Hori Hori Weeder 170mm

The only tool you might actually need.

If you're the kind of gardener who likes to get things done without lugging an entire shed's worth of equipment around, meet your new obsession. The Hori Hori Weeder 170mm isn't just a tool; it's a cult classic that makes other garden implements look a little redundant.

Essentially a knife-shaped trowel, this Nisaku is made in Japan from tempered stainless steel. One edge is honed sharp for slicing, the other is serrated for sawing through roots and anything else that argues back. The blade is concave for scooping, and etched with depth markings in inches and millimetres, so the bulbs go in at the depth the packet says rather than the depth you guessed.

The name comes from the Japanese verb "to dig" (hori), and these were first used in the mountains of Japan for harvesting wild plants. Today it's the insider's secret for rooting out deep weeds, marking seed rows, potting up and dividing perennials. Sharp enough to slice through stems, tough enough for soil that hasn't seen a spade in years.

It comes with a leather pouch and belt clip, because once you start using it you'll want it on you. For many of us, it has effectively retired the trowel and the pruner.

Want it smaller? The same blade in 110mm is here.