I purchased a new hand tool this spring it is call dirty little digger, it is a good sized scoop much bigger than the garden trowels we have with serrated edges and depth measurements engraved in the scoop. I pot up a lot of plants and use it to scoop potting soil into pots plus when digging planting holes in the garden and want to enlarge it a bit this makes short work of it with the pointed end and serrated edges. Got mine with a bright pink handle so it is easy to find.

@Bonehead - I love your idea of using a mat. I even have one that's not doing anything but it's got a new purpose now.

@Weedwhacker - Interested in seeing your combo tool aka mattock. Had one that was so heavy I couldn't do much with it altho my XDH could. But it looks like yours is fairly lightweight. Now I'm going to look around for one.

This particular mat is on its 3rd life - first as a kitchen mat, then as a dog feeding mat, now as a garden mat. Repurposing at its best! It's getting pretty faded and cracked but I feel like I've certainly gotten full value from it.

New favorite tool

@crawgarden - love the name Root Slayer. How do you like the round handle? Isn't it designed to be ergonomic?

Yow! I think I need one of those!

tx_flower_child said:@crawgarden - love the name Root Slayer. How do you like the round handle? Isn't it designed to be ergonomic?

The handle is very comfortable to use, the shovel is nicely balanced. Great shovel!

tx_flower_child said:@Bonehead - I love your idea of using a mat. I even have one that's not doing anything but it's got a new purpose now.

@Weedwhacker - Interested in seeing your combo tool aka mattock. Had one that was so heavy I couldn't do much with it altho my XDH could. But it looks like yours is fairly lightweight. Now I'm going to look around for one.

LOL, I do have an actual "mattock," and I agree that it's heavy! The lighter-weight one is what remains after the handle of my hoe (which had that "combo" hoe and pronged head) broke. I don't know why they don't just make a short-handle version, because it is really useful.

Interestingly, one of my favorite tools now is a "Garden Weasel" that we bought a LONG time ago. Initially I considered it an "epic fail," because our garden soil at the time was very dense and rocky. 15 or so years later most of the rocks are gone and the soil has been improved considerably by adding LOTS of organic material every year, and it works like a charm.

Weedwhacker said:I have a similar tool that was born when the handle broke on my favorite garden hoe

I have a similar tool but built more like a hammer. It has a heavy head with the handle going through it. It has 3 vertical prongs. The dirt and grass gets stuck in it. It is very effective though in getting the earth and rocks pulled up but it is heavy. I forget I have it.

Another of my favorite tools besides the Fiskars multi-knife is my wagon. I use it almost every time I am outside. It is heavy duty plastic. It was difficult to put together but worth it. It dumps. I can attach it to my lawn tractor. It has openings on the edges if you want to build up the sides. I also use it in the winter to haul cut firewood into the house. Folks have even stopped to ask me the brand. I don't leave it out for fear of it being taken. I have to take a pic of it. I am in love with it. It was $99 at TSC when I bought it a few years back.

I found a link to something very similar: https://www.tractorsupply.com/...

"I have a similar tool but built more like a hammer. It has a heavy head with the handle going through it. It has 3 vertical prongs. "

I have one of those, too; I don't use it often, but it's VERY sturdy and great for things like chopping out roots and even prying out rocks.

Pointer finger and thumb, best weeder ever made.

The pusher-puller hoe I built several years ago is getting a little difficult for an old man but back in the day I could have 2 long rows of green beans weeded before I could get the tiller gassed and started. Built 99 percent from re-cycled material.

This has become my favorite fall garden tool:



I have a few other Black & Decker 20V tools, so this addition makes it nice. I always keep one battery charged.

With this I can zip through some jobs that previously took me hours (and gave me sore wrist and muscles). I even cut back daylily foliage; and Kniphofia foliage which used to be an absolute pain. I used it on my annuals. Did well on butterfly bush and to prune Rose of Sharon and a dwarf type Lilac (can't think of it's name)

The test will be next spring how it cuts my ornamental grasses.

Love it!

Oh ya Teresa. That's my favorite, too.
I use it in the fall and zip-zip, all trimmed down nice & neat.

I've been thinking of getting something like that -- good to hear that you both like it!

@Bonehead, Hi Deb, I love love your mat. Old knees will appreciate this, and a bonus for us, it will keep us dry when the ground is damp, which is all the time at the moment. Wish I had this on my xmas list. Love the suggestion.

This one of my favorite tools. I love the way I can step on it to dig it in deep if there is a heavy weed I need to get out. I sometimes dig it in, sort of push and pull it back and forth a little, pull it back out the direction it went in, then rotate it a quarter turn and do it all again. This gets it into and under the roots, loosening them to get them out. I've used it to redo portions of my lawn. You also do some aerating with it, if you don't go too deep.

@crawgarden, would that Root Slayer tool work in hard, rocky soil? We have a lot of area to clear that has lots of weeds and seedling trees. I showed it to my husband, but he thought it would only be good for soft soil.

Karen,
My soil is tough clay with lots of roots and rocks, we have lots of gravel pits in our area.

The Root Slayer has a life time warranty, thinking nothing to lose

https://gardeningproductsrevie...

You gotta love those "lifetime" guarantees!!