Prepping your beds
In order to get your soil in tip top condition before planting, the soil will need turning and replenishing. The Sophie Conran Twist Cultivator (no. 3) has stainless steel prongs that efficiently push into all soils (including clay, baked and stony types). Simply, push the cultivator into your plant bed or pot, grip the handle and turn in a twisting motion side to side to loosen soil.
If you have even tougher soils, the Sophie Conran Ergo Hoe (no. 10) might be for you. The shape of the head and it’s sharp blade on the inside rim means that it can be dropped on clumps of soil to break them up without damaging any nearby stems or branches in your beds. When topping up your soil with fresh compost, a trowel (no. 1) is an essential tool. If you’re preparing plant pots with potting mix, the Sophie Conran Compost Scoop (no. 2) is designed to cup a small amount and spill into directly into the pot to keep mess to a minimum.
Planting
When you’re ready to plant, Father Rabbit also has the tools. Made from sustainable New Zealand beech, the Seedling Potter (no. 9) allows you to turn your old newspapers into biodegradable seedling pots. You can sow direct into these little pots, or transplant your seedlings, then plant the whole pot direct into the ground. The beauty of this method is the roots remain undisturbed and the paper pot breaks down naturally in the soil over time.
If you’re planting seeds, bulbs and seedlings directly into harder soils, a Seed Dibber (no. 12) is an invaluable tool. Simply push the point into the soil to make a hole, wiggle around for a bigger hole, drop your seeds or bulb in and cover with soil.
When you’ve popped your seedlings into the soil, a Sophie Conran Potting Sieve (no. 11) is useful for ensuring that the seedlings only receive a fine layer of soil on top rather than having to battle against larger lumps of earth as they grow upwards. And, in order to remember what you’ve planted where, we have both Slate Labels (no. 14) and Copper Tags.
Tidying up and pruning
Now that you’ve planted, keeping on top of your outdoor space is of course another task in and of itself. Precision Secateurs (no. 7) are great for targeted cutting and work particularly well on woody greenery stems. For a more all rounder pair of secateurs, we have the Stainless Steel Secateurs (no. 6) and our Ash Handle Secateurs.
Pallares (no. 4) also offer a range of blade shapes in carbon steel. Carbon steel requires a little more care however these shears are ultra sharp. For smaller tasks, the Mini Snips have razor sharp blades for de-heading and collecting herbs. The similarly sharp Thorn Stripper takes the work out of tending to roses as you simply pull along the cut stems to strip off thorns and/or leaves.
To keep on top of fallen leaves, the Sophie Conran Hand Rake (no. 5) is designed to fit between plants and under bushes. The springy tines are curled at the ends as not to damage emerging new shoots and they collect, rather than stab, the leaves to save you constantly picking leaves off the rake.
When it comes to weeds, Sophie Conran's Three-Pronged Weeder (no. 13) is especially good at tackling weeds that regrow if you leave in any of the roots. Simply hold the weed in one hand, submerge the prongs around the roots of the plant and twist to remove the offending intruder with all its roots. Couldn’t be easier! If you’re trying to keep on top of weeds poking out of a brick path or pavers, the Paving Weeder is great for getting in between the gaps.
Organising your tools
The Sophie Conran Galvanised Trug is a Father Rabbit favourite. Keep your trug at the back door or on a shelf in the shed so your tools are at the ready to go when you head into your outdoor space. Each trug is handmade and aged to give every piece its own character - so even if you’re a garden novice, you can look as though you’ve been gardening for years! The Hang It Pegboard is also a useful addition to the shed or back door.
Of course, if you’re less of a gardener yourself, we have the Father Rabbit Gardener’s Box; a thoughtful gift for anyone with a green thumbed friend!
Image sources: Gardenista; Sophie Conran
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