My Top 5 Allotment Tools

There are many gardening tools and gadgets on the market to chose from which can be mind boggling when starting out. I find most of my tools can be used for various jobs, so when buying for your allotment my advice would be to stick to a budget and get just a few. Allotment sheds are targets for thieves on the look out for tools to steal, sad but true, so it would be wise not to stuff your shed full of treasure! There are plenty of entry-level tools that are good quality, consider preloved or ask family and friends if they have any tucked away in their shed or garage they no longer use.

Here are my top 5 allotment tools that I use the most:

1. Hand Trowel & Fork Set

Every allotmenteer needs these tools, they are readily available and useful for just about everything from weeding to sowing and planting. You can pick them up quite cheap if you shop around. I have several hand trowels and forks, some are falling apart from age but still have plenty of use left in them.

2. Pointed Garden Spade

I don’t dig my allotment anymore but when I did my pointed spade made it easy. The tapered point smashes through cloddy soil like a knife through butter, I personally find it easier to use than a traditional flat blade digging spade. It’s light but sturdy and doesn’t make my arms ache after prolonged use and is particularly useful for heavy clay or stony ground. Even though I now use no-dig methods there are still times a spade is needed, it is my go-to spade for planting fruit bushes or shrubs and splitting perennials in my garden at home. I also use it for edging grass borders.

3. Garden Rake

I frequently use a rake for levelling soil and mulch or knocking back weed seedlings, I use this more than a garden hoe! I prefer a wooden handle rather than metal which can be heavy and freezing cold on my fingers in winter. Also known as a bow rake or soil rake.

4. Dibber

My dibber started life as garden fork, made from the broken handle fixed to a metal spike – allotment recycling at its best! I use it for various jobs such as planting spring bulbs, garlic, leeks and potatoes. It’s pretty handy actually and I use it more than I realise! There are all sorts of dibbers available but I prefer T-shaped or D-shaped handles.

5. Bypass Pruners

My pruners are ancient, a new entry level pair from Fiskars would cost about £10 which makes this brand good value for money. I didn’t pay very much for mine all those years ago as I tend to forget where I put things, pruners would be one of the likely victims of my forgetfulness. Strangely I seem to have clung to these. I do sharpen and oil the blades but they aren’t as sharp as they used to be. A bit like me really.