Description

During the Victorian Era (1837-1901) specialized gardening tools rose in popularity largely because of the British. The Brits, for generations, had been avid gardeners with gardens that ranged in size from estates with hundreds of acres to traditional city backyards. The weeding finger was one such tool. With miles of brick and/or stone pathways, the weeding finger became an essential part of the gardener’s tool chest.

The Americans, a much more vulgar, but direct speaking group, called the elegantly named weeding finger a ‘crack weeder’ and to this day, in many US catalogs the tool is named Crack Weeder.

The tool is ideal for weeding in crevices, stone walls, brick paths and along borders. It is specifically designed to scrape up weeds growing in deep and narrow spaces. No tool does it better.

It can also be used in container gardening for removing stubborn weeds that have imbedded themselves between closely organized plants. In fact, we believe that it is an essential container gardening tool.

The best weeders are constructed of forged steel as is the Harvesting History tool. Like all of the professionally designed hand tools, the steel appendage is created to have some spring so that the weeding finger can give and rebound against obstacles. This tool has a cylindrical hardwood handle into which is imbedded a stainless steel, L-shaped shaft with a pointed end. The stainless steel shaft is is 5 ½ inches long. The foot of the ‘L’ is 2 ½ inches long and flattened into the  shape of a narrow spearhead. The spearhead design makes the shaft a much stronger and more efficient digging and scraping device. The handle is 5 ½ inches longer making the entire length of the tool 10 ¾ inches long. The weight is approximately 8 oz.

Though it will never be used as much as your standard trowel or pruning shears, the Weeding Finger is an invaluable asset for the personal gardener. Our Weeding Finger is manufactured by  Burgon & Ball, perhaps the oldest hand tool manufacturer in the world established in 1730. This magnificent tool is endorsed by the Royal Horticultural Society. The Royal Horticultural Society is the oldest and largest horticultural society in the world. The Society was established in 1804 and is the precursor of ALL the horticultural societies on this planet. Endorsement from the Royal Horticultural Society is perhaps the ultimate accolade in the gardening world.

A quote from William Bryant Logan whose comprehensive book, The Tool Book, is a major resource for gardeners states the importance of this tool most eloquently:

“All weeders multiply the native capabilities of the human hand.”

And, that is exactly what the weeding finger does. Imagine possessing a finger with the strength and durability of stainless steel.