Getting to grips with the right size of garden tool


When it comes to the tools you garden with, size and style definitely do matter.


For there’s a new generation of gardening tools on the market which cater for the very special and individual needs of gardeners- tall or short , strong or fragile, disabled or even those suffering from pains in the joints.


Gone are the days of going to a garden centre and picking up a standard one sized tool.


Garden tool designer Paul Reid from Bridport in Dorset is passionate that gardeners get the right tool for the job.


“Getting the tools which fit your needs is vital .There’s no such thing as a one sized garden spade or fork. When you consider the strains and stresses on the body doing hard gardening work whether it’s digging or hoeing then it is vital gardens as are aware of the stresses on the body.It’s like getting a pair of shoes too big or way too small.


“Someone who is 6ft needs very different spade from someone six or eight inches smaller.


There are tools for people who need a soft-grip handle for instance. There are lighter and smaller forks and spades for those needing them, and there are colourful tools to encourage the very youngest gardener in the family.


Sometimes characteristics of tools are changed to make them easier to use for people with physical problems.


You might find a rake with a longer handle which would make it easier to use without putting so much stress on the back.


Or you might find a shovel that has a larger handle which can be more easily used by people with hand problems. Tool manufacturers are striving to make all the more commonly used garden tools such as rakes and shovels, in ergonomic versions to help the many people who need special help. Foam handles have become very popular on ergonomic garden tools, because they are easier to hold and put less pressure on sore hands. In addition, there are many tools with grips that are easier to hold more comfortably. By changing the traditional way of holding a tool by altering the grip, tools are becoming much easier to grip and use.


A loss of hand strength can make real problems for sufferers. All of a sudden they are unable to do the things they’ve always done. Ergonomic garden tools with new-fashioned


That’s what I call a spade!


When it comes to gardening tools for the job this garden spade might just be too big. Bulldog has built this massive gardening spade to coincide with its 230th anniversary this year and is taking it on a tour of the UK this summer. So you can look out for it on display at Harts Garden Supplies, Sturminster Newton, Station Rd. from 9th September to 16th September 16th and at Wolvercroft World of Plants Fordingbridge Dorset from 1st October to 22nd October.


grips were developed to help them. By changing the way they grip a tool, they can find comfort and relief from pain. There are even ergonomic garden tools being made that allow the user to sit and work. Made with longer handles and foam grips, they are easier to use than traditional tools. People who had given up gardening in despair because they just couldn’t stand the pain any longer are now resuming their activities due to ergonomic garden tools.


A border fork is lighter and smaller than the usual digging fork, and if made of stainless steel will make your work very much easier. It will also be good for forking between plants. You can buy border spades in the same size too. On the other hand, there are


spades and forks with extra-long handles for taller people.


Look at the designs of hand forks and trowels. Some have longer handles, useful for gardeners who find it hard to get right down to the ground. Hand tools made of stainless steel or polished aluminium will make the work far easier, pushing cleanly through the soil, rather than cheaply-made pressed metal.


It’s not necessarily the most expensive that is best, but the tools that you find easier to handle, so take your time choosing one. Don’t just go into a garden centre and pick the first you see – try handling one or two for a few moments to see if they are comfortable.


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Country Gardener


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