There are a couple of tools I have with me at all times when I’m gardening. One is my trusty Felco 2 hand pruners, and the other is my garden knife. I use the garden knife for multiple tasks each day.
Why the Garden Knife is Essential
The garden knife is my go-to tool for a wide range of gardening tasks. It replaces other tools that I don’t need in my toolbox.
- Weeding: Of course, when we garden we all have to weed. Not the most pleasurable job, but it doesn’t have to be miserable either. The garden knife replaces the weeding tool. The sharp, strong blade easily penetrates the soil, loosening and breaking it up around the base of the weed for easy removal. The garden knife makes quick, enjoyable work out of an otherwise tedious task.
- Planting: I use my garden knife for planting all sorts of plants up to one gallon in size. The sturdy blade replaces a garden trowel for small planting jobs. The serrated edge easily breaks up the soil so that the dirt can be scooped out by hand.
- The serrated edge is also great for breaking up root bound plants before planting. Simply cut the root ball at four equal distances, and then tease out the roots by hand.
- The garden knife is also great for planting a small number of flower bulbs, such as tulips or hyacinth. It has a ruler on the blade, so you know how deep to dig. Just insert the blade to the proper depth in a few places to outline a small hole. Then put your palm on the end of the handle, and rotate the garden knife like a spoon stirring the edges of a soup pot. This will loosen the soil nicely so it can easily be scooped out with your fingers.
- Dividing Perennials: The garden knife is a good tool for dividing perennials. The sturdy blade makes clean cuts through the dense root balls, and easily digs around the plant so a nice root ball can be extracted. It’s especially good for dividing small perennials like hosta, day lily, iris and yarrow.
- Cutting Twine and Ties: My garden knife has a small, sharp notch right above the handle, which is good for cutting Twine or small garden wire. It comes in handy when I am tying up vine or training a plant on a trellis.
- Removing Sod or Edging Beds: For small scale edging or removing patches of sod, the garden knife is a great tool. The blade easily cuts through the grass roots and soil, allowing me to recapture edging that has been grown over with grass. Insert the blade on the bed side of the edging and pry up while grabbing the grass with the other hand. Then shake the dirt off the roots and throw the grass into the gardening bag.
- Sprinkler Work: Over the years, grass tends to grow over sprinkler heads in the lawn. The garden knife makes quick work of cutting the grass, exposing the sprinkler head. The garden knife also helps with precise digging. When I’m repairing a sprinkler leak and the pipe is deep in the ground, I use my garden knife to dig around the pipe, clearing away the dirt for repair. It works in smaller spaces than a spade or sharpshooter.
- Other Uses: The garden knife comes in handy for other tasks. It can clean dirt off of boots, cut open bags of compost or mulch, or even help harvest vegetables and herbs.
I absolutely rely on my garden knife everyday, and it is and essential tool in any gardener’s tool belt.
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