Now before we say anything about this months Tool Shed topic we have to declare an interest, because this month we are going to talk about the ARS Fruit Pruners which we sell and which every member of the Hardy's Team uses on a daily basis!

BUT rather than talking about whether we think they would be a valuable addition to your gardening armoury - obviously we are biased and think they are an absolute must for any would-be gardener, we thought we would focus on how to maintain them.

Here is Rob Hardy our resident expert on sharpening blades to demonstrate how to sharpen a pair of ARS Fruit Pruners, of course you can sharpen your secateurs using basically the same technique....

Hand Fork & Trowel Gift Sets

Prices range from around £14 up to £120* (* Prices based on an internet search 21 November 2020 - the more expensive sets may include an extra hand tool)

December seems like a good time to chat about Hand Forks and Trowels, they must be one of the most popular gifts for the aspiring gardener.

So, as this picture shows they come in all sorts of shapes and sizes - in fact if you do an image search on Google it seems that there are hundreds of hand forks and trowels to choose from!

Colourful gift sets may be frowned upon by some but they have their place - the non-gardener may be gently encouraged to have a go, perhaps planting up an occasional window box. If they do not have the luxury of a garden shed or in some cases a garden, then a rather pretty trowel or hand fork wouldn’t look too incongruous on a shelf alongside some strategically placed house plants …

However, for the serious gardener the combination of stainless steel and a wooden handle really is hard to beat...

The Long Handled Bulb Planter.

Prices range from £11.99 - £98.85 (Prices based on an internet search on 1st November 2020)

As many gardeners are preparing to plant drifts of spring flowering bulbs it seems an apt time to take a look at the long handled bulb planter ...

The Long handled bulb planter is not a new invention as this snippet from a 1908 Barr's Daffodil Catalogue proves. Designed by Barr's and made by C T Skelton of Sheffield, a company which later merged to become part of Brades in 1962 before merging again in 1967 with Spearwell Tools.

Critically the advert for the Barr's Special Bulb Planter states

“ A time must be chosen for planting when the ground has become softened after early autumn rains and not when in a hard and baked condition, as it is then impossible to use this or indeed any other tool with success.” ......