Nisaku Hori Hori Weeding & Digging Knife
Is it a knife? A garden trowel? A pair of scissors? A cultivator? This is one of those elusive multi-use tools that actually does each individual task as well as a single-use tool. As a market gardener, my time is money. If I misplaced my current hori hori knife, I would go out and buy a new one the same day because it’s that invaluable to me.
If you’re even a casual gardener, you likely have an assortment of small handheld gardening tools. The hori hori knife is an overlooked tool that can replace many of these and save precious storage space. It’s one of those tools that will make you wish you had discovered it years ago. I actually donated my old garden trowel because this does the same job more effectively.
I use mine primarily for transplanting seedlings from seed trays into my raised beds. I hold the knife in my left hand and insert the blade and twist to make a quick and easy hole for the seedling. With my right hand, I drop the seedling into its hole and lightly tamp the soil with my fingers around the base of the seedling to prevent air pockets that will dry out the young roots. I can transplant a standard 1020 tray of 72 seedlings in a matter of minutes using this method.
As the name indicates, this knife is also ideal for digging. Even with its low profile, the blade is extremely durable and bend resistant to give you leveraging power to dig small holes. I find it particularly effective for getting all the way under the deep tap roots of the most stubborn weeds. Its slim profile allows you to eliminate weeds that grow close to your plants without disturbing their roots.
With a serrated and a smooth edge, this knife will cut everything from salad greens to gnarled grape vines. I use it in place of shears when I harvest mizuna, lettuce, bok choy, and other greens for its speed and the clean cut that it delivers.
The stylish wood handle feels solid in my hands and is comfortable to use everyday. Blade and handle maintenance is minimal. I do wipe off the blade when I’m done and periodically rub some tung oil into the handle to preserve the natural oils of the wood and protect the finish. The high quality Japanese stainless steel isn’t going to rust on you unless you leave it outside in the rain for days on end.