clay, but the tines are short - just 19cm - which makes it a little difficult to get leverage when turning over and transplanting. We awarded it a BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Best Buy for raised beds and borders.

Buy the Sophie Conran Digging Fork from Amazon

Latest Prices

Roamwild Multi-Digger

Price: £44.99

Our rating: 4 out of 5

Available from Roamwild

Best Buy for cultivating: Roamwild Multidigger

Pros

Cons

This futuristic border fork is a real innovation. Rather than the traditional four tines, this model combines the middle two into an arrow shape reinforced by two soil chopping blades. It has a multi-grip handle, with a second handle through the middle for using a variety of different grips. This strength - and the fine point of the arrow-shaped tines - means this border fork simply cannot be beaten for lump breaking and digging into soil. It went through compacted clay like it wasn’t even there.

However, the arrow-shaped tines that make it so strong leave a big gap on either side through which all soils on test fell through. This is poor for turning over soil and transplanting, but if you need to break up soil or cultivate a new garden or veg plot, it is great, and we awarded it a BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Best Buy for cultivation.

Buy the Roamwild Multi-Digger from Roamwild

Latest Prices

The best of the rest

Although some models didn't quite achieve a BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Best Buy award, they still have various features that make them worth recommending. Browse our pick of the best of the rest.

Pedigree Border Fork

Price: £37.90

Our rating: 3.8 out of 5

Available from Bulldog

BBC Gardeners' World Magazine - Bulldog Pedigree Border Fork

Pros

Cons

We were very impressed with this fork’s performance. The stainless steel tines are good - they slide into soil effortlessly, but aren’t slippery, holding large forkfuls of soil for easy turning over and transplanting. On some tests, there was a little clodding at the top where the tines meet, but not badly.

It’s fairly strong, with a double-riveted socket and single-riveted head with metal guards. However, it lost marks for its finish. Parts of the fork aren’t properly sanded and splinter a little, and it’s balanced too much towards the tines.

Buy the Pedigree Border Fork from Bulldog

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How to choose a garden fork

Types of garden forks and their uses

There are two main types of garden forks that are commonly used:

Larger than border forks, what this tool lacks in finesse, it makes up for in brute strength. It's ideal for breaking fresh ground and turning over a lot of soil.

These are smaller, lighter versions of digging forks, designed to be used in tighter spaces, like borders – hence the name. Good for cultivating small patches of soil and transplanting small plants, or harvesting root vegetables from raised beds, but they’re also great for gardeners who would struggle using a larger digging fork for a prolonged length of time. Taller gardeners may find them a little short to use but border forks with ergonomic handles may help with this.

What are they made from?

Fork handles come in a variety of styles to suit different users’ preferences.  The most common is a Y or YD shape, which is great for applying effort and digging with strength, but can be uncomfortable if you prefer to use  both hands. Also common is the T-shape, which is good for using with two hands, but can feel odd if you’re not used to this style. Shafts, the part between the handle and the socket, are traditionally made of ash, a strong, durable, but lightweight wood. Most forks on the market are still made this way but other materials with similar properties to ash, such as polypropylene or fibreglass, are also used.

Perhaps the most crucial part is the head and the tines - the prongs that will dig into the soil. These are almost always steel; either carbon steel, which is durable and strong but prone to rust, and stainless steel, which is less prone to rust but is a little weaker. Some of the best forks have a mirrored finish on their tines, which ensures soil doesn’t stick.

Improving your soil

A fork is a crucial tool for improving your soil, digging and forking through the soil loosens compaction, removes weeds and debris, and is the perfect opportunity to add organic matter. Plants require the best possible soil conditions, so add plenty of organic matter which will help drainage and aeration on heavy soils or conserve moisture on light ones.

Here are some more tips on how to improve your soil:

How we tested garden forks

We tested a range of border forks with different features, including telescopic handles and ratchet mechanisms. Our experts put the loppers through their paces on various woody branches and stems to test their overall performance. Each pair was assessed according to the following criteria with equal marks attributed to each:

For more information on our testing process, take a look at How we review

Meet our testing panel

Oliver Parsons, Strategic Projects Editor
Oliver is a gardener and magazine journalist of 20 years’ experience. He trained as a professional horticulturalist at RHS Garden Hyde Hall in Chelmsford and has also worked for Gardening Which?, as a freelance gardener and with the gardening team at Down House in Kent. He is now Strategic Projects Editor at BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine and GardenersWorld.com, heading up our reviews desk, Apple News output and weekly newsletter.

Kay Maguire, Magazines Editor
Kay trained at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and has been writing and making films about gardening ever since. She has written for websites and magazines, including The Garden and Amateur Gardening, was Horticultural Editor on BBC Gardeners' World Magazine for five years, and has also written several books on a range of gardening topics from growing house plants to making the most of a small space. After several years as Reviews Editor, building up our reviews section into a leading resource for UK gardeners, she has now become Magazines Editor for BBC Gardeners' World Magazine, responsible for all print output.

Harry Duncton, Freelance Powered Tools Tester
Harry has a wealth of experience, from being a language teacher to a tree surgeon, and has built this into a career writing about all things DIY and gardening. A passionate believer in self-reliance, his aim is to inspire others to give it a go themselves and not worry about making a few mistakes along the way. A regular contributor to popular DIY blogs and a recent addition to the BBC Gardeners' World Magazine team, he loves tracking down the best new tools and writing about them.

Sue Fisher, Freelance Garden Writer
Sue’s extensive horticultural career spans over 40 years, starting with a decade in the garden centre and nursery industry before developing into an accomplished gardening writer, designer and speaker. Sue writes regularly for BBC Gardeners' World Magazine, GardenersWorld.com and Garden Answers magazine. She has written 10 books on subjects including container gardening, plants for small gardens and designing with colour, and she has co-authored other books with some of the biggest names in gardening.

Emma Crawforth, Horticulture Editor
Emma holds the Kew Diploma in Horticulture and has been working in horticulture for 18 years, including roles in public gardens, a plant nursery supplying plants for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and a training college for young horticulturists. She looks after an ornamental, fruit and veg garden at home and regularly undertakes trips to see plants growing in their natural habitats. She is the author of the Kew Publications book, Things to Do with Plants.

Jane Moore, Freelance Garden Writer
In a horticultural career spanning 30 years, Jane has been a head gardener at a Benedictine Abbey, a writer for national gardening magazines and newspapers, a researcher on BBC gardening programmes and a TV presenter on BBC Gardeners’ World. Among her many accolades are a Chelsea Flower Show medal, several awards from the Garden Media Guild and her books are published worldwide. She has spent 30 years working as a hands-on head gardener, using tools on a daily basis.

This review was last updated in January 2026. We apologise if anything has changed in price or availability.

]]> The best garden spades in 2026 - tested by our experts https://www.gardenersworld.com/reviews/tools/planting/best-garden-spades/ Thu, 22 Jan 2026 18:12:09 GMT https://www.gardenersworld.com/reviews/tools/planting/best-garden-spades/ Looking for a new garden spade? Browse our review of this essential garden tool. From novices to experts, all gardeners need a trusty spade, and they're often the first tool that gardeners will buy when starting out. These staples of the shed are invaluable and can help with dozens of jobs around the garden. Digging spades are the most common style and are the go-to spade for beginners, but there are also several other styles and models of spades, which are designed with particular jobs in mind.

To help you identify which spade you need, we tested four of the most common types: digging, border, pointed and transplanting spades. Digging spades, with their flat blades, are ideal for moving and turning soil while border spades are smaller and lighter but do a similar job. Pointed spades have curved blades with a pointed edge and transporting spades have sharp, jagged blades.

We've tested these different styles of spade and given some key info so you can compare each and match them to your needs. We've also provided some information to help you safely dig and avoid injury, as well as ways to make your spade last for as long as possible.

In every review we award the outstanding products our coveted Best Buy award. To see these and the others we recommend, browse our pick of the best spades below:

Best garden spades at a glance

Our expertise

We tested a range of different types of spade, using them in the garden on a number of jobs, including planting, digging and lifting plants, to help you find the right one for your garden. Each spade review has a detailed list of pros and cons for clarity and has been rated according to handling and performance, the blade and shaft, strength and value for money. From 2026, you’ll only see newly awarded Best Buy badges on garden spades that score 4.5 out of 5 or higher. Anything rated 3.5 or above will still feature in our ‘Best of the rest’ list. Every spade in our round up below has scored a minimum of 4 out of 5 stars, so you can buy with confidence 

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Best garden spades

Kent and Stowe Capability Digging Spade

RRP: £44.99

Our rating: 4.5/5

Available from B&Q

undefined Best Buy for strength: Kent and Stowe Capability Spade

Pros

Cons

This traditional style spade has been built to last. With a rust-resistant stainless steel blade, it has an internal hardened steel bar through the length of the shaft, which gives it a breaking strain of 130kg (the current UK standard is 55kg), so it's ideal for even the toughest digging jobs and breaking up the soil. It has a long socket for better leverage, and this has smooth rivets so it's comfortable in the hand.

Its D-shaped handle and shaft are made from FSC ash wood, and the blade has wide treads for greater push and protection to your boots. It feels robust and strong in use, and although its strength does impact its weight, and it feels heavy in use, the weight also makes it feel capable and reliable. We awarded it the BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Best Buy for strength. It comes with a reassuring 20-year warranty.

Buy the Kent and Stowe Capability Spade from B&Q

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Kent and Stowe Stainless Steel Digging Spade

RRP: £39.99

Our rating: 4.8/5

Available from B&Q

Best Buy mid-range digging spade: Kent and Stowe Stainless Steel Digging Spade

Pros

Cons

This beautiful, handmade spade has a stainless steel blade with an integral FSC ash shaft and Y handle. It has a long, double-riveted socket and wide foot treads. Awarded the BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Best Buy for mid-range digging spades, it's well designed and extremely comfortable to use.

Read the full Kent and Stowe Stainless Steel Digging Spade review

Buy the Kent and Stowe Stainless Steel Digging Spade from B&Q, Robert Dyas and Wilko

Latest Deals

DeWit Solid Socket Spade

Price: £74.99

Our rating: 4.8/5

Available from Crocus

Best Buy premium digging spade: DeWit Solid Socket Spade

Pros

Cons

This Dutch-made, handcrafted spade features a solid, forged carbon-steel blade and socket, and an oiled hardwood ash handle and shaft. It has a sturdy, T-shaped handle with a long socket. It's a high-quality, great-value tool. We awarded it the BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Best Buy for premium digging spades.

Read the full DeWit Solid Socket Spade review

Buy the DeWit Solid Socket Spade from Waitrose Garden and Crocus

Latest Deals

Greenman Half Brite Border Spade

Price: £39.95

Our rating: 4.75/5

Available from Amazon

Best Buy border spade: Greenman Half Brite Border Spade

Pros

Cons

If you’re looking for a border spade, we judged this our BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Best Buy. The shaft is long, which helps prevent back strain, and the long socket feels robust. The lower part of the carbon-steel blade is uncoated, so it can be sharpened, and it comes with a lifetime guarantee. The only slight drawback is the rivets, which can catch on your hands while working.

Read the full Greenman Half Brite Border Spade review

Buy the Greenman Half Brite Border Spade from Amazon

Latest Deals

Sneeboer Pointed Spade with Steps

Price: £124.35

Our rating: 4.8/5

Available from Sneeboer

Best Buy for clearing ground: Sneeboer Pointed Spade

Pros

Cons

This traditional-style spade has a short, wide stainless steel blade that has been sharpened to a point. It makes light work of tough roots, and the wide, flat treads are strong and help you gain purchase. The long, wooden shaft eases back strain and absorbs shock. Our testers awarded this the BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Best Buy for clearing ground.

Read the full Sneeboer Pointed Spade with Steps review

Buy the Sneeboer Pointed Spade from Sneeboer

Latest Deals

Wilkinson Sword Ultralight Pointed Digging Spade

Price: £34.99

Our rating: 4.75/5

Available from Tooled Up

Best Buy for ergonomic spades: Wilkinson Sword Ultralight Pointed Digging Spade

Pros

Cons

This spade has a stainless-steel blade with a serrated edge, which cuts through the soil easily. It’s a lightweight tool which is easy to use and comes with a 10-year guarantee. The ergonomic shaft has a rubber covering, and there’s a grip insert within the D handle. Our testers gave this a BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Best Buy for ergonomic spades.

Read the full Wilkinson Sword Ultralight Pointed Digging Spade review

Buy the Wilkinson Sword Ultralight Pointed Digging Spade from Amazon, B&Q and Tooled Up

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Ames Carbon Steel Border Spade

Price: £37.99

Our rating: 4.5 out of 5

Available from Cambridge Home and Garden

Best Buy for ease of use: Ames Carbon Steel Border Spade

Pros

Cons

First impressions of this border spade were mixed – the tempered carbon blade looked sharp and strong, with a lacquered finish to protect against rust, but the green rubber handle looked cheap and was a little off-putting. However, this spade really impressed in use. It’s light, at 1.35kg, so it’s easy to carry and use, even when you're on your knees, when any extra weight would be felt in your back. And although its overall length is a little on the short side, it’s well balanced and not unwieldy at all.

The blade slices easily through the soil, and the handle, despite looking cheap, is very well judged in terms of thickness, particularly for larger hands, and feels sturdy and substantial. This spade is ideal for lifting plants, creating planting holes, splitting perennials and working in tight spots amongst plants. It feels reasonably strong with a double-riveted socket and is excellent value for the price with a 15-year warranty. We awarded it a BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Best Buy for ease of use.

Buy the Ames Carbon Steel Border Spade from Cambridge Home and Garden and Mail Order Trees

The best of the rest

Although some models didn't quite achieve a Best Buy award, they still have features that make them worth recommending. Browse our pick of the best of the rest on test.

Wilkinson Sword Carbon Steel Border Spade

Price: £24.99

Our rating: 4.5 /5

Available from Robert Dyas

Wilkinson-sword-carbon-steel-border-spade-review-BBC-Gardeners-World-Magazine

Pros

Cons

The Wilkinson Sword Carbon Steel Border Spade has a long socket to prevent snapping, a rustproof coating and a weatherproofed shaft and handle. The handle is comfortable, and the wide treads stop the feet from slipping and protect boot soles from splitting on the blade.

Read the full Wilkinson Sword Carbon Steel Border Spade review

Buy the Wilkinson Sword Carbon Steel Border Spade from Amazon, B&Q and Robert Dyas

Latest Deals

Burgon and Ball RHS Endorsed Border Spade with Steps

Price: £42.99

Our rating: 4.5/5

Available from Crocus

Burgon-ball-rhs-endorsed-border-spade-with-steps-review-BBC-Gardeners-World-Magazine

Pros

Cons

This border spade has good balance and handles well. The shaft and YD handle are crafted from FSC hardwood, but the strapped socket and the rivets that attach it to the shaft catch on the handle occasionally when lifting plants or soil. However, it does feel sturdy, and the stainless steel blade and socket are rust-resistant.

Read the full Burgon and Ball RHS Endorsed Border Spade with Steps review

Buy the Burgon and Ball RHS Endorsed Border Spade with Steps from Amazon, B&Q and Crocus

Latest Deals

Burgon and Ball RHS Endorsed Digging Spade

Our rating: 4.3/5

Price: £42.99

Available from Crocus

Burgon and Ball RHS Endorsed Digging Spade

Pros

Cons

This is a nicely designed spade that feels well balanced, digs sharply and has a comfortable handle and a good length shaft. However, the strapped socket and raised rivets on the shaft snag on hands when lifting and turning the earth, and testers felt the treads were too narrow to stop slipping on wet, muddy digs.

Read the full review Burgon and Ball RHS Endorsed Digging Spade review

Buy the Burgon and Ball RHS Endorsed Digging Spade from B&Q, Crocus and Tesco

Latest Deals

Pedigree Stainless Steel Treaded Border Spade

Our rating: 4.3/5

Price: £50.40

Available from Earth Cycle

Pedigree-stainless-steel-treaded-border-spade-review-BBC-Gardeners-World-Magazine

Pros

Cons

This Pedigree border spade is made with a rust-proof stainless steel blade and a long, strapped socket to prevent snapping. The ash shaft and handle are made from one continuous piece of wood, and the YD handle is capped with stainless steel to make it even more robust. Our testers found this spade to be comfortable, light and great for anyone who needs to dig in raised beds and other confined spaces.

Read the full Pedigree Stainless Steel Treaded Border Spade review

Buy the Pedigree Stainless Steel Treaded Border Spade from Earth Cycle

For more garden tool reviews, browse our selection of the best garden hand trowels, garden hoes, or garden forks to make the next round of planting easier. Need a hand to keep your tools nice and clean? Check out our guide to the best pressure washers.

Types of spade

There is a range of spade types that have different characteristics ,specifically designed to suit particular tasks, as well as the needs of the user

Borders spades are lighter and more compact than a digging spade. The blade is the same shape, but smaller and flatter for digging straight down into the soil. They are ideal for working in any small space where ease and manoeuvrability are key, such as in raised beds or among plants in borders. It can also be a good option for anyone who wants to work longer than a heavy digging spade would allow, or for those who simply prefer a shorter, lighter tool. Watch our buyers' guide video below to find the best border spade for you.

View Green Video on the source website

In comparison, a digging spade is wider than a border spade and designed to move and turn the earth and slice through soil and roots. It’s also a good tool for edging lawns and skimming off weeds.

Pointed spades have a sharpened, narrow tip that helps drive the blade easily through hard-packed, stony soil and to burrow deeply into the ground.

Transplanting spades have a sharp jagged blade to slice through dense roots cleanly and without tearing. They are often shaped to grip rootballs and stop them slipping off the blade.

Choosing the best garden spade

Choosing the best garden spade for you and your garden will depend on the tasks you are looking to tackle. We have put to the test four types of spades – digging, border, pointed and transplanting – and each is designed with a specific set of jobs in mind. Other considerations will include value for money, along with the weight, length, shaft and the materials the garden spade is made from. These variants will affect the garden spade's handling, strength and durability.

Choosing the right weight and length for your garden spade

Heavy digging spades are favoured by some because their weight helps the blade cut through the soil more easily. However, if you have back problems or can only dig for short periods, you should consider looking for a spade made from lighter materials like aluminium or one that’s more ergonomically designed.

Longer and angled shafts help you bend less and will take the strain off your back, but it can take a while to adjust to the unusual digging angle. You should also ensure that the garden spade is tall enough. Too short a shaft for your height will put extra strain on the back.

Choosing the right material for your garden spade

Made from stainless steel or carbon, the right blade depends on your soil type and the job you are undertaking. Stainless steel blades are shiny and cut cleanly through soil, in particular clay, so these are a good option if you are digging over heavy ground. Stainless steel garden spades are also easy to clean and won’t rust. However, they are heavy so they’re not ideal for some gardeners. Stainless steel blades are also always welded onto the socket, which creates a weak spot vulnerable to breaking under pressure.

Carbon steel blades are a little lighter, tougher and can be solid forged – where the blade and socket are made from one continuous piece of metal – so there is less chance of snapping. A carbon steel blade can start to rust after a while, so it will need maintenance, but if looked after, it should last forever.

Choosing the right garden spade shaft

Spade shafts can be wooden, plastic, metal or fibreglass. Traditional wood is strong, heavy and absorbs shock and vibrations, but it does not like the wet unless weatherproofed. It can splinter, but it’s usually easy to replace. Look for FSC hardwoods such as ash, which is strong and flexible. Metal shafts are strong, but they don’t absorb shock well and can be uncomfortable in hot weather. In comparison, fibreglass and plastic are light, durable and absorb vibrations well. However, they can snap under pressure and are hard to replace.

When it comes to handles, the YD design offers good grip and versatility but can be uncomfortable for small or larger hands. The T-grip is suitable for all hand sizes and is good for applying force to the spade, but if you’re not used to the shape, it can feel flimsy. Traditional wooden handles are comfortable, but plastic is also popular. If you’re interested in buying a plastic-handled spade, look for one with added grip to make it less slippery in wet weather.

The final consideration is the socket, which is where the handle attaches to the blade. Longer sockets are stronger and offer better flex than shorter ones. They are often attached to the shaft with rivets. Make sure these rivets are sunk or flush with the handle so that they don’t snag on your hands when turning the soil.

How to prevent back injuries when digging

To prevent back injury, it’s important to dig with the correct technique. The spade should be held close to your body for control and to limit the amount you have to lean towards it to dig. One foot should be positioned on the spade before digging so that your weight levers it into the ground. To lift the soil, bend deeply with your knees, so that they take the weight rather than your back. Don’t fill the spade too heavily to ensure you always have control over the load.

Be aware of the weight you’re lifting when replanting. Plants with their root balls still intact can be heavy if the soil is wet so lift slowly and carefully, keeping the spade close to your body. Finally, don’t twist and turn your body at the hips. Instead, use your feet and move your whole body. For a visual demonstration of this technique, watch our experts in the Digging Spades Buyer’s Guide video above.

Looking after your garden spade

If you want to look after your spade and ensure you don't have to come back to this guide, you'll have to look after it well. By taking a few precautionary measures, you can ensure your spade lasts a long time and save you money in the long run. After each use, clean soil off the blade and handle, as it can cause carbon steel to rust and wood to rot. This should be done first with a stiff brush, followed by warm, soapy water. Don't worry if you don't do this every time but make sure that if you're storing the spade for a long period of time (over a week) you give it a clean.

At the end of the gardening season, give the blade a sharpen with a sharpening stone. When the season is over, it's also worth checking the wooden handle and shaft for any rough patches and smoothing these down with sandpaper. Before hanging up your spade for winter, oil the blade, along with any wooden elements, wiping off excess oil with a cloth. Finally, make sure the spade is kept away in a cool, dark place, and most importantly, make sure it stays dry.

How we tested garden spades

The BBC Gardeners' World Magazine reviews team tested different spades across a range of garden situations – lifting plants, digging over borders and planting. The following criteria were used to calculate the scores, with equal weight given to each:

Meet our testing panel

Oliver Parsons, Strategic Projects Editor
Oliver is a gardener and magazine journalist of 20 years’ experience. He trained as a professional horticulturalist at RHS Garden Hyde Hall in Chelmsford and has also worked for Gardening Which?, as a freelance gardener and with the gardening team at Down House in Kent. He is now Strategic Projects Editor at BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine and GardenersWorld.com, heading up our reviews desk, Apple News output and weekly newsletter.

Kay Maguire, Magazines Editor
Kay trained at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and has been writing and making films about gardening ever since. She has written for websites and magazines, including The Garden and Amateur Gardening, was Horticultural Editor on BBC Gardeners' World Magazine for five years, and has also written several books on a range of gardening topics from growing house plants to making the most of a small space. After several years as Reviews Editor, building up our reviews section into a leading resource for UK gardeners, she has now become Magazines Editor for BBC Gardeners' World Magazine, responsible for all print output.

Harry Duncton, Freelance Powered Tools Tester
Harry has a wealth of experience, from being a language teacher to a tree surgeon, and has built this into a career writing about all things DIY and gardening. A passionate believer in self-reliance, his aim is to inspire others to give it a go themselves and not worry about making a few mistakes along the way. A regular contributor to popular DIY blogs and a recent addition to the BBC Gardeners' World Magazine team, he loves tracking down the best new tools and writing about them.

Sue Fisher, Freelance Garden Writer
Sue’s extensive horticultural career spans over 40 years, starting with a decade in the garden centre and nursery industry before developing into an accomplished gardening writer, designer and speaker. Sue writes regularly for BBC Gardeners' World Magazine, GardenersWorld.com and Garden Answers magazine. She has written 10 books on subjects including container gardening, plants for small gardens and designing with colour, and she has co-authored other books with some of the biggest names in gardening.

Emma Crawforth, Horticulture Editor
Emma holds the Kew Diploma in Horticulture and has been working in horticulture for 18 years, including roles in public gardens, a plant nursery supplying plants for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and a training college for young horticulturists. She looks after an ornamental, fruit and veg garden at home and regularly undertakes trips to see plants growing in their natural habitats. She is the author of the Kew Publications book, Things to Do with Plants.

Jane Moore, Freelance Garden Writer
In a horticultural career spanning 30 years, Jane has been a head gardener at a Benedictine Abbey, a writer for national gardening magazines and newspapers, a researcher on BBC gardening programmes and a TV presenter on BBC Gardeners’ World. Among her many accolades are a Chelsea Flower Show medal, several awards from the Garden Media Guild and her books are published worldwide. She has spent 30 years working as a hands-on head gardener, using tools on a daily basis.

This product roundup was last updated in January 2026. We apologise if anything has changed in price or availability.

]]> The best garden hand trowels in 2025 https://www.gardenersworld.com/reviews/tools/planting/best-garden-hand-trowels/ Wed, 19 Mar 2025 14:22:09 GMT https://www.gardenersworld.com/reviews/tools/planting/best-garden-hand-trowels/ Looking for a new hand trowel? Browse our pick of the very best, to find the right one for you There's no garden tool more essential than the trusty trowel. It's perfect for planting in both borders and containers, but is also great for weeding, getting bulbs in at the right depth, scooping compost, marking out seed drills and working in tight spaces.

Our expert testers trial hundreds of garden tools to work out which will do the job well and offer the best value, comfort and quality. We’ve tested essentials like the best garden spades and best hoes as well as more specific kit like the best spray guns, the best secateurs, and the best garden kneelers. We've also reviewed DIY kit, such as best cordless drills and the best hammers.

If you’re looking for ideas on other types of gardening kit to make your work a little more comfortable, have a look at our pick of some of the best gardening shoes, or our tests of the best wellies.

Parts of a trowel

The blade, or head, is arguably the most important part of your garden trowel, available in carbon, stainless steel or plastic. It’s the area you will use to cut into soil or through roots. You can also use the blade for moving small amounts of compost and soil. Trowel blades can come in a variety of shapes and sizes, some will also have a serrated edge or depth gauge. Consider what you will use a trowel for when making your purchase.

The handle will vary on different trowels, usually made from wood, metal or plastic, the level of comfort will also vary depending on personal preference. It might be worth heading to a garden centre and trying a few out before you buy.

The tang is the round bar, usually in the shape of an S, which connects the blade of the trowel to the handle. The distance between the handle and the blade ensures you don’t scrape your hand on the ground when working.

The best trowels at a glance:

Our expertise

We tested a range of garden trowels, using them in the garden, planting, weeding and lifting small plants. We used them in a variety of spots in the garden including under trees, in raised beds and on the veg plot. Each trowel has a detailed list of pros and cons for clarity and has been rated according to comfort, performance, materials and value for money. Every trowel in our round up below has scored a minimum of four out of five stars, so you can buy with confidence.

In every review we award the outstanding products our coveted Best Buy award. To see these and the others we recommend, browse our pick of the best trowels below:

The best garden hand trowels in 2025

 

Kent and Stowe Capability Trowel

RRP: £14.99

Our rating: 4.8 out of 5

Available from Marshalls Garden

undefined BBC Gardeners' World Magazine trowel review Kent and Stowe capability trowel

Pros:

Cons:

This exceptional trowel is built to last and offers great versatility alongside a stellar performance at ordinary trowelling tasks. A BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Best Buy for versatility, it has sharpened and serrated edges for cutting through roots and compost bags, a depth gauge for accurate planting and even a hammer for stakes and small posts. Made from breathable ash, it sits well in the hand, and cuts through even compacted, dry soil. We found that after use there was little soil left on the blade. Despite its size, the hammer is effective at hammering in stakes.

In this in-depth video review, Alex David explains why the Kent and Stowe Capability hand trowel was awarded Best Buy status.

View Green Video on the source website

Read the full Kent and Stowe Capability hand trowel review.

Latest Prices

DeWit Professional Planting Trowel

RRP: £20.99

Our rating: 4.5 out of 5

Available from Waitrose

Latest Deals DeWit Planting Trowel - BBC Gardeners' World Magazine

Pros:

Cons:

This tempered carbon-steel head has been hand-crafted and has bevelled edges and a sharp, pointed tip. Ours testers loved the workmanship on this model and awarded it a BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Best Buy for quality and value. It's sturdy too and effectively cuts through all types of soil, plus it comes with a lifetime warranty.

Read the full Dewit Planting trowel review.

Latest Prices

Niwaki Moku Trowel

RRP: £59.00

Our rating: 4.5 out of 5

Available from Niwaki

undefined BBC Gardeners' World Magazine hand trowel review Niwaki Moku trowel

Pros:

Cons:

Another hand crafted, carbon-steel tool, our experts awarded the Niwaki model BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Best Buy status as the best premium performing trowel. A beech handle is comfortable to hold when working. It comes with a two year guarantee.

Read the full Niwaki Moku trowel review.

Latest Deals

Wilkinson Sword Stainless Steel Hand Trowel

RRP: £12.99

Our rating: 4.5 out of 5

Available from Wilkinson Sword and Amazon

Latest Prices Wilkinson Sword Stainless Steel Hand Trowel - BBC Gardeners' World magazine

Pros:

Cons:

Our expert testers judged the Wilkinson Sword Stainless Steel Trowel as the best garden hand trowel for all round use, awarding it BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Best Buy status. The narrow ash handle is comfortable to use and it's weatherproofed to keep it in good shape. The traditional head of the trowel is well scooped and sharp to help it cut efficiently through the soil but it's also useful for potting on and planting. It comes with a 10 year warranty.

Read the full Wilkinson Sword Stainless Steel Hand Trowel review.

Latest Prices

The best of the rest

Although some trowels didn’t quite achieve a BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Best Buy award, they still have great features that make them worth recommending. Browse our pick of the best of the rest on test.

Gardena Ecoline Trowel

RRP: £13.99

Our rating: 4.25 out of 5

Available from Amazon

Latest Prices Gardena Ecoline Trowel - BBC Gardener's World Magazine

The Gardena Ecoline Trowel is a great sustainable trowel. The blade is made of 25% recycled coated steel, the handle uses 85% recycled plastic, and the wooden tip of the handle is FSC wood. What’s more, the warranty is a whopping 25 years, so this will be a trusted companion in the garden for a long time. It feels very sturdy, and we like the thumb grip, but there's a little ridge on the back of the handle that’s uncomfortable to hold. It digs very well, although the blade is a little dull, and it doesn’t have a depth gauge or other extra features like a serrated edge. The handle features a hole for hanging up, but it doesn't come with a strap.

Latest Prices

Gardena Comfort Hand Trowel

RRP: £9.99

Our rating: 4.25 out of 5

Available from B&Q

Gardena Comfort Hand Trowel - BBC Gardeners' World Magazine

Pros:

Cons:

This is a light and comfortable gardening trowel to use but one that still feels strong and works well for planting. The corrosion-resistant steel head is long and large and great for planting but it could be awkward to use during tasks like weeding, particularly for smaller hands. It's guaranteed for 25 years.

Spear and Jackson Kew Gardens Collection Never Bend Carbon Hand Trowel

RRP: £14.99

Our rating: 4.3 out of 5

Available from Amazon and Screwfix

Latest Deals Spear and Jackson Kew Gardens Collection Never Bend Carbon Hand Trowel - BBC Gardeners' World Magazine

Pros:

Cons:

This gardening trowel by Spear and Jackson has good leverage and works well for both digging and planting. The carbon-steel head feels sturdy while the FSC certified ash handle is weatherproofed for enhanced durability, but it is quite short and therefore best for smaller hands. It's guaranteed for 15 years.

Latest Prices

How to choose a hand trowel

There’s an array of different trowels on the market but which one is right for you? Consider  the following points before you buy:

What do you need it for? The shape and size of the head of a trowel dictates the job that it's best for, so think about how you’re going to use it. Trowels with long, narrow heads are shaped for working among plants and in tight, congested spaces. They’re also useful for planting deep-rooted plants such as sweet peas, and digging out dandelions and other tap-rooting weeds. Wider, flatter trowels are best for digging and planting, while deep heads can scoop up the most compost and soil, useful when potting on or planting larger plants. Pointed and sharpened heads will slice into soil easily and are great for weeding or transplanting. If you have particularly tough ground, look for a trowel with a long tang (the neck that joins the head to the handle) for maximum leverage. Trowels with depth markings engraved on the head are useful for planting, particularly bulbs.

Is it comfortable? The length and size of the handle varies, so hold the trowel in your hand to see if it fits. Wooden handles are often shaped to sit snugly, but plastic ones can also be comfortable. They are usually moulded to suit the hand, with grips and non-slip features in all the right places. For compacted ground, a handle with a rounded end will be more comfortable in the palm. Longer handles are kinder to the back and make reaching into beds easier. Weight and balance can also affect comfort, putting strain on the wrist if you’re using a trowel for long periods of time. Try before you buy if you can, as this is about how the trowel feels in your hand.

Which materials do you prefer? The material of the head and handle will affect your comfort and also how long the trowel will last. Stainless steel is rust resistant, easy to clean and generally lighter, but not as strong as carbon, which will rust unless it’s oiled or has an epoxy or powder coating. Wooden handles are warmer in the hand and shock resistant, but will need oiling and looking after, while plastic is comfortable, but can jolt the wrist on tough ground and may snap after prolonged heavy use.

How much do you want to spend? Hand trowels can cost anything from a couple of pounds to £80. It is the one tool that you’ll use almost every time you garden and investing in one that lasts will save you money in the long term. It’s also worth choosing a few different trowels to suit the jobs you do often to spread the wear and help them last even longer.

How we tested garden hand trowels

We tested a range of trowels and each was used to plant, weed, dig, transplant and turn over soil to see how they fared. They were assessed according to the following criteria with equal marks attributed to each:

Handle and blade:  Looked at the sharpness, shape, and depth of blade. We assessed the size and weight of the handle, the trowel's overall rust resistance and the quality of its materials.
Comfort: Focused on comfort and ease of use, and the balance of the blade and the handle.
Performance: Assessed strength and durability across digging, transplanting, and other common trowel tasks, as well as bonus features like hammers and depth gauges.
Value for money: Considered all of the above as well as quality, design, warranty and price.

For more information on our testing process, see How we Review

This review was last updated in March 2025. We apologise if anything has changed in price or availability.

]]> Best bulb planters to buy in 2024 https://www.gardenersworld.com/reviews/tools/planting/best-bulb-planters/ Tue, 22 Oct 2024 09:43:03 GMT https://www.gardenersworld.com/reviews/tools/planting/best-bulb-planters/ Planting bulbs this autumn? Browse our review of the best hand held and long handled bulb planters. Adding cheery bulbs to your plantings will help to herald the spring or bring added interest to summer borders but whether you're planting just a few to brighten up a bed or planning a carpet of colour across a lawn, a bulb planter is a handy bit of kit.
Available as either handheld or long handled planters,  which saves you bending down, a bulb planter has a tapered hollow cone that easily removes a core of soil to create a hole for your bulb. Once it’s planted, this core is then replaced back over the bulb, with just the squeeze of a button or when you plant the next bulb, depending on the design of the planter. We explain how to use a bulb planter in our short, handy guide below.
A bulb planter saves you disturbing any more soil than you need to, so they’re great when planting amongst other plants or in turf, plus they take the guesswork out of getting the depth right and help make the job much quicker - many planters include measurements along the side to help you plant each type of bulb at the right depth. If  you need more information on this, we’ve put together a guide to bulb planting depths.

For more help planting see our review of the best garden hand trowels and the best border forks. and if you need to get beds and borders ready for new additions take a look at our guides to the best garden hoes and the best garden spades.

If you’re looking for spring garden design inspiration, we’ve also got advice on what to plant with spring bulbs to help you choose complimentary flowers to complete your display and for further inspiration, see our guide how to plant bulbs in lawns.

Best bulb planters at a glance

Our expertise

We've tested a range of bulb planters, using them in different gardens and situations to help you find the right one for your garden. Each bulb planter has a detailed list of pros and cons for clarity and has been rated according to design, comfort , performance and value for money. Every bulb planter in our round up below has scored a minimum of four out of five stars, so you can buy with confidence.

Jump to

In every review we award the outstanding products our coveted Best Buy award. To see these and the others we recommend, browse our pick of the best bulb planters below:

Best bulb planters in 2024

 

Kent & Stowe Long Handled Bulb Planter

RRP: £37.99

Our rating: 4.8 out of 5

Latest Prices Kent and Stowe long handled bulb planter review BBC Gardeners' World magazine

Pros

The Kent & Stowe Long Handled Bulb Planter is a BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Best Buy award winner for the best long-handled bulb planter. Traditionally styled and well-made, this stainless steel and FSC ash planter is strong and sturdy with lots of extra design features. These include a serrated base to help it penetrate the ground, depth markings for accurate planting and wide foot treads to make it easier to apply pressure when needed. It's comfortable but sturdy and just the thing for naturalising bulbs in lawns.

Read the full Kent & Stowe Long Handled Bulb Planter review

Buy the Kent & Stowe long handled bulb planter from Amazon and Crocus

 

Gardena Bulb Planter

RRP: £12.25

Our rating: 4.8 out of 5

Gardena bulb planter review BBC Gardeners' World magazine

Gardena Bulb Planter

Pros

The Gardena Bulb Planter is a BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Best Buy award winner for the best handheld blub planter. Well designed and easy to use, this strong, sturdy hand planter has a coating on the head to prevent soil sticking and reduce corrosion and a wide comfortable handle that suits both smaller and larger hands. Unlike most other hand held planters the head is opened with a flick of a finger so it's easy to drop the core back over the bulb. It also has a serrated end, depth markings to 15cm and is ideal for small scale plantings.

Read the full Gardena bulb planter review

Buy the Gardena Bulb Planter from Tooled Up and Amazon

 

Fiskars Xact Standing Planter

RRP: £54.99

Our rating: 4.5 out of 5

Fiskars Xact standing planter review BBC Gardeners' World magazine

Pros

Cons

If you struggle with back pain, check out the Fiskars Xact Standing Planter, a BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Best Buy award winner for the best bulb planter for backs. This well-designed tool is easy to use and does the hard work for you, helping you plant without ever having to bend or kneel down. While great for anyone with back trouble, it's also good for naturalising and repetitive planting, and it completes the job in three easy steps. Made from aluminium and fibre composite it's light, if a little unwieldy, and just lacks depth markings so is best for larger bulbs like daffodils and tulips rather than crocus or scilla.

Read the full Fiskars Xact standing planter review

Buy the Fiskars Xact Standing Planter from Amazon

The best of the rest

Although some models didn't quite achieve a BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Best Buy award, they still have great features that make them worth recommending. Browse our pick of the best of the rest on test.

 

Greenman Solid Forged bulb planter

RRP: £29.95

Our rating: 4.3 out of 5

undefined BBC Gardeners' World Magazine bulb planters review Greenman solid forged bulb planter

Pros

Cons

This traditional style long handled bulb planter is forged from one piece of carbon steel that has a rust resistant coating and it feels well made and long lasting. The 9cm diameter head is not only wide enough for planting the biggest allium bulbs but also for planting on young plants grown in 9cm pots, which will fit perfectly in the holes. The treads on either side are a good length but they are thin, which could feel uncomfortable if you’re not wearing solid soled boots when planting. It's sturdy and robust and has a good weight to it to help push it into compacted ground and makes holes well but, it does feel heavy.
The FSC ash shaft, which is 98cm long and the T shape handle is easy to grip but is quite short and its squared end feels sharp when you’re applying pressure on compacted ground, particularly if you’re not wearing gloves. It comes with a generous 15 year warranty.

undefined

 

Wolf Garten Bulb Planter with Fixed Handle

RRP: £12.99

Our rating: 4 out of 5

undefined Wolf Garten bulb planter review BBC Gardeners' World magazine

Pros

Cons

With a stainless steel head and plastic trigger handle this hand held planter is similar in design to many others but feels particularly robust and the trigger handle opens the head smoothly and easily. It has a serrated end so it slides into the soil and just two depth markings up to 10cm on the side.

Buy the Wolf Garten Bulb Planter with Fixed Handle from Amazon

 

B&Q Bulb planter

RRP: £3

Our rating: 4 out of 5

B & Q bulb planter review BBC Gardeners' World magazine

Pros

Cons

A simple hand held bulb planter with a stainless steel head that has a serrated end and depth markings on the side up to 10cm. The plastic handle has a slight grip detail and a sprung trigger releases the soil core but this is a little stiff top open. The cheapest planter in our test this is great for planting in beds and borders.

Buy the B&Q Bulb Planter from B&Q

What are the different types of bulb planter?

There are two types of planter - hand held and long handled bulb planters.
The small hand held bulb planter requires you to bend down or plant on your knees but for planting a few bulbs in beds and borders this simple tool is ideal.
If working on your knees is difficult or you’ve a lot of planting to do, particularly in lawns, then a long-handled planter will help you finish the job without straining your back.

How to choose the best bulb planter?

Before you buy one think about the following:

How to use a bulb planter

If soil is compacted or particularly hard and dry it may help to water the area the night before to loosen the ground. If you're using a hand held bulb planter, place it over your chosen spot and push down, twisting and rocking as you go until you reach the right depth. Remove the soil, drop in the bulb with its pointed tip up, and then replace the soil with the trigger release and firm down. Long handled planters are pushed into the ground with the foot and the soil core is either tapped out or it pops out when you make the next hole.

How we tested bulb planters

The BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Reviews team tested a range of both long handled and handheld bulb planters in beds, borders and lawns. The planters were compared, and the following criteria used to calculate the scores, with equal weight given to each:

This review was last updated in October 2024. We apologise if anything has changed in price or availability.

]]> Fiskars Xact Standing Planter review https://www.gardenersworld.com/reviews/tools/planting/fiskars-xact-standing-planter-review/ Thu, 30 Sep 2021 13:50:08 GMT https://www.gardenersworld.com/reviews/tools/planting/fiskars-xact-standing-planter-review/ Well-designed and does the hard work for you. Buy the Fiskars Xact Standing Planter from Amazon

Latest Deals

What’s the Fiskars Xact Standing Planter like?

Constructed from aluminium and fibre composite the planter consists of a long, 105cm hollow, pointed tube with a large handle at the top and a pedal at the base. This opens the bottom of the tube when it hits the ground and a button on the pedal then allows you to close the tube again with your foot.

What’s the Fiskars Xact Standing Planter like to use?

This planting tool has been designed to remove bending or kneeling from the planting job entirely and it helps you completes the job in three easy steps. Firstly, the tube is inserted into the ground in an upright position and the pointed end and wide sturdy handle make this easy. To create the planting hole the tube is then brought back towards the user at an angle and when the pedal touches the ground the tube springs open, making a hole. A bulb or small plant can then be dropped through the tube into the hole and the planter is lifted up and away. Finally, soil can simply be trodden back over the bulb or firmed around a plant with the foot. The planter's reasonably light, but it's a large tool and can feel slightly unwieldy. The only drawback with the planter is that it doesn’t have depth markings or any way of gauging planting depth other than by eye. It’s therefore better suited to bigger bulbs as the planting tube at the base is roughly the right depth for planting tulips or daffodils rather than crocus, for example.

Who’s the Fiskars Xact Standing Planter most useful for?

This planter is ideal for anyone who suffers from back trouble or has flexibility or mobility issues as you can literally plant without ever having to bend down or kneel. It’s great for naturalising and the repetitive planting of bulbs but can also be used for planting small hedging saplings, even plug plants.

Is the Fiskars Xact Standing Planter good value for money?

This is an expensive piece of kit, and particularly so as it's such a specialist tool. However, unlike the other bulb planters in our test it offers some versatility and has a specific aim - to enable gardeners who struggle with key jobs to complete them with ease. We therefore think it's good value for money.

This review was last updated in September 2021. Unfortunately, prices change and things go out of stock so we apologise if anything has changed.

]]> Best bulb planters to buy in 2023 https://www.gardenersworld.com/reviews/tools/planting/best-bulb-planters-2/ Thu, 23 Sep 2021 11:11:32 GMT https://www.gardenersworld.com/reviews/tools/planting/best-bulb-planters-2/ Planting bulbs this autumn? Browse our review of the best hand held and long handled bulb planters. Adding cheery bulbs to your plantings will help to herald the spring or bring added interest to summer borders but whether you're just planting a few to brighten up a bed or planning a carpet of colour across a lawn, a bulb planter is a handy bit of kit.
Available as either handheld or long handled planters,  which saves you bending down, a bulb planter has a tapered hollow cone that easily removes a core of soil to create a hole for your bulb. Once it’s planted, this core is then replaced back over the bulb, with just the squeeze of a button or when you plant the next bulb, depending on the design of the planter. We explain how to use a bulb planter in our short, handy guide below.

Skip to how to use a bulb planter

A bulb planter saves you disturbing any more soil than you need to, so they’re great when planting amongst other plants or in turf, plus they take the guesswork out of getting the depth right and help make the job much quicker - many planters include measurements along the side to help you plant each type of bulb at the right depth. If  you need more information on this, we’ve put together a guide to bulb planting depths.

For more help planting see our review of the best border forks. and if you need to get beds and borders ready for new additions take a look at our guides to the best garden hoes and the best garden spades.

If you’re looking for spring garden design inspiration, we’ve also got advice on what to plant with spring bulbs to help you choose complimentary flowers to complete your display.

Best bulb planters at a glance

Buy now:

What are the different types of bulb planter?

There are two types of planter - hand held and long handled bulb planters.

The small hand held bulb planter requires you to bend down or plant on your knees but for planting a few bulbs in beds and borders this simple tool is ideal.
If working on your knees is difficult or you’ve a lot of planting to do, particularly in lawns, then a long-handled planter will help you finish the job without straining your back.

How to choose the best bulb planter?

Before you buy think about the following:

What are they like?

Most bulb planters are made from stainless steel or carbon or boron steel, often with a coating to prevent corrosion and rust. This can also help stop soil sticking so it falls easily back into the hole. Metal is strong and long lasting and carbon steel planters can be sharpened to help keep the base sliding cleanly into the ground. If you have larger hands check the width of the handle as these vary and if your soil is sticky or particularly crumbly look for a hand held bulb planter with trigger release so that the core stays put in the planter until released.

What are you planting?

Bulb planters come in a range of sizes and many have been designed for particular bulbs. Most bulbs are planted between two and three times their depth so bear this in mind and choose a planter that will help you gauge the depth correctly.

Where are you planting?

The type of ground you're planting in can dictate the type of planter you need. If you have difficult or stony soil, a planter with a serrated base will help it enter the soil more easily and wide foot treads on a long handled planter will help you apply force if needed to ease the planter into the ground.

How to use a bulb planter

If soil is compacted or particularly hard and dry it may help to water the area the night before to loosen the ground. If you're using a hand held bulb planter, place it over your chosen spot and push down, twisting and rocking as you go until you reach the right depth. Remove the soil, drop in the bulb with its pointed tip up, and then replace the soil with the trigger release and firm down.

Long handled planters are pushed into the ground with the foot and the soil core is either tapped out or it pops out when you make the next hole.

Browse our review of the best bulb planters below.

Five of the best bulb planters

Gardena Bulb Planter

Our rating: 4.8 out of 5

Gardena bulb planter review BBC Gardeners' World magazine

Pros

Well designed and easy to use, this strong, sturdy hand planter has a coating on the head to prevent soil sticking and reduce corrosion and a wide comfortable handle that suits both smaller and larger hands. Unlike most other hand held planters the head is opened with a flick of a finger so it's easy to drop the core back over the bulb. It also has a serrated end, depth markings to 15cm and is ideal for small scale plantings.

Read the full Gardena bulb planter review

Buy the Gardena bulb planter from tooled-up.com

Wolf Garten Bulb Planter with Fixed Handle

Our rating: 4 out of 5

Latest Prices Wolf Garten bulb planter review BBC Gardeners' World magazine

Pros

Cons

With a stainless steel head and plastic trigger handle this hand held planter is similar in design to many others but feels particularly robust and the trigger handle opens the head smoothly and easily. It has a serrated end so it slides into the soil and just two depth markings up to 10cm on the side.

Buy the Wolf Garten bulb planter with fixed handle from Primrose

B & Q Bulb planter

Our rating: 4 out of 5

B & Q bulb planter review BBC Gardeners' World magazine

Pros

Cons

A simple hand held bulb planter with a stainless steel head that has a serrated end and depth markings on the side up to 10cm. The plastic handle has a slight grip detail and a sprung trigger releases the soil core but this is a little stiff top open. The cheapest planter in our test this is great for planting in beds and borders.

Buy the B & Q bulb planter from B & Q

Kent & Stowe Long Handled Bulb Planter

Our rating: 4.8 out of 5

Latest Prices Kent and Stowe long handled bulb planter review BBC Gardeners' World magazine

Pros

Traditionally styled and well-made this stainless steel and FSC ash planter is strong and sturdy with lots of extra design features. These include a serrated base to help it penetrate the ground, depth markings for accurate planting and wide foot treads to make it easier to apply pressure when needed. It's comfortable but sturdy and just the thing for naturalising bulbs in lawns .

Read the full Kent and Stowe long handled bulb planter review

Buy the Kent and Stowe long handled bulb planter from Waitrose Garden

Fiskars Xact Standing Planter

Our rating: 4.5 out of 5

Fiskars Xact standing planter review BBC Gardeners' World magazine

Pros

Cons

This well-designed tool is easy to use and does the hard work for you, helping you plant without ever having to bend or kneel down. Great for anyone with back trouble or for naturalising and repetitive planting it completes the job in three easy steps. Made from aluminium and fibre composite it's light, if a little unwieldy, and just lacks depth markings so is best for larger bulbs like daffodils and tulips rather than crocus or scilla.

Read the full Fiskars Xact standing planter review

Buy the Fiskars Xact standing planter from Amazon

How we tested bulb planters

To see which style of planter works best we tested a range of both long handled and handheld bulb planters in beds and borders and also on lawns.
When using each planter we assessed its design, looking at the materials the planter was made of, its strength and any features such as depth markings, serrated base or trigger handle.
Comfort was then judged, focussing on how it felt in the hand, it’s weight and handle and whether it had a comfortable grip and was best for small scale or repetitive planting.
The performance of each bulb planter was then reviewed, looking at how easy the planter was to use and whether it made planting bulbs easier.
Finally, its value for money was assessed, considering all of the above plus quality, RRP and warranty.

This review was last updated in September 2021. We apologise if anything has changed in price or availability.

]]> Kent and Stowe Long Handled Bulb Planter review https://www.gardenersworld.com/reviews/kent-and-stowe-long-handled-bulb-planter-review/ Wed, 22 Sep 2021 11:15:28 GMT https://www.gardenersworld.com/reviews/kent-and-stowe-long-handled-bulb-planter-review/ Strong, well made and makes bulb planting a breeze. Buy the Kent and Stowe Long Handled Bulb Planter from Waitrose Garden

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What’s the Kent & Stowe Long Handled bulb planter like?

Traditionally styled, with a long, 95cm FSC ash handle and shaft and a polished stainless-steel head this long handled planter has lots of extra features. The wide head has depth markings to 10cm, a serrated end and wide foot treads.

What’s the Kent & Stowe Long Handled bulb planter like to use?

The combination of foot treads and a serrated end help this planter glide smoothly into the soil and the polished steel is both rust and soil resistant so there’s no problem with soil sticking and clogging the head. The shaped handle sits comfortably and allows you to apply pressure with ease and to remove the soil core you can either knock it out back over the bulb or make a new hole, which will push the soil in the head out. This can then simply be dropped back into the first hole.

Who’s the Kent & Stowe Long Handled bulb planter most useful for?

This is ideal for anyone who has lots of bulb planting to do and is particularly suited to quick, repetitive planting such as naturalising large sweeps of bulbs in a lawn.

Is the Kent & Stowe Long Handled bulb planter good value for money?

This is not a cheap piece of kit but a specialist tool that sits in the same price range as a good spade or fork. It is well made and stylish looking and does the job well. It comes with a 15 year warranty and we think it’s good value for money.

This review was last updated in September 2021. Unfortunately, prices change and things go out of stock so we apologise if anything has changed.

]]> Gardena Bulb Planter review https://www.gardenersworld.com/reviews/gardena-bulb-planter-review/ Wed, 22 Sep 2021 09:29:31 GMT https://www.gardenersworld.com/reviews/gardena-bulb-planter-review/ A well designed and easy to use hand bulb planter. Buy the Gardena Bulb Planter from tooled-up.com

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What’s the Gardena bulb planter like?

This hand planter has a steel head with a rust resistant coating and a serrated end. There are three depth markings to 15cm on the side and the orange plastic handle has a pull trigger which opens the head for easy release of the soil core.

What’s Gardena bulb planter like to use?

It feels strong and robust and the wide handle sits well in the hand. For a hand planter it goes into the soil well and the quick release trigger, operated by your fingers rather than the thumb is easy to use and drops the soil back over the bulb. The helpful depth markings remove any guesswork so you can plant with accuracy.

Who’s the Gardena bulb planter most useful for?

This is great for anyone who wants to plant bulbs in amongst other plants in beds and borders or has a few bulbs to naturalise in a lawn.

Is the Gardena bulb planter good value for money?

This is at the higher end of the price range for hand planters in our test but it was the easiest to use, has good features and comes with a generous 25 year warranty. We think it’s great value for money.

This review was last updated in September 2021. Unfortunately, prices change and things go out of stock so we apologise if anything has changed.

]]> Burgon and Ball RHS Endorsed Stainless Border Fork review https://www.gardenersworld.com/reviews/tools/burgon-and-ball-rhs-endorsed-stainless-border-fork-review/ Wed, 26 May 2021 13:18:28 GMT https://www.gardenersworld.com/reviews/tools/burgon-and-ball-rhs-endorsed-stainless-border-fork-review/ A beautiful border fork that belies its strength. Buy the RHS Burgon and Ball Stainless Border Fork on Amazon

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What is the Burgon and Ball RHS Endorsed Stainless Border Fork like?

This traditional style border fork has a triple riveted stainless steel socket and tines, with a shaft made from 3.5cm (11.3”) thick ash. This is FSC certified for sustainability.

What's it like to use the Burgon and Ball RHS Endorsed Stainless Border Fork?

This is largely a comfortable fork to use. Because it's a traditional design, the shaft and handle have no real ergonomics to speak of, but are made of breathable ash. It's well balanced and light at just 1.64kg (3.6lbs). However, we found that the finishing on this fork isn't perfect. There are a few scratch marks around the rivets in the handle, and the handle itself was a little rough on our bare hands towards the end of the test.

Is the Burgon and Ball RHS Endorsed Stainless Border Fork strong?

The whole fork is rated for strains of up to 90kg (198lbs or 14 stone). For reference, this is a little more than the average weight of a British man - you shouldn’t ever need to move this kind of weight or strain but it’s good to know that this fork is strain resistant to that level. It certainly isn't a gimmick - this is a strong border fork. Its stainless steel socket comes more than halfway up the shaft, and is triple riveted. The handle is double riveted at the fork of the Y and there’s another rivet running through the handle for extra strength. This fork has no weak points.

How does the Burgon and Ball RHS Endorsed Stainless Border Fork perform?

It easily goes through both compacted and wet soil. It turns over very well - its tines are wide enough to dig in effectively but not so wide that they can’t pick up soil. This is also true when transplanting. This fork cuts through soil easily without cutting through roots, picking up the plant unscathed for easy transplanting.

Is the Burgon and Ball RHS Endorsed Stainless Border Fork good value?

Although this fork is at the expensive end of those in our test it comes with an impressive lifetime guarantee. It's a strong, attractive fork and we think this is good value.

]]> Spear & Jackson Select Stainless Steel Border Fork review https://www.gardenersworld.com/reviews/tools/spear-jackson-select-stainless-steel-border-fork-review/ Wed, 26 May 2021 13:07:14 GMT https://www.gardenersworld.com/reviews/tools/spear-jackson-select-stainless-steel-border-fork-review/ A strong, well designed border fork. Buy the Spear and Jackson Border Fork on Amazon

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What is the Spear and Jackson Select Stainless Steel Border Fork like?

This is a modern style border fork, with a polypropylene shaft and a stainless steel socket and tines. It has rubber ergonomic grips on its shaft and handle.

What's it like to use the Spear and Jackson Select Stainless Steel Border Fork?

Its effective ergonomic grips make this very comfortable to use. Its handle is a YD shape, and is angled above the points of the tines, so you're always pushing directly into the soil. At 18cm, this handle is also comparatively wide, which makes it easy to use two-handed and generate a little extra force. 

Is the Spear and Jackson Select Stainless Steel Border Fork strong?

The strong polypropylene shaft runs into a double riveted socket, which comes a third of the way up the shaft. The handle is also made of this material, and is very durable and strong. However, after this tool's useful life, its strong polypropylene handle will take 20-30 years to degrade, and the process of degradation is harmful to soil. 

How does the Spear and Jackson Select Stainless Steel Border Fork perform?

The design and strength of this fork result in excellent performance. It digs very well, and the extra force from the angled handle and wide grips means it’s easy to effectively break up soil. The ergonomic grip along the shaft helps create torque when turning over soil and it transplants well - the tines hold clumps of soil together for root balls but soil doesn’t stick to the tines.

Is the Spear and Jackson Select Stainless Steel Border Fork good value for money?

This fork is very reasonably priced - it comes in at the lower price range for these forks, and has a generous ten-year warranty. Combined with its excellent performance and strength, we think this is good value for money.

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