The Hori Hori is a Japanese gardening tool that seems to attract not mere admirers but disciples. So many gardeners I know have declared it to be their favourite tool, the only thing they use, the one thing they couldn’t be without, that I was curious. Was it really that good?
It’s a question I put to Stuart Willes from Niwaki at the recent virtual Garden Press Event. Having told me about the carbon steel blade, the extremely sharp edge, and the way it can be used in a variety of gardening jobs, he suggested I try one for myself.
I was given a Hori Hori in return for a fair review.
First impressions are this is a serious piece of gardening kit. The Hori Hori – resembling more a knife than a trowel – is not the thing to absent-mindedly leave in your pocket when heading for the shops. I was glad it came with a thick canvas holster, not just for the convenience of having it on your belt but to cover up that sharp edge.
I decided to use it while tackling what is known as the ‘Behind the Pond’ bed. It was in dire need of an overhaul with emerging weeds and things that had failed to survive the winter.
The sudden and inexplicable death of a couple of sizeable shrubs over the past couple of years mean it’s in a state of flux while I decide what to do with it. So far, replanting has been mainly adding more bulbs and hellebores – all of which make weeding without standing on something tricky.
Regular readers will know I garden on extremely sandy soil so I was expecting the Hori Hori to deal with it easily. Even so, I was surprised at just how effortless it was. I usually use a daisy grubber for weeding as it’s narrow enough to work between plants. The Hori Hori was just as slim but required far less effort for getting out dandelions, couch grass and other invaders.
It also dealt quickly with a particular problem in this border, creeping solidago – one of those things I wish I’d never planted. (You can read about my planting mistakes here.)
Ivy keeps working its way over the fence from next door and I usually struggle to prise it off. The Hori Hori made easy work of stripping it away.
The concave shape of the blade means it can also be used for planting, much like a trowel. Faded pots of daffodils that have been languishing in a corner were finally planted out to add to next year’s display.
It also made short work of lifting self-sown primroses out of the lawn before the first cut of the year.
There are many versions of the Hori Hori around with quite a range of prices. The version I trialled from Niwaki has a 17cm blade that runs into the beech wood handle, making it stronger. Some other makes have a serrated edge and a depth measurement for bulbs but I didn’t find that a disadvantage.
So, am I a convert? Quite simply, yes. I like the fact that it has multiple uses, meaning fewer tools to carry around.
The Niwaki Hori Hori is priced at £24, available from the website.
Enjoyed this? Why not sign up to follow the blog and get an email alert about future posts.
2 Comments