Tool Review: Widger

This tool’s diminutive stature may make it easy to overlook (or misplace as I often do) but it’s usefulness is in direct contrast to it’s size. If you grow seedlings or do any plant propagation work this little tool is quite handy. I was first introduced to a Widger in working with John Jeavons and Ecology Action. They use it a lot there because of the emphasis on growing seedlings in flats before planting out in beds. I’m not sure if it’s something they picked up from the gardening maestro Alan Chadwick but it certainly seems like something the Brits would use (indeed the original one I have is British made). The most important of the Widger’s uses is to transplant (or “prick out” in old school garden parlance) plugs or small seedlings into larger pots or into the garden. Somehow the shape, weight and slight curvature are just right to gently pull little seedlings and move them. At times when the Widger has been misplaced I’ve had to resort to using old butter knives or plant tags for the purpose and the difference is very noticeable. Think of the Widger as a very small trowel and you will find uses for making small holes for seeds or cuttings or even for weeding in tight cracks or in delicate situations. Like one of our other favorite tools, the widger has one end that is smaller than the other which can come in handy for lifting different sized seedlings and other tasks. A proper widger should be made from a single piece of steel and has a nice weight and strength to it. As such it can be handy for prying things and the like. My British model is tough enough that it’s been in regular use for 18 years and I imagine it will long outlast me. If you’re doing greenhouse work it’s just a generally handy tool to keep in your pocket. As far as I know the only place to get them is through the wonderful seed and supply outfit Bountiful Gardens. At $5 and change it’s a good investment.

Eco rating: 9 out of 10

Shown here with a kitchen knife for comparison

Fits well into small plug trays

Posted on 05/02/2015 by Adam

Tool Review: WW Mfg. “Hand Hoe”

The feather weight mini pick, or as my coworkers and I call it the “hand hoe”, is a great universal tool made by WW Manufacturing Company. Along with a good pair of pruners, this is one of the must have tools in the Eco Landscaping arsenal. With a weight of only .75 pounds and length of 16 inches this heat-treated all steel hoe is virtually unbreakable but lends itself to easy one-handed use. It is useful in a variety of different capacities and some that may seem somewhat unlikely, stretching from planting and weeding to prying (and even the occasional hammering). Planting four inch pots has never been easier than with the hand hoe. With one swing you have created a small indention you then pull back on the hoe and there’s the hole. With the hand hoe planting goes much faster than with any trowel that I have used. Even for smaller plants, such as plugs, all you have to do is use the smaller end of the hand hoe. Due to its light weight and it’s extreme toughness this is also our go-to tool for weeding. Most other small pick weeding tools we have used have been too heavy for extended use and/or not durable enough for daily professional use. I have also used it pry up smaller rocks and old edging without causing a single bend or dent in my hoe. It has even been used to hammer in stakes. I have never found a garden tool so useful and in over 10 years of Eco use we have yet to break one! Did I mention that WW mfg makes this and all of their high quality tools right here in the U S of A? The “garden state” in fact. I would highly recommend it for beginners or professionals, and with a price tag under $35 it is also cost effective. You can order them directly from the manufacturer.

Eco rating: 9 out of 10