How to use a hand fork?

29th February 2020

How to use a hand fork


	Shop for Hand Trowels


		As it is such a simple tool, the hand fork is not difficult to use. They can be used to loosen hardened soil, remove weeds and aerate soil or lawns.

		Using a hand fork to cultivate soil
		To cultivate soil and improve its texture before sowing or planting, it will need to be broken up and aerated. To do this with your hand fork, simply immerse its tines into the earth and comb through and turn the soil.


		Using a hand fork to remove weeds
		You may also need to remove weeds from the area you are working in. This is much easier to do if the soil is moist; it can be very tough to pull up weeds from hard, dry earth.

		Step 1 – Insert fork into soil Grasp the base of the weed you wish to remove and sink your fork into the ground behind its base.

		Step 2 – Lift up weed Carefully lever the weed up from the soil to pull out the roots without breaking them. Then lift the weed by hand and dispose of it properly (see below for details). Make sure that you have removed all of the root as some weeds are able to regrow from traces of root left behind.

		It is very important that you dispose of weeds correctly, by adding them to your garden waste. You should never compost weeds. Adding weeds to your compost heap provides them with a fertile place in which they are able to regrow. When the compost is used, they will be spread across your garden, reinfecting the flower beds you have worked so hard to clear.

		Using a hand fork to aerate soil
		Aerating soil (or a lawn) involves perforating its surface to allow oxygen and essential nutrients to be absorbed so that they can reach the roots of your plants. Plunge the tines of your hand fork into the soil, then remove your tool to make a series of holes and aerate your soil. Repeat this action across the entire area you are working on.

		Using a hand fork to transplant plants and seedlings
		Step 1 – Water plant To begin, water the flower or shrub to be transplanted. This will moisten and soften the soil surrounding it, making it easier to remove.

		Step 2 – Lift plant Gently ease your fork into the soil – or compost, if it’s in a pot or other container – behind the plant until it is underneath the roots. Holding the base of the stem with one hand, slowly lift the plant with the fork to remove it from the soil. If the plant is fragile, it’s better to hold a lower leaf rather than the stem, to avoid damaging the most vital part of the plant.

		Step 3 – Replant With a trowel, dig a hole in the soil in the new flower bed or container. Then lower your plant into the hole, before covering the roots with soil or compost.