A hori hori is a knife many gardeners swear by. But what exactly is it and why is it so great? Veronica Peerless tests Niwaki’s hori hori knife and explains what happened.
The hori hori knife is a cult gardening tool that head gardeners, horticulturists and members of the Gardens Illustrated team swear by, but for some reason I’d muddled along for years without one.
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I finally got a Niwaki hori hori (which connoisseurs say is the original and best) this spring. I bought it in the shop at the Newt in Somerset, and as I removed it from its sheath and brandished it to my companions, I drew startled breaths from passersby. Which wasn’t surprising – it looks very much like a dagger, even though it is actually a Japanese trowel.
The Niwaki hori hori knife at a glance
Buy the Niwaki hori hori with canvas holster from Burford Garden Co. (£32.00) and Sarah Raven (£32.95)
I became a hori hori convert within a few hours of getting it home. During an evening spell in the garden, I had dug up and transplanted some foxglove seedlings in double-quick time, rapidly ridded a border of wood avens that were suffocating everything in their path and had hacked back some brambles at the back of the border that were coming through my neighbour’s fence.
I was on such a roll that it was almost dark, but I was still scouring the garden for other jobs that my knife could quickly tackle.
It was almost dark, but I was still scouring the garden for other jobs that my knife could quickly tackle
The hori hori makes weeding and planting a cinch. The sharp sides and point of the carbon-steel blade (warning: you wouldn’t want to put a hori hori in a jacket or trouser pocket minus its canvas sheath) mean that that it can slice through heavy clay soil with ease.
As the blade is long (17cm) and wider than a traditional weeding tool (4cm), it is excellent for removing weeds with long tap roots. As it is only very slightly concave, it is also perfect for manoeuvring into tight spots, including containers, or in between plants (I’ve even used it to remove weeds growing within the root balls of plants).
The hori hori is perfect for planting out seedlings or small plants. Come autumn, I’ll be using it to plant spring bulbs in pots.
The knife feels pleasingly heavy in my hands, and I’ve got to admit, makes me feel weirdly powerful, even though I’m not in the business of ‘controlling’ my garden. I also feel super speedy and efficient, like a gardening ninja. I’ve also become strangely possessive – along with my Felco secateurs, it’s a tool that I do not want to share.
Other hori hori knives to invest in
These are the hori hori knives our readers love
Garrett Wade Hori Hori & Sheath
Buy knife from Garrett Wade ($35.00)
Buy knife with sheath from Garrett Wade ($67.00)
This hori hori knife is made from stainless steel and tropical redwood and comes from the Ohio-based brand, Garrett Wade. The blade itself is 17cm long and over 3mm thick, and arrives with a leather belt sheath for safety.
Barebones Hori Hori Garden Knife and Sheath
Buy from Bespoke Post ($70.00)
A great alternative to the Niwaki hori hori, this one has a straight and a serrated knife edge, as well as a curved scoop, a pommel base for hammering and a twine-cutting notch. It’s even got depth markings on the 18cm blade to help with bulb planting. A walnut handle finishes the look.
After something a little different? Try Spear & Jackson’s Kew Gardens planting and weeding knife.
Crafted by Spear & Jackson and endorsed by Kew Gardens, this gardening knife comes from highly trustworthy brands.
It features a polished stainless steel blade with one serrated edge for sawing through roots, and a pronged tip to remove weeds and daisies from your lawn. Use the cut-out notch for slicing twine and the measuring guide for bulb planting.
See our full guide to find our other favourite hori hori knives for gardening.